Unleash your wild side: Reykjavik Mega Zipline awaits

During the pandemic, the founders of Mega Zipline had an idea to offer travelers a unique and thrilling perspective of Iceland’s awe-inspiring landscape. The result is Mega Zipline, nestled in the lovely town of Hveragerði, a stone’s throw from Reykjavik. It is also close to the beautiful Reykjadalur, famous for its hiking trail and warm river where you can bathe. The Mega-Zipline overlooks the scenic

canyon and extends a whole kilometer long. This provides thrill-seekers with an unmatched airborne experience. If you are one of those thrill-seekers, you can sign up for the exclusive Stuck in Icelander to receive a discount code for 10% off when you book your ride on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays all year round.

Halli Kristinsson, a seasoned mountaineer and stalwart in the Icelandic travel industry, spearheaded the endeavor. One of his past projects is opening up The Lava Tunnel, another fantastic destination you can get discounts for when you sign up for my newsletter.

Hey Halli, thank you for taking the time for the interview, and congratulations on opening the Mega Zipline near Reykjavik this summer. How has it gone so far, and what does 2024 look like and beyond?

Thanks a lot. It is safe to say that we opened with “explosion”! We were caught off guard by the admission figures from day one. We sold out during the first six weeks, which was quite hectic. This is a positive problem, but perhaps we can only blame ourselves for opening a new activity in July! The best would have been to open in April to have time to smooth the process, but unfortunately, that was not possible due to delays. So it is safe to say that we had to improve quickly after opening up.

Most importantly, our guests were thrilled after doing the ride, and we are already getting repeat customers. The reviews have also been outstanding, which is lovely to see. As expected, daily walk-in traffic decreased in the latter part of September. Still, we have many group bookings in September and October, so the overall admission figures look good. We are also getting a lot of group requests for next spring. Hence, spring and fall will be popular for corporate retreats and school groups. Still, summer admission will be more families and individual travelers, at least based on the experience since opening.

What were the main challenges you and your team faced when setting up the Mega Zipline?

The main challenge was doing something unique. A Zipline of this caliber has never been built in Iceland, and there is no experience for this kind of structure. Thankfully, we worked with a Canadian company called Skyline that has a lot of experience designing and building Zip lines like this worldwide. We had to adapt everything to Icelandic building regulations, but we had to explain many things to many people. Our extensive inspection process and guidelines have helped us a lot in the building process and to make sure we met all the standards and requirements needed for this kind of activity. We are the most technologically advanced Zip Line in the world, and it is nice to see how impressed different agents from the travel industry are when they inspect it.

What are your favorite places and activities in Iceland?

I favor activities that combine an adrenaline rush with stunning nature. So, it is no coincidence that I founded Mega Zipline Iceland because it combines both uniquely. Other activities that fall into similar categories are bike tours, buggy tours, ATVs, and snowmobiling. Caving or spelunking is also something that one might think about because we have a lot of lava caves, which are unique and different from limestone caves that most people have seen. I also love ski touring in winter, and I’ve been doing that for over 30 years. For those who want to try that, I recommend booking with companies specializing in that kind of activity, as there are many things to consider regarding safety, locations, etc.

What advice do you have for those visiting Iceland for the first time?

I suggest having more days than fewer. So many people I speak to have regretted not staying for an extra couple of days because there are so many things to see. Also, visiting the Icelandic highlands is a must-have thing to do. It’s raw in places but unique and different from most other countries. So make sure you rent a car suitable for the F roads, allowing you to go to the highland during the summertime.