Canopy Tours
FAQs
Safety and physical requirements
Tours
Original Canopy Tour: after a 15-minute van ride, you’ll take a 300-metre forest walk with inclines, declines, and 130 stairs spread along the path. We move at a relaxed pace with breaks to learn about the flora and fauna.
The adventure starts with a few stairs to your first platform, and includes six zip lines (40-200 metres) and two swing bridges.
You’ll learn about the vulnerability of New Zealand’s remaining ancient forests, and how, by ziplining with Canopy Tours, you are helping preserve it! The tour ends with a 300-metre exit trail, followed by a 15-minute ride back to base.
Ultimate Canopy Tour: A 15-minute van ride brings you to a 350-metre forest walk with slight inclines and 30 stairs. You’ll cross a 75-metre suspended swing bridge before soaring across six zip lines (50-400 metres) and walking along four swing bridges. The tour features a 50-metre-high walkway, a floating staircase, and an 18-metre controlled descent. There are 200 stairs to climb, and a final 500-metre trail before returning to base.
Partway through, enjoy a fascinating discussion about New Zealand’s vulnerable natural environment, and learn how, by taking part in our zipline adventure, you’re helping to preserve our ancient forest.
The Original Canopy Tour:
- Maximum weight limit of 120kg
- Minimum age is six years
- There is no upper age limit – so far our most mature flyer was Louis, he got attached at 93 years of age!
- Children (15 years and under) must be accompanied by a responsible adult (16 years or over).
The Ultimate Canopy Tour:
- Maximum weight limit of 120kg.
- Minimum age is ten years
- There is no upper age limit. The most mature flyer so far has been 88years of age!
- Children (15 years and under) must be accompanied by a responsible adult (16 years or over).
Safety rules above all else at Rotorua Canopy Tours. We are fully compliant and independently audited under the Adventure Activities Regulations 2011 and Outdoorsmark. We consider ourselves to be leaders in the industry with our systems, culture, attitude and safety policies.
We pride ourselves on being able to offer an experience to a diverse range of fitness levels, ages and adventure appetites.
Our two zip line experiences have different levels of fitness requirements. If you are unsure if either experience would suit your physical ability or if you have medical issues, reach out to us anytime to discuss.
The Original Canopy Tour
- Are you able to raise both legs to a seated position?
- Would you be comfortable going for a one-hour forest walk or hill walk?
- Can you easily walk up three flights of stairs unassisted?
If you answered 'Yes', the Original zip line tour could be the perfect choice for you!
The Ultimate Canopy Tour:
- Are you able to raise both knees above your hips?
- Would you be comfortable going for a half day forest walk or hill walk?
- Can you walk up six flights of stairs unassisted without stopping for a break
If you answered 'Yes', it sounds like you are ready for the Ultimate tour.
If you're not sure or answered 'No', check out the Original Canopy Tour. It might be better suited to you!
You can do it!
If you're concerned about heights, that's normal, and we see it all the time! It's not every day you stand above the canopy of an ancient forest!
Our guides are experts at supporting guests getting attached no matter their adventure level! Once you take that first gentle step off a platform, become immersed in the beauty of our forest and canopy, and feel the sensation of flying, you will feel as free as a bird!
You can be assured that you are in safe hands with us. Once you've accomplished a fear, the feelings of joy and elevation are incredible. Come and see for yourself!
Fun YES! Too old? Absolutely not!!
Our most mature guest so far is Louis, he got attached at age 93!
Whether you are six, 100 or somewhere in between – if you are reasonably fit (see the ‘how physically fit do I need to be?’ FAQ above), a Rotorua Canopy Tours experience is achievable for you!
Bring your partner, hang out with the grandkids or get a group of mates together from the golf club, walking club, Rotary club or which ever group you enjoy!
There is no age limit for fun and adventure!
The Original Canopy Tour is a three-hour experience, and The Ultimate Canopy Tour is three hours and 45 minutes. This time frame includes your 15-minute check-in, during which time you will meet your small group, be introduced to your guides, get all your safety equipment on, and have the chance to use the last flushing toilet. Please be at our base on time or slightly earlier for your check-in!
Everyone checks in at our base at 147 Fairy Springs Road. There is parking at our base, which is monitored by our team.
The amazing Customer Experience Team will greet you when you enter the front doors and gather any last bits and pieces we may need. This is your last flushing toilet, so make the most of it!
During check-in, we discretely weigh each guest to ensure everyone is within our weight limit. Please do not be offended; your safety is our absolute priority, and it is imperative that we know our guests are safe when with us. We have a 120kg weight limit for both experiences.
While at the base, you will meet the others in your small group and your passionate guides who will be with you throughout the experience. We’ll chat about everything you need to know and get everyone geared up in their safety equipment.
We then jump in our Canopy Tours vans and drive you 10 minutes (13 km) out to Okoheriki (our forest) to start your adventure within one of New Zealand’s most incredible forests!
After your Canopy Tours experience, your guides will edit and download your photos onto our website. They take a day or two to be reachable. We will send you an email within three days of your tour with your photo link in there. You then have three weeks to download your photos. If you have any trouble getting your photos, please contact us to help you!
The Original Canopy Tour is our flagship zip line experience and has won many awards. To date over 150,000 people have been thrilled, challenged and inspired by its wonders.
We suggest it for:
• Families
• Those with even a hint of anxiousness
• First timers
• Those of lesser fitness
• Group bookings – this tour is perfect for most ages and abilities and makes for a great work or family group activity.
The Ultimate Canopy Tour is a step up and totally achievable for almost anyone who can complete the Original Canopy Tour.
This tour is for those who:
- • Have done the Original Canopy Tour
- Those who have ziplined elsewhere
- Anyone who think that it looks awesome and are up for it immediately
We have recently been humbled by the best accolade we could ever ask for. TripAdvisor conducts annual travellers choice awards and have named our Original Canopy Tour as the #1 Nature Activity in the World, and the Ultimate Canopy Tour was named the 11th Best Experience in the World. We’ve been selected out of 400,000 tourism businesses worldwide.
Yes, Canopy Tours zip line tours are perfect for small group tours. We offer private tours for group bookings and can customise the experience to meet your needs.
Please get in touch with our team to discuss what we can do to help you celebrate your special occasion or group activity.
Booking and cancellation policy
We know life throws curveballs, especially with covid-19 causing lock-downs and forcing travel plans to change. If your tour is unbale to run or you are unable to make your tour due to covid-19 or to other restrictions, we are here to help. We can:
- Postpone and re-book your experience.
- Put the credit of your experience onto a voucher to use another time or we can extend existing vouchers.
- A full refund if unable to re-book at that time.
- Just reach out to our team so we can help you in your situation as best we can.
Full price cancellation will be charged for any cancellations made within 24 hours of your tour time.
Cancellations made outside of the 24 hour period will not incur any charge.
Changes to bookings within 24 hours of the tour will be subject to availability and will incur a $50 admin fee.
A cancellation charge of the total booking value will apply to customers who fail to arrive at their pre-booked departure time with out any notice.
Rotorua Canopy Tours reserves the right to cancel any tour due to weather conditions, hazard identification, and events beyond our control that will interfere with the safe operation of the business. Customers affected will be offered alternative tour times or full refunds.
We highly recommended pre-booking your zip line adventure to avoid disappointment as spaces are limited. Weekends, school holidays and public holidays are our busiest times. But even if it is last minute in a busy period please check for availability online here.
Yes. Rotorua Canopy Tours is passionate about customer experience so, we guarantee all of our experiences giving you confidence to book. If you aren’t 100% satisfied, you can either pay what you think it’s worth, or get a full refund. The details are here. No one else in tourism is doing this.
Multiple tours run every day. Click here to see tour times and availability.
The forest is usually a few degrees colder than it is in Rotorua and can get quite frosty in the winter, we recommend a warm pair of socks and one more layer than what you are comfortable in outside. High quality wet weather gear and an extra warm outer layer can be supplied. Closed toe footwear is a must all year round.
Yes, yes yes!! Please do not forget to bring your camera! We encourage you to take as many photos of this amazing adventure as you can.
Bringing your camera is at your own risk, we recommend ensuring that your camera has a strap that you can attach to yourself or can be kept in a zip pocket. If you have a GoPro, bring it! You will get some amazing footage, we recommend a helmet mount/ head strap, wrist mount or selfie stick. Don’t forget to charge your batteries before coming on tour.
If you don’t have your own camera you can hire a GoPro to take on your tour. Your guides will also take a few photos of you while on tour, we will email these to you free of charge!
Weather
Canopy zip line tours run in all-weather including in the rain and most of our customers who have experienced the forest say it is even more beautiful in the rain! While you are under the trees the canopy acts like a big umbrella. We will also kit you out in our amazing wet weather gear that will keep you dry and warm throughout the tour.
Fair question – Winter in a native forest is an incredible time. The smell of nature clings the air, the damp forest also sparkles with greens and the cooler fresher air makes you wonder when the last time you felt this alive was (all our photos on this website were taken in the middle of winter).
We also understand our guests do not want to get cold so we have invested in the best outdoor clothing money can buy – it keeps you dry, warm and toasty so you can lose yourself in the moment rather than worry about chattering teeth. But we do advise you bring thick socks and extra layers – as you can never be too warm.
