Deb15July

I've been to the top of many famous buildings, WTC, Duomo in Florence, John Hancock building, etc. I love the view, but am always cautious near the edge. I guess I have a fear of the wall, fence (or whatever the barrier is along the perimeter) giving way unexpectedly.

With this in mind, am I absolutely crazy to think I could do ziplining while in CR?

Continental_Drifter

No and yes. You are not crazy. I feel the same way. I went with an open mind and based it on how I felt once I arrived at the location. Depending on where you are going, there is plenty to do if you choose not to zipline. My husband and sons decided to zip line and my daughter and I decided to walk the canopy tour on the bridges. The skyways were terrific and while still a little scary, it was totally worth the minimal anxiety. The key for me was to have this alternative.

That being said, I really thought that I wouldn't risk missing the zipline opportunity when faced with one of the few chances to do it in a lifetime. I chickened out at the last minute. The walks were an absolutely perfect solution. The view was amazing and the bridges were equally as high as the ziplines. When I saw the guys ziplining from my vantage point on the bridges, I knew I had made the right choice.

If you're going to Santa Elena, we do recommend Selvatura.

http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/canopy...ura/index.html

Plenty of guides were provided with the zipliners and my daughter and I hired a guide for the canopy walk. There were many things we would not have noticed without the guide.

We finished a bit earlier than the guys ziplining and spent the rest of the time in their hummingbird garden having lunch. We saw a plethora of hummingbirds and a coati came right out of the jungle to visit the picnic area and clean up the scraps.

We also found a charming little B&B with perfect hosts, an amazing view and most comfortable accomodation on an organic coffee plantation within 10 to 15 minutes of Santa Elena.

Have fun!

Deb15July

mom23rugrats,
We seem to think alike. I wondered if I had the option of deciding at the last minute. Although, like you say...the bridges might almost be more scary for me. You know that fear of the sides breaking. I tend to be accident prone at times...fell on ice in my office parking lot last Friday and now I have a sprained foot.

Can I tour Santa Elena and Monteverde as a day trip from Arsenal or is that not advisable?

Continental_Drifter

Hi, Deb,

Once on the bridges, I noticed the true steel beam construction and the thickness of the cables and felt okay. It was substantial enough to assuage some of my fear so that I could enjoy the walk. I did not consider the sides breaking, and am thinking that since that did not draw my attention, I must have been confident enough to still go.

Do not pay for the tour at the offices in Santa Elena. There are high-pressure sales guys there. Wait until you get to Selvatura and decide so that you can base it on how you feel at arrival.

We drove from Arenal to Santa Elena and went to Selvatura the first day. We stayed two nights and had the pleasure of visiting Monteverde the second day. Again, the guide pointed out so much more than we would have seen without him. There is also the Santa Elena Cloudforest reserve. That being said, we did think that the Monteverde admission price was a little high.

I would think you would need a night in Santa Elena. If you are interested, here is a link to the coffee farm on which we stayed. It has private entrances and baths to the two rooms. The Spanish hosts are wonderful and the food is fabulous. Satya makes the best traditional Spanish tortilla you have ever had!

Continental_Drifter

Here's the link: http://www.satyabb.com/en-page1.html

colibri

Deb,

You can't do Monteverde/Santa Elena as a daytrip from Arenal. It takes 1/2 day just to get there, no matter if you drive around the lake or take the jeep/boat/jeep transfer.

You might check out Arenal Paraiso's zipline. It has 11 lines and you have the option after the first two to leave and walk back at that point. After the second line it is the point of no return. You could always ask them if you pay and get to the first line and change your mind if they would refund your money.

The first few lines are the highest, steepest and longest, the last three fairly short and lateral.

cocontom

It kind of depends on your fear of heights, which sounds a lot like mine. If you hang me from a harness, I'm completely comfortable, but the front row of seats in a suite at a baseball game, for example, freaks me out. The full-glass walls on hotel windows- yeah, you have to pry me off of them because I just freeze.

When I ziplined- in Puerto Vallarta, not CR- I was just fine on the actual zip lines, but the platforms on the trees did freak me out. There's no way in hell I'd do the bridge things.

Deb15July

cocontom,
so funny to say you wouldn't do the bridges...it is weird how these things affect different people. I also think the plaforms will kind of freak me out. I used to be a competitive swimmer and sometimes the coach would let us jump off the 10 meter tower. I'd walk...sometimes crawl to the edge to look over, but then I loved the jump!!!

volcanogirl

The zipline we did in Monteverde included two rappels that we weren't expecting. They told us to just leap off the platform 100 feet up in the air and to go hands free. It ended up being our favorite part, but I think it would have been pretty scary if we were afraid of heights. Whichever one you choose, I'd check with them to see what it entails to make sure it's something you're comfortable with.

Continental_Drifter

Just a note - most of the bridges are about 10 feet wide with chest-high railings that are solid or "fenced" to the floor of the bridge. These are not weak or poorly constructed bridges. This may assuage your fear of the bridges when you see them. It did for me.

wanatrvl

I also have a fear of heights but was fine with the actual zipline. Like Cocontom, climbing the platforms and waiting my turn freaked me out. But once I was sailing across the line I loved it. I didn't want to miss what I thought may be a once in a lifetime experience. Good luck!

Deb15July

mom23 and wanatrvl,
Thanks for the additional encouragement. I will have to do some more research and give additional thought to this. When I discussed this with DH last night it didn't sound like he was real up for the zipline, but he often has to be pushed. We'll see.

WillTravel

> The zipline we did in Monteverde included two rappels that
> we weren't expecting. They told us to just leap off the
> platform 100 feet up in the air and to go hands free.

Yikes! I am glad you enjoyed it, but I have to say I do not think I am up for that at all.

qwovadis

www.skytrek.com

lots of options

you always have the choice

so no worries

volcanogirl

WT, I think we had looks of horror on our face because the guide said he would lower us down slowly if we wanted. He said the drop was really fun and that we could trust him, so we took his word for it, and we sort of took a leap of faith!

ShellD

I think it really depends on the the person. My husband is really afraid of heights - falling actually. He did one zipline in Mexico, but it wasn't off a platform and he was ok with it. It was over a lake I believe. He also did a rapel, which was scary for him, and he doesn't want to do one again, but he did it. However, that being said he will NOT do the ziplines in CR. He refuses to go on the platforms were you're up in the trees. The actual zip lines might be ok, but standing there waiting to do the zipping is what he's not ok with.

But he was ok with the hanging bridges. The railings are what made them ok for him. He also doesn't like glass elevators or standing in front of windows in tall buildings looking down. He won't go on a roller coaster or any ride that has the feeling of falling.

I think that had we tried to get him to do the zip line and he didn't enjoy it, we all would have been miserable!

Deb15July

I think your husband is my twin. The standing on the platform part sounds kinda scary to me too.

I like to ride in the glass elevators but I have to backup towards the door the higher I get!

I remember very vividly in our much younger days being at the World Trade Center and they had these bump out things where you could step right up to the glass and look out. My husband got down there and was trying to get me to step down to join him but I wouldn't let him touch me.

We will need to do some more researh on the ziplines and hanging bridges so we don't get divorced on our anniversary trip.

hipvirgochick

I'm not afraid of heights, but after we took the tractor ride to the platform overlooking the falls and I could see some of the lines we were going to zip on I said to myself "you've got to be kidding me. There's no f'n way". I gave my daughter a lot of chances to back out, LOL, but she was ready! That first leap sure was the hardest, but it was super fun after that! It did rain for the last few lines and as others said it gets faster! It's not even close to a "favorite thing" in CR for me, but I'm definitely glad I did it! Plus, ugh, my daughter wants to go again.

Deb15July

hip,
I will have to do some more research with the various companies and locations. I'm still not sure about our itinerary, so it's hard to plan exactly. Unfortunately, my husband isn't sure he wants to do horses either. We went somewhere years ago (I think maybe in North Carolina) and we went horseback riding on "tame" horses and his took off running and scared the SH.. out of him.

But my son went on a Study Abroad program to CR a couple of years ago and did a zipline somewhere in Monteverde and really like it. Of course in true young adult fashion, he can't remember any details.

shillmac

Heights are a real problem for me, but I was able to talk myself into ziplining on our first visit (after doing some local research and speaking with guides, etc). You really aren't aware of the height issue with the trees below you (perception is everything!). I generally freeze on a ferris wheel. I like the option at Arenal Paraiso of trying the first two lines. Seems like a good fit for you. I'll bet you'd elect to go the distance. It's quite a thrill, and you really are in good hands.