Chiangmai Jungle Flight

Zip-lining is one of the major tourist attractions in Chiangmai. Posters and brochures are visible everywhere, advertising the many different companies that offer this adventure experience.  When a group of relatives dropped into town recently, we decided to go with Jungle Flight. It turned out to be an excellent choice on our part!

Jungle Flight is not the biggest player on the block but they are about 1000 baht cheaper then the best known one in town. We went with the longer Package A, which included 33 platforms and 20 zip lines, In addition to the zip lines, there are also abseils, sky-bridges and a 600 meter canopy nature walk. Add in the free t-shirt and authentic Thai lunch and it is definitely a lot of “bang for the buck”!

As of this writing, there are four pick up times. I would advise going as early as possible to avoid the extreme heat of the day. It is a very windy ride up the mountain to the start point and takes about an hour from the center of town. Anyone that is prone to carsickness might have a problem with the ride! We decided that the hairpin, steep trip up to the site was almost worth the fee. You do not receive any water until the end of the trip up the mountain, so I would advise you to bring a bottle with you if you are one of those people that must constantly be hydrating.

Once we arrived at the starting point, we were carefully outfitted with harnesses and helmets. Safety was never compromised at any point during the day. Equipment was checked and double-checked before we were sent on our way to the first zip line.  It is a little nerve-racking at first but as you “zip” from one platform to the next, and gain a little experience, it becomes more relaxing. The guys in charge make it fun for everyone and there is lots of joking around as you navigate the course. Be prepared for lots of hooting and hollering as you race along the tree tops from one platform to another. You may even get daring enough to hang upside down or do a few somersaults as you zoom along!

Most of the course involves zip lining from one platform to another or walking along fairly horizontal rope bridges. However, there are parts where you will be hiking up some fairly steep inclines, so be forewarned! There was one person in our group who had to return to the base camp shortly after starting. He was too heavy and too out-of-shape to move from one area to the next.  I am 62 and had no problem with any part of the course. There is a minimum height restriction of 120 cm and a maximum weight restriction of 120 kg. If you have problems climbing up staircases or hills without huffing and puffing, this is probably not the activity for you!

I don’t think it would be any problem for families with young children (kids must be at least four years old). If you have any hesitation, you might want to choose the shorter package.  The heavier you are, the faster you go, so very light children (or adults) might stop a little short of some platforms. However, the guides will quickly pull them the rest of the way. At all points along the way, you are carefully attached to safety lines, so there is no danger in falling to the ground far below.

It was also really nice that we were not bombarded with tourist item vendors at the site. There was no gift shop, just a very low-key meeting point and building where we filled in the paperwork, paid the fees and were outfitted.  From there we walked through a mountain village to the first platform.

There were lots of opportunities to take photos along the way. The only item you can take with you is a camera; there are lockers at the starting point for anything else you have with you. At the end of the trek, you receive a good quality t-shirt and a decent lunch. All in all, we found it well worth the money for five or six hours of entertainment. 

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For more info on Jungle Flight, click here.