We parked our car in front of the ranch store. The store is where participants check in, as well as where the final zip line ends. After check in we made our way to the area where we were to be issued our equipment. I stopped at the bathroom on the way there and was amazed to find that in addition to the standard bathroom furnishings, the bathroom was also equipped with a shower and a changing area for clients that wanted to clean up after their trip so they could skip having to go back to their hotel before they move on to their days next activity.
Our guide set out all the equipment for the group in rows on the concrete floor of the equipment room before the zip line participants arrived. After a quick briefing on the use of the equipment we began to suit up, the guides went around and checked the fit on every ones harnesses before we loaded onto the bus to make our way up to the beginning of the zip line course.
As we unloaded the bus I could see the sequence of zip lines making their way down the hill until they disappeared out of sight over the horizon. One of our guides job was to catch the zip liners at the end of the line. He was the first to cross the zip line and as soon as he began zipping the massive scale of the zip line course immediately became apparent. These lines were huge!
The first line was fairly long and took riders over a large pasture that ended on the edge of a ravine. The river at the bottom of the ravine curved causing the raving to make a massive bend to the left. The second zip line cut the corner, which put the zip liners directly above the river for most of the ride. When riding across the line if you looked down you could see that the river below you was actually passing over a series of waterfalls, it was so cool to zip line with such amazing scenery!
As we continued down the course the excitement levels of the group remained high, and the comfort levels of the riders grew more and more as we made or way across each line. Eventually everyone was trying different poses and even hanging upside down as they rode the massive Umauma zip lines.
When we finally made our way down the final line we found ourselves back at the gift shop where we initially started from. We said our good byes to our new zip line friends and loaded up into our car for our return trip to Hilo. When talking it over on the way home all the members of our group agreed that the staff, equipment and overall experience at Umauma ziplines was top notch.