Ziplining is a top New Zealand activity and hands down one of the coolest adventure activities in Rotorua. In fact, Tripadvisor awarded Rotorua Canopy Tours the number one spot in “Top Experiences New Zealand” in 2024!
We recently did the Rotorua Canopy Tours ‘Original Tour’ and I can’t wait to tell you about it!
- About Rotorua Canopy Tours
- About the Zipline Tours
Original Tour
Ultimate Tour - What is it like?
- Is it scary?
- Can kids Zipline?
- Tips for your turn
- Location
- Things to do in Rotorua
Choosing to do the Rotorua Canopy Tours zipline tour is one of the coolest experiences – and adventures – we’ve ever done as a family! The entire experience from the tour guides to the rush of zipping through the beautiful forest canopy to learning about the conservation projects and incredible New Zealand forest really is one of a kind.
Here is everything you need to know about the adventure!
About Rotorua Canopy Tours – The Tour
There are two different courses, each with six ziplines in total.
- Original Canopy Tour
- Ultimate Canopy Tour
On the ‘Original Tour’ you’ll soar across lines totalling 600m, above the prehistoric forest in a fully guided, small group tour. The journey covers 1.2km with over 600 metres of ziplines.
Whereas on the ‘Ultimate Tour’ you cover 1,200 metres of zipline over a 2.5km forest journey. The longest zipline on the Ultimate Tour is 400 metres long!
What is the Canopy Tour actually like?
We did the Original Tour and seriously can’t rate it enough! It was one of those adventures made even more special to be able to do as a family.
The Original Tour starts at the base getting fitted with your harness and helmets. Then it is a 15-minute drive in the van to a carpark on the edge of the forest.
From there you walk 300-metres into the forest following a gravel pathway with a few small inclines and stairs up to the first platform.
Our guide Harry did an awesome job talking as we walked through the forest and explaining about the canopy surrounding us and the incredible native bush. He even pointed out different birds – and Oscar had a turn to feed one of the small robins that landed on his hand!
The course is made up of six ziplines and two swing bridges plus a great tour halfway around when back on the forest floor to learn about the conservation and wildlife in the bush.
What is the best part of the Rotorua Canopy Tour?
Honestly it was such a buzz! All four of us were blown away by the tour! We had such fun.
We loved the lead up to the tour walking through the bush and the intros from the tour guides was fantastic. It was a great laugh that by the time we all were ready to go for the first zipline everyone was cheering!
The boys loved the long zipline (Zipline Four) and the highest zipline of the Original Tour (Zipline Five). Oscar especially loved the chance to see the birds and got to have a turn feeding one of the robins.
And I didn’t think I’d say this, but I even went backwards on the longest one and we got a turn (optional!) to go upside down on the last one. It was such a rush!
We were all buzzing by the time we finished the last zipline and didn’t want it to end!
How long is the tour?
Both the Original Tour and the Ultimate Tour start and finish at the Rotorua Canopy Tours base on Fairy Springs Road in Rotorua.
- Original Tour: 3 hrs
- Ultimate Tour: 3.75 hours
Note you do need to complete the pre-tour check-in form before the tour.
Is it a big group? How many people are in each of Rotorua Canopy Tours?
Each of the Rotorua Canopy Tours has a maximum of 10 people in each group.
It’s a nice intimate group and we really appreciated the personal and friendly group leaders.
On the drive from the base to the Zipline Park the guides in our van gave a fab spiel introducing themselves and getting each of the people in the group to introduce themselves. It was a fun way to get to know the other guests and a truly Kiwi-humour type introduction – we loved it!
Is it scary?
Ha! A very fair question and I must say one I was asking myself right up until arriving at the bush to start the tour.
In our group as we did our introductions in the van it seemed like the others all had experience bouldering or mountain climbing and with other extreme sports. That had me worried!
However, I needn’t have been concerned. The guides with us – Harry and Matthew – did an amazing job (in typical NZ humour) to get us all interacting as a group and feeling relaxed.
It wasn’t the awkward kind of group situations we all dread. Rather it was a great way to ease into the tour (and I guess for them it was the perfect way to find out a little more about each person and their expectations and experience!).
Can kids go on the Rotorua Canopy Tours and ziplines?
Yes! The zipline tours are one of the best things to do in Rotorua with kids.
Though note there are age restrictions for the different tours:
- Original Tour: 6 years old and up
- Ultimate Tour: 10 years old and up
This was such an epic experience to share as a family. Oscar (9) said at the end of the tour that what the ‘BEST DAY EVER’ and how he is going to remember Aotearoa!
- Tip: The child price for the tours applies to children aged 15 and under.
What about safety? Is it safe?
Yes! Albeit I admit I was more than a little nervous before starting the tour. Though meeting our guides, I instantly appreciated their professionalism and sense of humour.
They led a great introduction to safety at the base while we got geared up with harnesses and helmets and answered some of the safety related questions we were thinking about.
Both our guides – Harry and Matthew – were friendly but thorough in all their checks and double checks of putting on and fitting the harnesses. (It was reassuring to see they even double checked each other’s fitting!).
The overall feeling even before departing from the base was that Rotorua Canopy Tours takes safety (and the fear from their guests) seriously.
It was a welcomed relief I can tell you! And hey – it turned out it wasn’t anywhere as scary as I thought it might be!
What should you wear for Ziplining on the Rotorua Canopy Tour?
You should make sure to wear weather-appropriate clothes that are also super comfortable. It’s also a good idea to wear secure footwear – you don’t want to lose your shoes!
- It is a requirement to wear covered in shoes.
- It is a requirement to wear all safety equipment supplied by Rotorua Canopy Tours including; full body harness and helmet.
The tour also supplies wet weather gear or jackets if you need one before starting out form the base.
There are also lanyards available for your phone (a lifesaver!).
Do you need to have experience ziplining before?
No prior experience is needed. Though I did appreciate the pre-tour check-in form with details about requirements for all guests on the tour.
The Original Tour starts with a 15 minute drive to the forest and then it is a 300 metre walk through the forest to reach the initial platform. There are a couple of small hills along the pathway through the (beautiful) forest before a climb up stairs to reach the first zipline platform.
All participants need to be able to:
- Raise both knees to hip height to land comfortably and safely on platforms.
- Walk on an uneven trail with tree roots, small inclines and declines, and soft ground for up to an hour in length in case we needed to evacuate the forest.
- Walk up three flights of stairs comfortably to complete and enjoy all features on the experience.
It takes 15 minutes in the van for the drive back to the base.
Where exactly is Rotorua Canopy Tours?
You can find Rotorua Canopy Tours at 147 Fairy Springs Road in Rotorua. This is the base and starting point for the tours. It is well sign-posted and easy to find.
Fairy Springs Road is the main road into Rotorua, and it is a hub for the adventure activities in the city.
- Rotorua Canopy Tours
147 Fairy Springs Road
Rotorua 3015
There are toilets at the base on Fairy Springs Road.
The verdict? Would we recommend it?
Heck yeah! Whether you’re conquering fears, ticking off the bucket list or just excited for an epic adventure, the Rotorua Canopy Tours is something we can highly, HIGHLY recommend!
- See the full details and book with Rotorua Canopy Tours.
More about travel in New Zealand
- Franz Josef Or Fox Glacier?
- Family Friendly Walks In Franz Josef.
- Putaruru Blue Springs South Waikato.
- Wairere Falls Walk Near Matamata.
- 5 Things To Do In Russell Bay Of Islands.
- Visiting Milford Sound In Winter.
- Hooker Valley Track Mt Cook.
- Hiking Roys Peak Track In Wanaka With Kids.
About travel planning for New Zealand and beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, adventure ticket, local tours and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance before travel – or zip lining – anywhere in the world!
