As a popular Kauai zipline tour company, we know a lot about ziplining – it’s our passion. While it’s primarily an adventure-packed “thrill ride” today, this fun and increasingly popular activity was actually born out of necessity! We’ve included a few facts we think you’ll find interesting below.
Ziplining can be traced back to almost 120 years ago, when “The Invisible Man” by H.G. Wells made reference to an “inclined strong,” another term for ziplining, as part of a Whit-Monday fair. Whit Monday, or Pentecost Monday, is a holiday celebrated by Christians in several European countries.
Many years ago, areas in remote regions of the Australian Outback, China, and the Costa Rican rainforest used ziplines (which were simply cables and pulleys threaded between two points and fueled by gravity) to transport both people and goods from one point to another. This was the only method of transportation to get across rivers, canyons, and other impassable areas.
Today, there are more than 700 zipline courses around the world! Some of the terms used for this exciting ride include aerial rope slide, aerial runway, flying fox, zip wire, and foefie slide.
Most ziplines are constructed using galvanized cable designed to securely hold more than 22,000 lbs. without breaking! The platforms between ziplines are created to hold loads that weigh 40,000 lbs. or more. Now you can see why it’s an extremely secure activity, and not at all dangerous when courses are designed by professionals, and guides are present to instruct those who visit.
South Africa, the UK, and New Zealand claim to have ziplines that reach speeds of 100 mph.
The Eye of the Jaguar in Peru claims to be 6,990 feet long – that’s 1.3 miles!
As of 2012, the highest zipline in the world was more than 900 feet off the ground, and is located in Puerto Rico. Talk about flying through the sky!
Riding a zipline is fun, adventurous, adrenaline pumping, and yes, a little scary – but that’s what makes it so much fun. Just like people love to ride the “scariest” rides at a county or state fair, the element of a little fright is what makes people face ziplining with such great anticipation. At Just Live, we offer a variety of Kauai zipline tours, so you can choose just how much fun you want to have – and how long you want it to last. Come by and see us when you’re in the area!
