Canopy Tours

 

 

Now - For The Whole Story

 

It was two days before we had to start heading home that I actually decided we would should definitely get off our butts and go on at least one tour. I previously heard and read about the canopy tour before we left home. I even talked about it a little bit to my wife so she wouldn't be totally shocked by the concept. 

This is an old method that's useful in getting prepared for something different. You keep  thinking and talking about it until the idea begins to "grow on you". A little bit at a time is always much easier to digest than all at once. It's the only way I ever my taxes done. I tell myself, "Oh, I'll just sort out my stuff". Then before I know it, I'm sending them in. But, I digress (a line from the Golden Girls TV show).

We had narrowed the choices down to two. It was either the canopy tour or the jungle safari. All the other tours seemed to be slight derivations from others we had been on before in other vacation spots. Previously my wife stuck up a conversation with an English couple living in Canada that had been the safari. They said it was basically a bus ride into the mountains, but that it was actually a nice trip. They had the most unfortunate luck to have arrived in Puerto Vallarta on a cloudy day. The clouds stayed with them three days, and then it rained for three more days. The weather finally began to clear the day they were leaving.

We sauntered up to the tour desk to buy a tour and were welcomed by a friendly tour agent who explained that we had chosen the two most popular tours in PV. The canopy tour usually required a minimum of a tow day advance reservation. Being an efficient agent, she decided to call the Canopy Tour outfit to determine if by chance there had been any cancellations. We were in luck, a couple apparently had developed a case of cold feet. We could indeed tour the tress the next afternoon.

Since the tour was so soon we couldn't pay with a credit card and I had to fish around in my pants for the money to snap up these last minute openings. The agent quite agreeably took our payment in a combination of pesos and US dollars, and at a favorable exchange rate too. We were given a receipt voucher which we were instructed to give to the hotel bellmen 1/2 hours before the scheduled tour start time. Being quite accustomed to tours and tourists, he was to hail us a taxi and instruct the driver where we were supposed to be delivered. We could even save a buck by sharing the taxi with other hotel guests called "The Greens" who had booked the same tour. On the appointed day and 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled time we presented ourselves to the bellmen. The "Greens" never arrived so we surmised that they may have succumbed to the same malady as the couple who gave up their slot for us.

After a short and uneventful taxi ride, we arrived at the PV marina where the tour transportation was set to embark. Since we were the first ones to arrive, it occur to me that most tourists had also developed a case of vacation time syndrome. At the desk we used the restroom, bought the recommended bug spray and picked up a tour brochure which showed an illustration of the various platforms and treetop stages which we were to later encounter. We then went outside the office and milled around under the canopy where the tour participants where instructed to congregate. There we gradually met the arriving tourists and got a glimpse of the differing personalities which we'd be interacting with over the next four hours.

One shirtless, muscled, 29ish fellow began to crawl up the side of the canopy in an effort to save a kitten that had mysteriously managed to get caught on top. That was odd, and gave us a chance to trade quips and remarks. Shortly thereafter, the office person arrived and began to hand out bottles of water to the thirsty would-be adventurists. She gave us a short narrative of what we should expect and then motioned us toward the location of the open aired tour truck which was to be our transportation into the Sierra Madre mountains for the next hour.

The tour truck seats, backrest and support posts were thankfully well cushioned for the smooth but occasionally bumpy trek through the streets of PV and roads into the mountains. Along the way, we learned a lot more about the participants than many people do with those they work with at home. The city scenery started at the ritzy marina, went down main tourists road, traversed through typical rural Mexican areas and then gradually inclined as we went further into the Sierra Madre. There were occasional nice views of modest sized valleys on the way. It was only when we turned off the main road and onto the canopy tour property that some of the passengers started their nervous twittering.

As we unloaded from the truck we glanced around and tried to assimilate to our new surroundings. We were lead to the beginning of our adventure and given a logistical overview and the basic layout and a brief outline of what we were to do next. After an hour of a somewhat jostling ride, many opted to head to the clean but roofless bathrooms.

After liberally applying buy spay, we stowed any and all loose gear such as cameras, hats, bags, bottles, purses and more into the individual lockers provided. After the guides locked up all the stuff we had brought along, they began to help us get dressed in our canopy gear. After a bit of adjusting various body part around the straps and belts, we were lead to another benched area to sit and receive our zip guideline and instructions.

Wearing and walking in the gear felt odd in many ways. There were strange assorted clips dangling all over the belt. Even though we were in the jungle, and wearing hard hats, the cooler mountain air kept the temperature comfortable. The straps that were to keep us from falling out of the trees also accentuated and rearranged certain male and female parts in discreet and not-so discreet ways. While walking to instruction area I was reminded and remarked about a line from the movie "28 days", where a similarly amused guy said "WOW, look at how big this makes my package look". Another guy ahead of us, who was afraid of heights and somewhat dreading what lay ahead of him, replied "I'm glad someone can find humor in this".

At least 99% of the participants were afraid of one thing or another in the beginning of the tour. On the first two platforms I was hugging the trees. It wasn't the zipping that was unnerving, it was the height of the trees. Even that fear wore off. By the end, only one person still retained their fear and was glad to be done with it forever. Many expressed a desire to go again and to get other acquaintances involved also. My normally skittish wife also took to the trees as if she'd been raised by monkeys. 

The 16 years old boy who was traveling with his father, gilded with a natural relaxed self assured ease that reminded me of my son at his age. My son also had that same nonchalant attitude toward heights when he waltzed down the steps at the Chitzen Itza pyramid*. At that age they had apparently seen enough action movies to have lost their fear but enough life experiences to have regained it.

At the last platform there was no ladder or gradual decline, you had to rappel down the tree. This means you step off the platform into the air, going backwards. However, this was quite safe because the guides could stop you with their emergency line if you forgot to do it. The only thing you had to do, was to let go!

Throughout the tour I had total confidence in the tour guides and the equipment. You were always hooked up to something. The guide hooked and hooked your clips and ropes for you. You were not allowed to adjust anything by yourself. If you did fall off one of the platforms, you would not fall to the ground. You would be dangling in midair suspended by your ropes securely fastened to the cables.

The only strenuous part of the trip was the 10 minute walk back to the starting point up the side of the mountain on the trail. Once relieved of the gear and reacquainted with your own stuff, you were given a fruit, water, cracker snack and the opportunity to buy a welcoming refreshing beer. You also had the option to buy a VHS tape or DVD of your experience. 

The camera man had been following you all along the way, and catching glimpses of the participants looks of fear, amusement and exhilaration. All of the emotions you experienced come back to you when confronted with these visual reminders in the days and years to come.

The ride back to town was at times more lively than the one going there. It was also more relaxed with the sharing and reliving of the experience with your now familiar fellow participants. A few passengers even exchanged local telephone numbers as they piled back into taxis to take them back to their respective vacation digs.

This is one experience that you must do yourself to fully appreciate! Enjoy! 

 

"Imagine being tethered to a line 100 feet up in a tree. Glide between the trees on a very study cable. Go from tree to tree. Then finally, rappelling down to the ground at the very last tree. The only other place you can do this type of tour is in Costa Rica. In PV, there are two versions of this tour. The tour is actually very safe, you may however still be scared simply because of  a fear of height or the unknown."

 

 

* Chitzen Itza pyramid - Dozens of other tourists descend the steep angled pyramid steps by sitting on each step and then lowering their legs to down to the next step and then repeating the process until they at the bottom. 

 

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