Ever wonder what it’s like to hang in the trees like a siamang or see the world through the eyes of a giraffe? Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is now offering guests a whole new perspective with the opening of its newest attraction: Sky-High Safari at Riverbanks.
Sky-High Safari is a 4-story vertical ropes challenge course. On each level, participants encounter a series of balance testing obstacles (33 total)–everything from rope ladders and swaying bridges to cargo nets and tight-rope style footlines.
“The ropes course adds an exciting new level of family fun and adventure to the Riverbanks experience,” said Tommy Stringfellow, chief operating officer at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “By stepping up to the Sky-High Safari challenge, families are also given an opportunity to work together to traverse through the obstacles. Parents are generally the motivators starting out, and then there is often a role-reversal with kids becoming the persuaders.”
While a ropes course in a zoo may seem a bit out of place, it allows climbers to experience different types of locomotion and relate to the way animals move in their natural habitats. For instance moving through a cargo net might imitate a spider in its web or crossing a beam could resemble a big cat moving along a tree branch.
In addition, Riverbanks hopes businesses and organizations will find the new ropes course beneficial.
“It’s a great teaching tool and team-builder,” adds Stringfellow. “Sky-High Safari can be used by different groups to develop effective communication and problem-solving skills.”
Sky-High Safari is designed to accommodate multiple climbers at one time and takes an average of 30 minutes to complete. Each participant is safely secured and tethered with a full body harness and lanyard to an overhead tracking system. Children must be 48 inches tall to participate without parent supervision. For more information, visit riverbanks.org.