Canopy and zipline in Pucón: what it is, who can do it and how to choose an operator

Canopy is one of the adventure activities on offer in Pucón, along with rafting and hiking (source: Sernatur, chile.travel, August 14, 2024).

What canopy is

The Chilean standard defines it as gliding over or between treetops, from platform to platform, hanging by a harness and pulleys from a steel cable that runs downhill by gravity (source: INN, NCh3025.Of2006, published by Sernatur). Pucón's Adventure Tourism Ordinance uses the same definition (source: Pucón Municipality, Adventure Tourism Ordinance 2025, Exempt Decree No. 24 of January 7, 2025, chapter IV).

Types of course

The standard distinguishes three activities (source: NCh3025.Of2006):

• Canopy: several cable lines between platforms in trees or on towers.
• Zipline (tirolesa): a single cable between two fixed points to cross a ravine, a stream or similar.
• Tree-top adventure (arborismo): moving from one point to another over hanging bridges or similar structures, keeping your balance and always clipped to a safety line.

As an example, Interpatagonia describes a park at km 10 of the Pucón-Caburgua road with an aerial route of about 900 m through native forest, platforms 4 to 25 m high and a final zipline of about 150 m (source: Interpatagonia, undated). We found no official list of the courses operating today: check the Sernatur search tool.

Age, weight and families

Pucón's ordinance sets these limits (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, item 6):

• From age 5, with simple written permission from one parent or guardian and riding with a guide (canopy and zipline).
• From age 7 to ride alone, with the same permission.
• Maximum weight: 120 kg.

The 2006 Chilean standard sets the same age limits, allows tree-top adventure from age 5 and sets the maximum weight at 130 kg (source: NCh3025.Of2006, item 4.6.2). In Pucón the ordinance applies, and it is stricter on weight. Interpatagonia describes the park on the Caburgua road as suitable for the whole family and of low difficulty (source: Interpatagonia). We found no official source on a minimum height.

Safety and rules

• Sernatur registry: mandatory for adventure tourism (source: Sernatur, Tourism Services Portal, Law 20.423), and the ordinance requires it for canopy (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, item 1.6). Look up the operator at serviciosturisticos.sernatur.cl. Being registered does not currently mean the operator has passed an on-site inspection (source: El Mostrador, September 28, 2026).
• Double safety line: every passenger must be on a double safety line, and every platform more than one meter high needs its own line to clip into (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, items 4.4 and 4.6).
• Guides: with a current municipal canopy guide license. Up to 4 passengers need 2 guides; 5 to 8, 3 guides; 9 to 12, 4; 13 to 15, 5 (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, items 5.1 and 7.1).
• Inspections: the Municipality checks the equipment every year and requires a structural report on the course every 3 years; there must also be a map of the course of at least 1 × 1 m at the start (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, items 2.3, 3.4 and 9).
• Insurance: the operator must hold accident insurance with at least 300 UF of cover for accidental death or disability, displayed at its office (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, item 2.2.2).
• Passenger gear: mountaineering helmet and harness, pulley, locking carabiners and gloves, all certified (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, item 8.3).
• Updated standard: in 2026 Sernatur updated the standards for 15 adventure activities, including canopy, through Exempt Resolution No. 271 (source: Radio Agricultura, July 28, 2026). We could not review the new text, so the 2006 limits may have changed.

Season

We found no official source on the canopy season in Pucón or on whether it stops in the rain: ask when you book. To choose a date, October averages almost 13 rainy days and February about 5 (source: DGA Pucón station, 1991-2020, in Pucón weather month by month). More ideas for summer and spring.

Getting there

• To Pucón: see How to get to Pucón.
• Caburgua road: the park described by Interpatagonia is here (km 10). It's the same road as Ojos del Caburgua and Caburgua Lake.
• Trancura valley: Sernatur mentions canopy services in the forests along the Trancura River (source: chile.travel), the same river as Rafting in Pucón.
• Transfers: if the operator drives you, the ordinance requires vehicles registered for tourist transport (cartola de turismo) (source: Ordinance 2025, chapter IV, item 3.1). Without a car, see Getting around Araucanía without a car.

News

When reviewing this guide we found no news of canopy accidents in Pucón in 2024-2026. The most recent case we found is from January 2016: a 24-year-old instructor died after hitting a tree on a zipline at a site that, according to the Municipality, had had no operating permit since 2013 (source: BioBioChile, January 22, 2016). That's why it pays to check the registry and the business license before booking.

Information reviewed on October 15, 2026. Rules, courses and prices change: confirm them with the operator, with Pucón Tourism (puconchile.travel) and in the Sernatur registry before you go.