FAQ

In Costa Rica, when someone refers to a zip line tour or a canopy tour, they are most likely referencing the same activity. Technically, the canopy refers to the upper layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and including other biological organisms. The zip line is the actual cable that allows a guest to move from one location in the canopy to another location. On The El Santuario Canopy Adventure Tour, you will experience the canopy, the jungle floor, and magnificent vistas of the Pacific Ocean from high above the rainforest.

That’s okay! Many of our clients have never experienced the thrill of a zip line adventure before. That’s why our guides make sure that they give a complete orientation session before your tour and will be there to remind you of the finer points of safe travel as you enjoy your tour. Many of our experienced guests say that this is the best zip line they have ever enjoyed. We do everything we can to make experienced and novice guests feel comfortable while on our zip line adventure.

Many people have a fear of heights, but they’re still able to enjoy going on a zip line adventure! The doubly secured steel cable, harnesses and touch-free riding system leave nothing for you to do or worry about. Just enjoy the ride. When you are waiting for the next zip line on the platforms, you are attached by a safety line at all times. Our guides are trained to be with you throughout your entire adventure and to provide any amount of support that you need.

El Santuario’s canopy adventure is designed for participants in good health. Due to the nature of the tour, we reserve the right to refuse participation to anyone. All Participants Must:

• sign a Participant Agreement/Waiver
• weigh between 75 and 275 pounds to ride alone (guests weighing less than 75 pounds may not be able to ride all the lines by themselves. On the longer or slower lines, we might pair them with a guide to ride tandem)
• be at least 4 years of age to ride tandem with our experienced guides
• if you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the Participant Agreement
• if you are under 14, a parent or legal guardian must sign the Participant Agreement AND you must be actively accompanied on the tour by your parent or another adult designated by your parent to serve as chaperone
• be in good health and prepared to participate in an ACTIVE tour
• be able to comfortably walk one mile – Our longest walk is only 110 meters. If you can climb 5 flights of stairs at one time, you will be comfortable with the physical requirements of our tour.

You Cannot Participate if You:

• are pregnant
• have recent, reoccurring or existing injuries
• have a serious musculoskeletal disorder
• have epilepsy or a seizure disorder that does not permit you to drive
• have hemophilia or are currently taking high doses of a blood thinning medication or anticoagulant
• have a known health condition that requires immediate medical attention in the event of an emergency
• are under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medications that may limit your abilities

You will enjoy the tour from the ground, the trees, and above the canopy. The highest platform is about 40 meters above the ground. You will enjoy rides approximately 100 meters above the jungle floor with amazing views of the Costa Rican rain forest, mountains and ocean, and you will be able to brag about zipping on Central America’s longest twin zip lines.

Almost all adventure trips, including things like rock climbing or white water rafting, carry risks with them. Our course was designed to be as safe as possible. We use only the highest quality of equipment available and everything is checked daily by our professionally trained guides. Our guides have been through extensive training on safety, rescue, and first aid. We want you to enjoy your adventure and your safety is always our primary concern.

At El Santuario we want you to have an adventure with a little bit of education. Our tour will pick you up at your location, transport you to your zip line adventure, share some education about Costa Rica’s history, plants, animals and birds, feed you a meal and return you to your location in about 4 ½ hours. Tours can be a bit shorter or a bit longer depending on the the size of the tour.

We will transport you to the beginning of our zip line tour. During the tour you will have three nature walks on manicured trails, climb 3 towers and cross 6 hanging bridges.

No, if you are pregnant you will not be allowed to go on a zip lining adventure, but we hope that you will contact us about an adventure after you have had your child.

When you’re planning on going on a zip line adventure, the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you are wearing comfortable clothing. Skirts and short shorts are not recommended. Sturdy shoes are required (no flip-flops). Jewelry that dangles and anything that is loose, like scarves, should be removed. If you choose to wear them, sunglasses should be secured with a strap. If you have long hair, it should be tied back, and you should take everything out of your pockets, including cell phones or cameras, so that they do not end up hopelessly lost on the floor of the jungle.

We do have lots of wildlife on the property but we cannot guarantee that you will see them. You may see toucans, sloths, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and red backed squirrel (titi) monkeys, agoutis, and even the occasional bigfoot.

Your guide will fit you securely into a harness. You’ll also be given a helmet, gloves, a high quality tandem speed pulley, which is what moves you on the cables, and 2 lanyards that have safety clips on them, and a safety line.

We operate our Costa Rica canopy tour rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, such as lightning or sustained high winds, We may cancel your tour prior to your scheduled departure time. Advance notice may not be possible. Weather cancellations are offered a rain check. Should severe weather occur while you are on the tour, we may choose to discontinue your tour. Discontinued tours may be offered a tour voucher to rebook if we have not reached zip-line number 7.

Yes, we do offer special rates for groups of 8 or more. If you are interested in knowing more about group rates, please contact us at 877-452-8647 (US number) or 2777-6908 (if you are in Costa Rica).

We separate our tours into groups of 10 guests or less for every 2 guides although the size of the tour may be larger than 10.

Please see our cancellation policy for more information about cancellations.

Yes, payment arrangements must be made in advance. You can pay over the phone or filling out our card authorization form via email. You may also make deposit and payment arrangements with your hotel receptionist, villa concierge or approved tour agent. All bookings reserved online are only charged a $25.00 deposit and a 6% booking fee at the time of creating the reservation. The remaining balance will be due once you arrive to our property.

We do recommend reservations to ensure that you don’t miss out on your adventure. Last minute reservations can be accommodated if we have space available. Your tour is not confirmed until the reservation is paid.

Our tour is located deep in the Costa Rica Rain Forest, about 10 minutes from the Quepos Airport. You may drive your own vehicle but you will need to make arrangements to meet our vehicles and follow us to the zip line location. We are located well into the jungle through the palm plantations. We wouldn’t want you to get lost and miss your adventure.

That is totally up to you but it is common industry practice to give a tip to your guide. If they have provided you with the experience that you were hoping for, it is normal for a guide to receive a 10-15% tip per person. You will have the opportunity to tip the staff at the end of the tour. All tips are shared between tour guides, kitchen staff and maintenance personnel.