Ziplines & Canopy Tours

The jungle behind the coast is made for this. The tours differ mostly in how much adrenaline they pack in.

Independent guide · Last updated September 2026

Just inland from Puerto Vallarta, the Sierra Madre rises into river canyons and jungle — the setting for the area's zipline and canopy adventures. They range from a gentle family circuit to full multi-hour adventure parks with rappelling, water slides and off-road rides.

What to expect

• Transfer from town up into the hills (often part of the fun).
• A series of ziplines over the canyon, sometimes with rappels, rope bridges and a river.
• Bigger parks add ATVs, "water lines" into a river, and a meal.

How to choose

Match the tour to your appetite: families with kids want the shorter, tamer circuits; thrill seekers want the longest lines and the extras. Check weight and age limits, wear closed shoes, and — as always — favour operators who are clear about safety briefings and gear.

The transfer and the setting are half the experience. Even a modest zipline tour gets you into scenery most beach visitors never see.

The main types of tour

Adventure tours here fall into a few tiers. At the gentle end are short canopy circuits — a handful of ziplines and rope bridges, good for families and first-timers, often done in a couple of hours. In the middle are full canopy tours with a dozen or more lines, rappels and hanging bridges over a river canyon. At the top are full-day adventure parks that combine ziplines with ATVs or off-road trucks, "water lines" that drop you into a river, waterslides, tequila tastings and a meal. Decide how much adrenaline (and how full a day) you want before you book.

Where you go

Most tours head inland and upward into the Sierra Madre, along the Río Cuale or around the mountain villages behind the coast. The transfer itself — climbing from the beach into jungle and river canyon — is part of the appeal, and gets you into scenery most beach-only visitors never see. Some of the biggest parks are a longer drive out toward the mountains; check total travel time so you know how much of the day is transfer.

Safety, limits and what to wear

Ziplining is very safe with a reputable operator, but it's an activity with real equipment, so a few things matter:

• Check weight and age limits before booking — most parks have both minimums and maximums.
• Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you can move in; leave loose items behind.
• Expect a proper safety briefing and to be clipped in by staff — a good sign, not a delay.
• Pregnant travellers and people with back, heart or shoulder problems should skip the bigger tours.

Is it worth it?

For anyone who enjoys a bit of adrenaline, yes — it's one of the few Puerto Vallarta activities that gets you off the coast and into the landscape, and even modest tours are a fun half-day. If heights genuinely frighten you, a canopy tour won't cure that; consider a river or ATV tour without the big lines instead.