Swinging Through the Jungle

The canopy guide, finished with her review of safety procedures and equipment, gazed slowly around at our group. “Who’s up first?” she asked. I raised my hand, fueled by a heady mixture of excitement and dread.

I was soon perched at the edge of a wooden platform snuggled high in a giant fig tree. Far below, the lush rainforest was pierced right down the middle by the Great River, which separates Jamaica’s St. James and Hanover parishes. My body, hard-hatted and encased in a multi-strapped harness, was securely clipped to a steel cable running 360 feet across the river to another platform.

Ignoring a momentary tug of fear, I took a deep breath and jumped and found myself cruising through the canopy. Cable speeds can reach 35 miles per hour, and even the longest traverse takes only seconds. For 11 very long seconds I was soaring through the sky.

And then it was time to land. The cable’s angling is designed to slow you down as you approach a stopping point. The guide, who had preceded me, grabbed my harness and pulled me in. One of her assistants unhooked me from the cable. Euphoric but weak-kneed, I stumbled to the rear of the platform and turned to watch the others come soaring in for their own triumphant landings.

When sending adventurous clients to Jamaica, book them on a Canopy Tour. This relatively new activity offers a safe yet thrilling trip through the trees.

The experience, which takes about two hours, consists of nine separate traverses over rainforest and river. Your clients will travel almost a mile on cables, reaching heights of up to 330 feet. Some uphill trail walking is involved, so clients must be in moderately good condition. The terrain is rich with tropical growth and wildlife, although clients will likely hear rather than see the jungle’s inhabitants. Experienced guides supervise each tour and help participants manipulate the high-tech safety traverse system.

No previous experience is needed for this adventure, and children over the age of 10 are welcome. But regardless of age, it’s best to have mosquito repellent on hand while in the jungle.