The newest canopy tour in the La Fortuna / Arenal area is one of the most innovative canopy tours in the whole country. Valle Monteverde, the owners of the Sky Trek of Monteverde, have used their considerable experience to improve the experience of a canopy tour. Sky Trek opened their Monteverde location in 1998 and their canopy tour has been arguably the most successful in the area ever since. However instead of resting on their laurels, they looked at their successful project and made improvements.
This new attraction is located south south-east of the Volcano past the turn off to the Observatory Lodge heading towards El Castillo. In addition to the ever prolific canopy tour setup, they also offer an aerial tram or cable car. This one of the few operating in Costa Rica and the only one that elevates you to a platform offering a stunning view of the Volcano Arenal and lake. If sitting in a chair lift kind of gondola is not your thing there are also zip lines.
One problem with zip lines is that they make so much noise it is difficult to see wildlife. The new Sky Tram is completely silent, allowing for possible nature sightings. Guides give a short talk about the local ecosystem and answer any questions you may have. If any animals are spotted, guides are able to stop the tram for as long as you like, allowing you to observe, take photographs and learn about the animals.
Another problem with most canopy tours is the time spent waiting for the rest of the group to attach and detach their harnesses to the cables. Arenal Sky Trek has only eight cables. This means only eight clip-ins and eight clip-outs. Don't worry about the small number of cables though; Sky Trek has some of the longest cables in the country. One cable offers an awesome 700+ meter ride, (that's three-quarters of a kilometer or almost half a mile) and over 45 seconds of heart palpitating fun!
The final improvement to the new Sky Trek is a more direct route. Each platform is both a landing spot and departure point, so unlike the steep walks from cable to cable that are part of the Monteverde SkyTrek, Sky Trek Arenal requires no hiking. Why walk when you can zip? Lets face it your not paying for the trails - go to the wildlife reserves for the good hiking.
Another difficulty for the Monteverde location is the weather and terrain. Riders on Monteverde Sky Trek often get rained on and the high winds and high elevation mean that you could end the journey soaking wet and cold. They have not figured out how to stop the rain in Arenal, however rain in the Arenal area offers a pleasant reprieve from the hot temperatures, and clothes dry much faster afterwards.
Monteverde has gained a reputation for its canopy tours, which are excellent, and many of the ideas for canopy tours have their roots in Monteverde. That said, when choosing a canopy tour, don't just go by history alone, step into the future and try the new Arenal SkyTrek / SkyTram.
You won't be disappointed!
Take a look at these other sections from our sites:
Our Site via RSS
