Flight of the Toucan Canopy and Tree Climb Combo
Highlights
- Unique tour combining a hundred-foot tree climb and six zip lines
- Hike into the secondary forest while looking for wildlife
Facts
- Location : Hacienda Baru, 5 minutes north of Dominical
- Hours : 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.
- Time Length : 3 hours
- Price : $75 per person
See the rainforest from the soaring perspective of the toucan and its flight path between the trees followed by an aerial panorama of the canopy from the top of a tree on the zip line tour/tree climb combo at Hacienda Baru. On this 3- to 4-hour experience you'll fly through the canopy on zip lines like a chestnut-mandible toucan and climb a tree using the same gear researchers use to study the rainforest tree tops.
read more closeFlight of the Toucan Canopy Tour
Hike through a secondary rainforest past old cocoa and spiny cedar farms on your way to the beginning of the canopy tour. Along this trail, guides sometimes spot two- and three- toed sloths and capuchin monkeys. Experienced guides share their troves of knowledge about the rainforest pointing out interesting trees, wildlife and mushrooms while standing on the platforms, or walking on the trails.
The canopy tour spans eight zip lines through the rainforest over 14 platforms, though on this tour you'll skip lines two and three for the tree climb. Of the eight zip lines, the last cable is the longest spanning nearly 300 feet. A family-friendly tour, children as young as three have ridden the cables – 12 people per trip maximum.
Tree Climbing
Depart the canopy tour after the fourth cable for a detour to the tree climbing area. Above your head, the sturdy pink trunk of a camaron (shrimp) tree reaches ten stories into the sky. After suiting up and learning to use the equipment, you'll climb up a rope to the top of the canopy using the same gear biologists use to study rainforest plants and animals.
Looking a lot like a caterpillar creeping up a string, you'll use the ascending gear to reach the top, taking plenty of breaks along the way to catch your breath and snap pictures. At the top you'll hang out and take in the fresh air and the views while keeping an eye out for some of the wildlife only visible high up in the canopies before rappelling back down.
The tree climb takes an hour to two hours with a maximum of two people (and one guide) per trip to the top. After the climb you'll finish the last two zip lines and hike back to Hacienda Baru.
Note: Each of the tours can be done on its own, but this is one of the few places in the country where you'll have the opportunity to try both.
Departure & Return
- Departure point : Tour departs from all major hotels in Dominical
- Departure time : Hotel pickup is between 20 and 50 minutes before tour start time depending on hotel location
- Return details : Tour returns to original departure point between three an three and a half hours after tour start time