6 Jaw-Dropping Canopy Walks Around the World

Forest bathing, the mindfulness practice of going into the woods to absorb the atmosphere, emerged from Japan in the 1980s as a way to center yourself and find inner peace. But forest bathing happens on the forest floor. If you’re searching for a different perspective, take forest bathing to new heights with these six stunning treetop walks around the world.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Sky Walk – Costa Rica

A cloud forest is a type of rainforest that sits at a higher elevation, which causes a constant mist, and Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest is nothing short of spectacular. The 26,000-acre preserve home to more than 400 species of birds, more than 1,000 mammal species, and about 1,200 species of reptiles and amphibians. For the best vantage point, head to the six hanging bridges (the longest of which spans 984 feet) which form the 1.5-mile-long Sky Walk. The stunning walkway ascends up to 230 feet high, bringing you to eye-level with elusive creatures like the colorful Quetzal bird and the strawberry poison-dart frog. The latter of the two hides its eggs in water-filled flowers high up in the trees until the tadpoles are hatched, grow into frogs themselves, and make their way back down the tree on their own.

Treetop Canopy Walkway – Borneo

The Borneo Rainforest Lodge maintains the island’s Treetop Canopy Walkway over the Danum Valley Conservation Area, a lowland rainforest in the northern tip of Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, located in Southeast Asia. The walkway, which opened in 1994, is one of the longest canopy walks in the world, measuring about 1,200 feet long and 88 feet high. It’s primarily meant as a minimal-impact observation dock for the rainforest, where visitors can see more than 340 bird species, plus flying squirrels, orangutan, red lead monkeys, large tree nymph butterflies, and more.

Treetop Walk Black Forest – Germany

The Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald (which translates literally to “Treetop Walk Black Forest”) stretches just over three-quarters of a mile and sits 65 feet above the Black Forest in southwest Germany. It’s a mixed mountain forest, meaning you’ll be able to see multiple tree types — particularly beech, fir, and spruce. At the end of the spectacular walk, there’s a 131-foot-high observation tower that spirals up from the treetop path, taking you further above the trees to an expansive view of the forest. But perhaps the best part is, to come down from the tower, you’ll get to hop into the 180-foot spiral tube slide.

Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway – South Africa

Everything about the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway in Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is designed to be snake-like. The steel and timber construction resembles a snake skeleton, earning it the nickname “the Boomslang,” a type of tree snake. The 425-foot-long narrow walkway is also meant to blend into the forest as it winds along, much like a snake.

The walkway rises approximately 40 feet high to break out of the forest canopy and snakes above the trees, then dips down in two spots to meet the forest floor. The 1,300-acre botanical garden itself is set along the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town, giving visitors to the Canopy Walkway the chance to see some of the area’s 125 recorded bird species flying in and out of the forest.

Nyungwe Forest Canopy Walkway – Rwanda

Built in 2010, the Canopy Walk in southwest Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park will bring you nearly 230 feet up to the habitat of the Ruwenzori colobus, a black-and-white primate that’s native to Rwanda and Burundi. It’s also the only chance to catch a glimpse of red-tailed monkeys and blue monkeys that live among the treetops here, plus the 1,000 types of trees and 300 species of bird in the surrounding forest. Just be warned: It’s a bit of a hike to get there, as you’ll have to walk about a mile and a half on the Igishigishigi Trail before you’re able to cross the 525-foot-long suspension bridge to the canopy walk.

Supertree Grove – Singapore

OK, the Supertrees in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay urban nature park aren’t technically trees — but that’s part of what makes them so special. The towering steel structures showcase the Southeast Asian city-state’s commitment to both futuristic technology and sustainability. The panels around the trunks form a living base covered in more than 158,000 plants, and some of the Supertrees even collect solar power. 

It’s also spectacular to visit: There’s a light show every night, and two of the trees are connected by the OCBC Skyway, a 400-foot-long aerial walkway 75 feet above ground. As you inspect the unique construction of the Supertrees themselves, look out over the gorgeous flora in the park and the city’s skyline while you dine at the tree-top cafe.