Why Ziplining Is Booming in Hawaii

A zipline enthusiast glides over a waterfall on a KapohoKine Adventures tour.
 
A zipline enthusiast glides over a waterfall on a KapohoKine Adventures tour.

According to the brand new MMGY Global 2015 Portrait of American Travelers the number of those who consider “hiking/climbing/other outdoor adventure” to be a desirable vacation attribute is soaring. Nearly half — 47 percent — of survey respondents feel that way, up from 40 percent in 2014. One of the increasingly popular adventure activities is ziplining, and one place where this is booming is in Hawaii. Ziplines have sprung up throughout Hawaii’s diverse landscape. Here is a sampling of options available in the Aloha State.

KapohoKine Adventures on Hawaii Island that conducts treks to areas in Kona, Hilo and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has launched “Nohona Hawaii,” a tour that introduces clients to sustainable practices while having an extreme zipline adventure. After zipping the first four lines of the course, clients make their way down to the Hawaiian garden where they engage in conservation work. After a lunch break, guests finish zipping the final four lines. “Nohona Hawaii” is approximately seven hours roundtrip from Hilo.

Translated as living the Hawaiian culture, “Nohona Hawaii” is an expanded program by KapohoKine Adventures and its friends at Zipline Through Paradise. Covering nearly two miles of gorgeous tropical river gorges, Zipline Through Paradise is the only company in the Hawaiian Islands to boast every line with the redundant double-cable safety system, zipSTOP automatic brakes and dual lines to zip with a friend. The eight-line course, including one of the longest lines (2,400 feet) on Hawaii Island, offers views of multiple waterfalls from 160 feet above.

Skyline Eco-Adventures in Kaanapali, Maui, offers a three-hour “4 Line Zip n’ Dip Tour” with four new ziplines including a Double Racing line and Zip n’ Splash line. Guests enjoy water fun at the natural mountain pool complemented by views of the Pacific Ocean and Offshore Islands. Other options include the four-hour “8 Line Skyline Adventure!” and the 4.5-hour, nine-line “Ka’anapali Zip n’ Dip Ultimate Tour!” Interested clients are advised to book early as this tour fills up fast. The operator also has Skyline Akaka Falls Course on the Big Island of Hawaii, which offers an exclusive chance to experience flying over the 250-foot KoleKole waterfall. Just downstream from Akaka Falls, this tour offers a seven-line course that accommodates ages 10 and up. The course traverses areas of tropical farmland, waterfalls, and deep ravines with each zipline building on the prior one until the ultimate breath-taker that is one of the longest ziplines in the state.

Outfitters Kauai’s facilities include three tandem ziplines that pass over three separate waterfalls on the pristine Kipu Ranch, ranging between 800 feet and 1,200 feet.

Koloa Zipline on beautiful Grove Farm in south Kauai has an extensive array of ziplines including the “Waita” line, the longest on the island at 2,500 feet, which glides across the Waita reservoir. The entire course is 1.5 miles long and is located on the beautiful Grove Farm land that offers views of a variety of ecosystems.

Zipline participants must meet certain age (usually a minimum of 10 years old), weight and health requirements and must not have been scuba diving within 24 hours.