Looking for a fun activity to do with your niece or nephew? Try Treetop Trekking!
With locations in Ontario and Quebec, you can climb and zip through the fresh air on their aerial trekking obstacle courses.
I took my 12 year old niece to Treetop Trekking Ganaraska, about 40 minutes east of Oshawa. We had a great time going through obstacles and zooming down the zip line course. We arrived about 30 minutes early, to get fitted for our harnesses and helmets and complete our orientation. The orientation guide reviewed all of the safety techniques we needed to know. The courses were very safe, as you are always clipped into a line, so no risk of falling! There are also guides throughout the courses to remind you of the safety requirements, and provide tips on the obstacles.
We completed three beginner/advanced courses. Obstacles included rope nets, ladders, wire lines, and moving log bridges, all up in the trees of Ganaraska Forest. We skipped the expert course, which goes as high as 70 feet and requires a lot of upper body strength. You must complete a short test course before you can advance to expert. Next time!
You may think this wouldn’t be a good activity if you’re afraid of heights, but you may want to consider it. I’m not a big heights fan, but the safety harness made me feel quite comfortable. Plus, I was so focused on the obstacles, I forgot how high it was!
My niece absolutely loved it. She completed the obstacles without difficulty. She definitely wants to go again!
A few tips:
- Book in advance – it gets busy, so reserve a spot
- Arrive early for orientation – at least 20 minutes before your booking
- It is a little pricey ($60 for an adult, $50 for a youth), but you do get to climb for 3 hours. Also, check online for discounts before you go.
- Children must be 9 years old and 4’7” tall for the beginner course, and 12 years and 5” tall for advanced courses. I recommend it for kids 12 and older, since most courses are advanced.
- Wear comfortable athletic clothing with running shoes. Tie back long hair!
- It’s a physical activity but if you and your niece or nephew are moderately fit, you will be fine!
- There is a spot near the courses to leave a bag with water and snacks. Leave any valuables in the car.
- I took my phone on the course with me (zipped in my pocket!) in case there were opportunities to take photos. But I was so busy climbing that didn’t happen. Fortunately we had Granddad accompanying us as official photographer. If you have someone who can come with you for photos, they can walk around the course area for free.
My niece and I had a great time at Treetop Trekking and would highly recommend it – a great activity for the fall!
“Treetop Trekking was a fun packed adventure!” – Hailey McConnery, age 12
© 2016, Sharon Lockey. All rights reserved.
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