Experience the World’s Only Fully Underground Zipline: Mega Cavern

When my son was choosing a senior trip destination, I think the selling point of Louisville was the opportunity to go ziplining in some underground caves. Mega Cavern is a large limestone cave underneath the Louisville Zoo. There are several activities you can enjoy: An aerial ropes course, tram tour, bicycle tour and of course, ziplines. If you’re looking for something unique to do, you’ll want to experience the underground zipline tour at Mega Cavern.

Here are some tips to help you plan your time on a zipline. Know what to expect. If you’re afraid of heights, you may need to reconsider – or push yourself to try something that’s completely safe.

Booking Tickets to the Underground Zipline Tour

The underground zipline tour is rated the No. 1 attraction in Louisville (according to Trip Advisor). I mention that because advanced online reservations are the way to go. If you’re a walk-in, there is no guarantee a time slot will be available. Book tickets online as early as seven weeks in advance. Select your date and tour start time. Plan on your tour lasting up to 2.5 hours (depending on the size of your group).

Mega Cavern is open year round. But before you book your tour, there are a few things I’ll point out:

• No kids younger than seven – and all participants must weigh between 55 and 285 pounds.
• Anyone under the age of 15 is required to be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.
• There are absolutely no refunds. If Mega Cavern closes for unforeseen reasons, those with advanced reservations will be given a rain check for up to six months.
• The cave is the same temperature year round. If 60 degrees, give or take a few, is chilly to you, bring a light jacket or long sleeve t-shirt.

Getting to and Parking at Mega Cavern

First of all, arrive 30 minutes before the start of your tour time. That gives you time to park, fill out the waiver and check in at the front desk.

Mega Cavern has a parking lot to accommodate visitors. Parking is free. My son and I took an Uber/Lyft from our hotel to Mega Cavern. From the parking lot, gather your group in the large pavilion. When you’re ready, follow the sidewalk to the doors. The hallway will take you to the main entrance. A wild west mining town storefront facade is where you’ll start.

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When you enter, stop at one of the screens to fill out your online waiver. Then head up to the front desk and check in for your tour start time. We were a little early, so we sat at some of the tables until they called our tour time. After a short welcome from the two tour guides, we were taken to the orientation room. The safety demo is pretty quick and simple – wear a helmet and follow the guides directions.

After you get your gear on, your zipline tour is ready to begin.

What to Expect on the Tour

The tour begins with a short walk to your first zipline – keep in mind there are a total of six lines. When you arrive, the guide will give you a few instructions at the actual zipline, then one by one you’ll get hooked up and jump off the edge. For those afraid of heights, the guides are good about hooking your harness up to safe spots until you’re all hooked in and ready to go. Be sure the guide has given you the go-ahead before you step (or jump) off the platform. If you’re still hooked up to the safety spot, you won’t get very far and you’ll be embarrassed.

One challenge I had in wearing a mask and breathing in a humid cave was my glasses. They kept fogging up. I had to hold my breath so I could actually see the cave around me as I ziplined through it. Another challenge was photography. I brought my Olympus TG-6 camera with me (bring at your own risk, because if it drops, it’s goodbye camera). But in a dark cave with very little lighting, the camera had to be very still to capture what I wanted. I didn’t want to turn on the flash and blind anyone. But I did use my headlamp on occasion to light up my son when I captured still photos of him. No action shots. 🙁

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After each zipline, your walk to the start of the next one. Along the way there are two rope bridges to cross. Some of the people in our group loved to bounce and test the stability of the bridge. Some were able to walk across without holding on to the side ropes. If you’re afraid of heights, just keep your eyes focused on the end of the bridge and keep walking. The theme song to Indiana Jones may help inspire you to feel adventurous.

In addition to the rope bridges, some of the platforms you stand on are hanging from the ceiling of the cave. The safety harness keeps you safe, but it’s a little nerve wracking standing at the edge and looking down. The final zipline is a dual zip – meaning you race side by side with another member of your group. The trick is to have 100% faith in the ziplines and jump/push-off the starting platform as quickly as you can. I raced my son, but his spirit for adventure was much more ambitious off the starting line than I was. He won.

Other Activities at MegaCavern

At the start of this article, I mentioned a few of the other activities available at MegaCavern. Here’s a little more details on what you can experience, if ziplining isn’t your thing, but you still want to explore the manmade limestone caves with roughly 17 miles of passageways.

MEGA TRAM takes you on a slow driving tour through the caves. You’ll learn about the geology, history and the green building technology used in turning the limestone caves into a tourist attraction. Learn more.

MEGA WALKING is a 90-minute guided walking tour through 60% of the total cave. It’s a great way to see the large caverns, but wear some good walking shoes, as you’ll be walking across dirt and loose gravel in the cave floor. Learn more.

MEGA QUEST is a great way to test your climbing and balance skills. The aerial ropes course – pictured above – isn’t as extreme as the zipline tour, so it’s great for younger adventurers. But older ones can test their skills on it as well. Learn more.

MEGA BIKE TOUR is a 90-minute tour covering 2.1 miles. The 7-gear fat tire bike provides the traction needed for the varied terrain: pavement, dirt, gravel and mud. Learn more.

The Details:

Address: 1841 Taylor Ave., Louisville, KY 40213

Cost: Cost varies by day of the week, but for adults and children, the cost is $90 per person (give or take $5-10). College students (with ID) and active military save $10.

Hours: Mega Cavern is open seven days a week. Tour times for Mega Zip are 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 p.m. During your online booking, you’ll see which time slots are available.

Website: https://louisvillemegacavern.com/

Phone: (877) 614-6342

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