Top Zip Line Chiang Mai Flight of the Gibbons
When I’m creating reviews I often compare one of my experiences to another. This helps me with these reviews because I can use my history of similar events. The more experiences I have the more I catch the small details of what to look for. This was not my first time at the dance, the Zip Line dance. Now I’ve had two great experiences and Flight of Gibbons topped my last one by far. This is the Top Zip Line in Chiang Mai and Thailand.
One of many Zip Lines for the day at Flight of the Gibbons in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
My first time on a Zip Line was in Costa Rica. I had hiked up a mountain side to the top to jump off a tall tree while holding onto a Zip Line connector. I’m scared of heights even though I used to fly airplanes. There’s a difference, there’s a floor on an airplane. I chickened out until a grandma went and I was still standing there. How would it look if a grandma went and I didn’t. I jumped off the first tree hooked up and flew across from one tree to another. It wasn’t that simple really…read on.
It was the first step off that first tree that I had a problem in Costa Rica. There was a safety line and there was the regular line, they both attach to the Zip Line. I had the safety line on, but before he could hook up my regular line my large DSLR camera snagged on the crews’s vest and I hung there in the air by my camera strap. This was a new Canon $7,900 camera. Fortunately the camera strap didn’t break. That was the start of my zip line experience and also enabled me to say that Flight of the Gibbons was a better experience hands down. I did not take my camera on the Flight of the Gibbons zip line, only my iPhone in a plastic cover because it was raining. At the end of the trip the plastic was 3/4 ripped, but I still had my new iPhone.
Fast forward a few years and now I’m in Thailand and picked Flight of the Gibbons for my Zip Line experience. I was looking forward to seeing the difference between the Costa Rica Zip Lines trip and Flight of the Gibbons in Chiang Mai. The safety factors, what the trees and forest was like and how much hiking there was for our group. I got all my answers and more…Top Zip Line Chiang Mai.
Gibbon Monkey Greets Crew of Flight of the Gibbons in Chiang Mai.
The whole adventure with Flight of the Gibbons was a very positive experience from the first tree to the last! Flight of the Gibbons called this an experience, but I call it an adventure because of the Zip Line but more because of the Gibbon Monkeys and how they interact with humans. Read below and see how my day went…Short videos and images from the pickup at my hotel, to the drive, gearing up, safety talk and zipping around with the monkeys. Also a healthy fun lunch and a small hike to a near by village.
Flight of the Gibbon Picks you Up at Your Hotel
Our pickup time was between 6:30 & 7:00 A.M. and they picked us up in a newer minivan (and good driver) at 6:30, in fact they were downstairs waiting for us right on time. We stopped at three hotels on the way and picked up everyone and headed to the mountain. It started to Rain, but I read about that if it rained, it wouldn’t be a problem, this is a rain forest, it rains here all the time. The driver was competent and our van began our ascent up the curvy mountain road.
On arrival we signed our releases and donned our equipment, it all looked brand new, straps, hardware and helmet. We returned back to the van and made our final leg of the trip up the mountain.
Getting Ready for Zip Line
I expected an adventure and sure enough, I was not disappointed. Some of us had ponchos, but even though there was a consistant rain, if you went without any rain gear, you still didn’t get wet, the trees shielded us from the rain. All the Zip Line equipment was either new or kept like new, I keep a sharp eye out for any irregularities.
This group just got geared up and ready to go for their Zip Line experience at Flight of the Gibbon.
Safety Zip Line
The first thing our sky crew did was give us safety directions and wanted to make sure everyone understood. We all felt safe but there is always a little apprehension until you see the crew in action. Our two guys were outstanding and after the first few Zip lines, we all felt safe. I was the biggest guy in the group and since I am 6 ft. tall and183 lbs, my weight made my trip across the wire real hot (fast) because the more weight the faster you go. Because of the rain, all the wires were wet, it made our trips across even faster. I came in so fast they had to catch me at the end, and they did several times without any problem. We made sure we gave them a nice tip, they deserved it! Tip #1: Remember, the crew are the only ones to control your safety line, do not touch it yourself! Tip 2: listen to your crew!! (I found that the operation seems very safe, but in life anything can happen at any time, there is always a risk. It seems as though Flight of the Gibbons does their best to be safe for your benefit.)
Zipping Across the Trees
Our sky guides not only made our trip safe, they educated us about the forest and the Gibbon. In Costa Rica we had 10 wires to cross, I thought that was about what we had here, but no, there were many more here.
Fast Zipline
The Zip Lines are fast, but even faster when wet. Each one was a thrill and at each one there was a crew member sending you off and another one there to catch you at the end if they needed too.
Superman On A Wire
You can be superman and fly through the air, but only if you want too. The crew hooks the line on the back part of your harness and you fly to the other tree like in this video. They still have a safety line on you just in case. Your arms are free as you sail through the air!!
Hiking the Indiana Jones Bridge to visit the Gibbons – Safety First with a safety line
Each trip from tree to tree was an adrenaline rush and we all were having fun in the forest. It’s beautiful here, fresh clean air with a slight mist and the forest added extra oxygen, and we were all playing in the tree tops. Now it was time to go high over the water using a small foot bridge. After hiking up even more, a few of our group disappeared and I asked where did they go…the Gibbons.
Gibbons Encounter
Once we saw the Gibbons and how friendly and cute these little monkeys were, the experience turned into an adventure. We came all the way across the forest now we were flying across to where the Gibbons were. They came down to greet us, the sky guides and the Gibbons were all friends, we could all tell. There was a trust that was evident, you can see that from the photographs. By the way, their ares are huge, lots of muscles, you can see that in their shoulders.
Finishing the Zip Line rides with a ride down from the tree tops
We made it across a few more zip lines and then they lowered us down to the ground, we went back to base camp crossed the street for a prepared lunch.
A crew member catches you after you are lowered from the last tree.
Zip Through the Jungle
This is the course from the Chiang Mai Mae Kampong Mountain. My Costa Rica trip had only 10 Zip Lines, Flight of the Gibbon was much more and also the encounter with the Gibbons.
Flight of the Gibbons Zip Line Course
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A Food Review – Click on Photo on the left for a food review on the lunch that was served after Zip Lining
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A Village Tour – Click on Photo on the left for a review of a tour of Mae Kampong Village on the mountain side of Chiang Mai.
Flight of the Gibbon Full Video
The people that visit this world wide tourist attraction are Chinese tourists, European tourists, Canadian tourists, Australian tourists, and American tourists. The central tourism language in Thailand is English. The Thai guides speak English and communication is important for safety reasons.
Note: I was a guest of Flight of the Gibbon but all opinions and recommendations are my own without bias.
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