Canopy tours in the cloud forest in Costa Rica? Have you ever been on a canopy tour? If so, what was it like

Question

The spanish class in my school is going on a trip to Costa Rica next year, and I have the chance to go with. On the schedule of what we would be doing every day of the trip, a canopy tour of the cloud forest in Monterverde is scheduled. I am REALLY afraid of heights, so I was wondering what this was like. I'm not stupid, and I know the whole thing is going to be WAY high up, so I want to hear other peoples opinions of what it is like. If you have ever been on a canopy tour, please tell me your story.

I will choose a best answer, so PLEASE be descriptive.

Answer 1

Hello,

Two years ago my HS AP Enviro Sci class took a trip to Costa Rica. We did do a canopy tour in Monteverde. It was breathtaking. I too am very afraid of heights, but after the first rope you'll quickly overcome it.  

You'll be about a couple hundred feet above the ground, and when you zipline you go about 15mph. Just pay attention at your info session and listen to your local guides about when you should begin to break.  You are strapped into a harness with 3 sets of rope, so you're in pretty tight and you'll be really secure. You also have a helmet and a hand break, so essentially you're really safe.

When I went, I made a few of my friends go first so I could see it, and honestly you just gotta go all in and do it. You'll be on a platform and they'll attach you to the rope and you have to like sit back and they either give you a push or ask you to jump and off you go. Just pick up your legs, like you are sitting in a chair and off you'll go.  Your left hand in back on the rope with a hand break so you can slow yourself down, which the first few times i'd recommend if you're really freaked out. Sometimes, I was going too fast and my hand fell off the rope, but no worries the guys at each station will help break you.  Like I said, be sure to listen to the guides because sometimes you need to start breaking at a certain time.  Also, on some ropes if you're really small, like I am, you might have to go with another person, which is really fun.

I ended up having a blast and didn't want to go home at all. I promise after the first time, you won't even be thinking about your fear, because it feels like you're literally flying through the jungle and clouds.