In addition to its natural beauty, there are several places in this central valley where you can practice this sport, which combines observation with adrenaline.
Your blood pumps harder when you are hanging from a rope over 20 meters in the air amid a lush forest. This is the exciting sensation you get from practicing canopy or Tyrolean crossing, one of the most widely available extreme sportsin Chile.
What does it consist in? In canopy crossing people launch themselves down wires and pulleys between tree canopies, which is where the term canopy comes from, referring to the highest part of a rainforest. The idea is to tour a beautiful forest from the air and at high speed, just like Tarzan would do. That is why it is so widely practiced in Chile: the forests of the central and southern parts of the country are ideal for visiting in this way.
You can find several excellent alternatives in the Cajón del Maipo, just a few minutes from Santiago. Rodrigo Riffo, a guide for the company Turismo en el Cajón del Maipo, says that the best places to practice canopy crossing are Cascada de las Ánimas, Fundo El Toyo and Geo Expediciones.
Cascada de las Ánimas
This beautiful place located just 50 km from Santiago has all necessary conditions for engaging in canopy crossing. Surrounded by hills and native nature, this tourist center offers its visitors the chance to launch themselves down a line that is 25 m above the Maipo River.
This is one of the longest circuits in the area, as it incorporates two cables that cross a distance of 170 m and which allow you to attain a speed of 50 km/h along the way.
Miguel Vilches of Cascada de las Ánimas explains that this place is a favorite “because of the quality of the facilities, the equipment, the procedure manuals, insurance policies and the professionalism of our guides.”
Fundo El Toyo
This tourist facility has a series of outdoor activities in addition to canopy crossing, such as horseback riding, fishing and camping.
Canopy crossing here is extreme, like a real flying experience. But if you have had too much adrenaline you can take advantage of one of the other distractions that this ranch offers for your entertainment.
Este complejo turístico cuenta con una serie de actividades outdoor para
Geo Expediciones
Located in the area of Las Vizcachas (only 30 minutes from Santiago), it has the longest circuit, with 2,600 m. In addition, it only has five sections, which means that people do not have to make many stops.
And if you want to rest you can eat at the restaurant, which stands out for its typical Chilean dishes, as this adventure parkmakes sure that all of its visitors get to know the best of the country’s attributes.
