How to Zip Line Over the Rain Forest Canopies in St. Lucia
Riding a zip line through the dense jungle of St. Lucia is one of the island's premier tourist attractions. With more than 100 commercially operated zip lines in North America, two of which are found on St. Lucia as of 2010, zipping across rivers, down mountain sides and through the jungle is accessible to tourists and thrill-seekers. If you're looking to spot endangered wildlife, experience the jungle from the air and be enveloped by nature, zip lining in St. Lucia must be on your travel itinerary.
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Things You'll Need
- Guided tour
- Helmet
- Hair net
- Leather gloves
- Athletic apparel and footwear
Instructions
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Zip Lining Basics
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Choose the zip line tour company that is right for you. As of October 2010, two professionally guided tour providers operate on St. Lucia, carrying perfect safety records and a tour duration of about 2 1/2 hours.
On the south end of the island, Palm Services Treetop Canopy Tour provides zip line tours for people of all ages and is located 30 minutes south of Castries -- where most of the all-inclusive hotels are located.
The second provider, Rain-forest Aerial Trams, is located 10 minutes north of Castries in Chassin. This tour service is convenient for cruise ships and people staying on the northern side of the island. Unique to this company, the zip line tour starts with an aerial tram ride and a short hike to the first zip platform.
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Secure your helmet, leather gloves and hair net if you have long hair. Also, you'll want to make sure your tour-provided harness is snug around the waist and thighs. Wearing tight fitting athletic apparel is recommended to avoid any article of clothing getting caught in the zip line mechanism.
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Mount the zip line platform at your tour guide's request and allow him to complete the connection and safety check on your harness.
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Walk toward the edge of the platform as your tour guide gives you the OK to go. Stepping off the platform, ensure that one hand is firmly wrapped around the harness neck, just below the harness's connection to the zip line mechanism.
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Twist the harness neck to the right to spin left or to the left to spin right during your zip line ride. The harness allows for 360 degrees of rotation, so do not worry if you begin to turn backward. Simply twist your hand with the spin, and counter-intuitively, you'll slowly begin to rotate to a forward-facing position once again.
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Tips & Warnings
Some zip lines will require you to brake as you approach the lower platform. If this is the case, wear the tour-provided heavy-duty leather glove on your dominant hand.
Leave your cell phone behind and avoid placing your camera chord around the wrist or neck. Tuck in all loose clothing and hair to avoid entanglement.
References
- Photo Credit zip line image by Linda Mattson from Fotolia.com
