Selvatura Park Canopy Zip-lining Tour: Everything You Need To Know
Nikki Solano
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Want to know our pick for the BEST ZIP-LINE TOUR and the BEST ZIP-LINE CABLE in Costa Rica? They are featured on DIY Costa Rica!
Want to save money in Costa Rica?
Our sister site Pura Vida! eh? Inc. has Monteverde tour discounts. Con mucho gusto (you’re welcome) and pura vida!
Ricky; with the canopy zip-lining tour guide at the Selvatura Park
Get the Costa Rica info you need by browsing our article's TABLE OF CONTENTS:
We know the Selvatura Park well because we’ve been visiting it for years
As we mentioned in our related blog post Selvatura Park Monteverde: Zip-lining, Hanging Bridges, A Sloth Habitat, A Butterfly Garden, And A Herpetarium In The Cloud Forest, we’ve visited Montevede, and the Selvatura Park several times over the past two decades. In that article, we detailed the Selvatura Park‘s entire Monteverde operation, including their Monteverde canopy zip-lining tour, their Monteverde Treetop Walkways hanging bridges, their Monteverde Sloth Habitat, their Monteverde Butterfly Garden, their Monteverde Herpetarium, and their on-site facilities. If you’re interested in learning about the various tours, activities, and services that are available at the Selvatura Park, please see the article linked to above. If you’re specifically interested in learning about the Selvatura Park‘s Monteverde Canopy Zip-lining Tour, please continue reading below.
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour experience
canopy zip-lining tour at the Selvatura Parkcanopy zip-lining tour at the Selvatura Parkcanopy zip-lining tour at the Selvatura ParkSuperman Cable at the Selvatura Parkcanopy zip-lining tour at the Selvatura Park
Unlike some canopy ziplining tours in Costa Rica, which soar above the forest canopy (i.e., above the treetops), much of the Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Ziplining Tour takes place within the forest. More specifically, the tour travels through the trees in some sections and provides an inside look at the area’s native flora, which belongs to the region’s notable cloud forest ecosystem.
Be aware:
There’s a fair amount of hiking that’s required during this canopy ziplining tour, including uphill treks in the forest and staircase ascents to zipline platforms.
Braking system
Similar to most other canopy ziplining tours that are operated in the Monteverde region, the Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Ziplining Tour utilizes the traditional hand-braking system. (Note that the Sky Trek Canopy Ziplining Tour operated by Monteverde’s Treetopia Park utilizes a different, handlebar braking system.) Although both braking methods are regarded as safe, the hand-braking system requires you to place gentle pressure on the zipline using a thick leather glove to slow your speed. (In contrast, the handlebar braking system requires you to jostle a set of metal handlebars back and forth to slow your speed; it’s a process that some travelers find less daunting than the hand-braking method.) A demonstration of how to use the hand-braking system is provided at the start of the Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Ziplining Tour.
Tour extras and add-ons
The Selvatura Park offers two optional add-on experiences with their Canopy Ziplining Tour, one of which is complimentary. For free with the park’s zip-lining tour is a thrilling free fall experience (called the Tarzan Swing). For an additional fee, you can also experience the park’s Superman Cable, a forward-facing zipline ride. Note that the Superman Cable takes the place of the tour’s final (and longest) zipline cable, so if you purchase it, you’ll experience twelve normal ziplines and one forward-facing one while other tour participants experience thirteen normal ziplines and no forward-facing ones.
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour duration and tour times
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour average duration
Approximately 2-2.5 hours
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour times
8:30am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour costs
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour cost per adult
original cost $69.00
The Selvatura Park‘s Canopy Zip-lining Tour cost per child (4-12 years)
original cost $48.00
The Selvatura Park‘sCanopy Zip-lining Tour logistics
Selvatura‘s Canopy Ziplining Tour experience begins with the collection of safety equipment at their on-site operations center, just beyond the park’s reception and souvenir shop. To confirm, the use of all necessary ziplining equipment is included in the cost of Selvatura’s tour, so no equipment rental fees apply.
Following a short shuttle ride from the park’s reception to the first zipline cable, you’ll receive an instructional briefing led by the tour’s guides, then you’ll have a chance to try a few practice cables. The practice cables allow you to sample ziplining and get a feel for the hand-braking system, to make sure you feel comfortable participating in the activity. If you don’t feel comfortable participating in the activity, it’s best to opt out of continuing with the tour at this time. (Note that you may not be entitled to a tour refund given the last-minute change.)
The Canopy Ziplining Tour at the Selvatura Park counts thirteen zipline cables in total. Here’s how the various cables compare with one another according to the length and height of each one:
Canopy Zip-lining Tour cable details for the Selvatura Park:
Cable #1: 76 meters long / 11 meters high Cable #2: 82 meters long / 16 meters high Cable #3: 115 meters long / 25 meters high Cable #4: 227 meters long / 17 meters high Cable #5: 650 meters long / 6 meters high Cable #6: 80 meters long / 118 meters high Cable #7: 72 meters long / 8 meters high Cable #8: 203 meters long / 30 meters high Cable #9: 305 meters long / 32 meters high Cable #10: 309 meters long / 25 meters high Cable #11: 100 meters long / 30 meters high Cable #12: 350 meters long / 47 meters high Cable #13: 1,000 meters long / 178 meters high Total zip-lining distance: 3,569 meters
Though the duration of the Canopy Ziplining Tour can vary from day to day due to group size, weather conditions, and other factors, on average, the tour takes roughly two hours to complete. That timeline includes the collection of equipment, the shuttle ride to the first zipline cable, the instructional briefing, and the ziplining/hiking portion of the tour. It does not include any extra time needed to travel between the Selvatura Park and downtown Monteverde (known as Santa Elena, an approximate 15-minute drive from the park) and/or area hotels before the tour begins and after the tour wraps up.
Minimum age requirement for the Selvatura Park‘sCanopy Zip-lining Tour
To date, four years old is the minimum age requirement to participate in the Canopy Ziplining Tour at the Selvatura Park.
Maximum weight limit for the Selvatura Park‘sCanopy Zip-lining Tour
The current maximum weight limit for participation in Selvatura’s Canopy Ziplining Tour is 300 lbs. Individuals who exceed the maximum weight limit will be evaluated by the Selvatura Park‘s technical staff according to their height and physical condition to determine eligibility for tour participation.
Travelers with disabilities
The Canopy Ziplining Tour at the Selvatura Parkis not wheelchair-accessible.
Pura vida!
Do you have questions about zip-lining in Costa Rica, want help deciding if the Selvatura Park’s Canopy Tour is the right zip-lining experience for you, or need help determining how to incorporate the zip-lining tour into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
Hey, Costa Rica Travel Blog reader, thank you for visiting and reading our blog! We're truly grateful for your time and preference.
Do you know that your spam-free reading experience is most important to us? Unlike some other Costa Rica blogs, we do not to sell your personal information, and we choose not to display ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing on our blog so we can keep your visit as distraction- and junk-free as possible. Because we prioritize your privacy, we don't earn money when you visit us, when you sign up for our e-course, or when you click on our links, which means the time and work we put into this blog—including its 300+ articles—is entirely voluntary! If you find our content valuable, and you'd like to thank us for making the trip-planning process easier and your Costa Rica vacation more enjoyable, please consider making a small donation ($1, $2, $3, or an amount of your choosing) to our blog. Doing so is a great way to pat us on the back if you feel we deserve it. 😊 Pura vida, amigos!
Click on the button above to donate through PayPal. (If you cannot see the PayPal button above, click here.) A PayPal account is not required to make a donation; credit and debit cards are also accepted. PayPal donations are confidential; we never see your payment details.
Love our blog? Check out our other Costa Rica-related projects, too:
Summary
Article Name
Selvatura Park Canopy Zip-lining Tour: Everything You Need To Know
Description
We’ve done the Monteverde Sky Trek canopy zip-lining tour a few times. Here’s everything you need to know to plan for your experience!
