Ron W.
Yelp
While I was visiting Asheville this fall, I started exploring what I could do that was more active in the area and Navitat Canopy Adventures popped up so I did some research. 5 stars on multiple online review platforms and the Yelp reviews are strong so I sign up! And then spent all night wondering if I did the right thing...
The next morning, I head on over, Navitat is northeast of Asheville proper and it takes about 30 minutes to get up there. Park your car in the dusty, dirt lot and get registered in the main building. I joined a family of four on the trip and they had two young boys (brave) doing the standard canopy tour. The guides strap you into your harness and while the helmet has an GoPro, adventure cam mount, I decide to hand-hold mine.
You then take their super 4-wheel drive van up to the first zip line launch point and it is INSANE. The road this van traverses is not really a road, it's a mountain goat path but somehow you get up there. At times it feels as if the van is at a 45 degree angle but it's got some power. You get clipped in at the first tree stand, high off the ground. Then your zipline trolley is clipped in and your guide is chatting with the other guide on the other end by walkie-talkie. You're given the clear sign and off you go, whoosh! You're now flying above the trees and watching the foliage go by, cool! And my adventure cam is sort of tricky, if you take a hand off the trolley you start to spin around which is not comforting.
My tour consists of 6 or so zips and the first one is actually the longest one (scariest) to start. And the guides are great, reassuring me since I'm nervous but I get over it soon. Overall it's a definite rush, a lot of fun and outside of some hiking through to the launch points, low-impact and easy. Will definitely do it again, next time I'm in the area but upgrade to the advanced Mountaintop tour! And all the five star reviews? Yeah, Navitat has earned them in my eyes...