Rainforest adventure

Niki Bruce

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

© The Cairns Post

 

Experience an ancient eco-system from the rainforest canopy.

Set on an 18ha private reserve in the pristine Daintree rainforest at Cape Tribulation, around 2½ hours drive north of Cairns, the multi award-winning Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours take visitors on a unique rainforest tour where their feet don’t touch the ground.

Seated comfortably in full body harnesses, Jungle Surfers fly through the trees on flying fox ziplines, stopping at five eco-friendly tree platforms to take in spectacular bird’s eye views over the treetops, down to cascading streams and out to the Great Barrier Reef.

This is one of the most exciting ways to see the rainforest up-close-and-personal.

The creator, Stephen Walsh, created the concept after watching the movie Medicine Man in the early 1990s.

The crazy team of guides – bearing a bunch of nutty nicknames – are all mad keen about not just surfing the canopy but also about protecting the environment.

The guides are able to control the flying fox contraption that you use to get about the treetops.

This means that you don’t have to be super fit or co-ordinated to get a good look safely.

The longest span is more than 75m long and the platforms vary in height from 2.5 to 19.5m.

The highest point is 22m above Mason Creek.

The tour takes a bit more than an hour and you can go at eight different times during the day.

The company will also organise transfers from all accommodation in Cape Tribulation.

The harnesses fit people from kids aged three years and will take up to 120kg in adult weight.

 


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