World’s First Virtual Reality Zip Wire Opens In London

London is home to world-renowned sights like the Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament, to name a few.

But for thrill seekers, there’s a whole new way to have fun in this amazing city: by going on a high-speed zip line adventure and transporting yourself from London to the United Arab Emirates with the help of virtual reality.

The famous city has teamed up with the United Arab Emirates’ Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority to launch Jebel Jais Flight London at Zip Now London, making it the world’s first VR zip line ride that gives users a chance to experience new sights beyond the London skyline at 50 kilometers per hour (around 31 mph).

London and UAE sights in one

Zip Now London has three 225-meter (about 738 ft) zip lines 35 meters (about 114 ft) above ground. Thrill seekers can actually enjoy this attraction in two ways. One is to do the zip line without the virtual reality eyewear and see the actual sights of London from atop.

But, their newest offering involves putting on a headset to experience the views from Jebel Jais, the UAE’s tallest mountain and the highest peak in the Hajar mountain range where the current Guinness World Record for the longest zip line is set at 2.83 km (1.7 miles).

Through VR technology, adventure tourists in London are visually transported to Ras Al Khaimah and the amazing desertscapes one can witness on the Jebel Jais Flight. By simply wearing the headset, zip line enthusiasts are transported thousands of miles away from London, if only for a few seconds.

Virtual Reality Zip Line Experience

As virtual reality technology continues to grow, it makes sense to use its immersive power to innovate tourism services.

With Zip Now London’s latest offering, the entire zip line ride from Jebel Jais is captured in 3D film and packed into a virtual reality headset. Zip line riders flung from the London Tower are immediately brought to a place that’s more than 3,000 miles away. For 30 seconds, riders can fly like mighty falcons taking in mountain and desert views from up above.

Zip liners experience total immersion in the new landscape while they view the mountain range from the VR headset.

What’s amazing about this attraction is how it takes a faraway location and brings it right to the center of the city. Using the latest in VR tech, the Jebel Jais and the Hajar mountain range become accessible in an instant.

Virtual Reality for Tourism

Virtual reality is steadily gaining traction in terms of gaming, marketing and education applications. So it makes perfect sense that tourism joins these industries and embraces VR technology and the opportunities it brings.

Zip Now London’s new concept illustrates how a creative partnership between tourism-centered organizations can lead to amazing and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Indeed, if tourist organizations are truly dedicated to reaching wider audiences and providing new ways to showcase travel spots, the key is to integrate technologies that provide possibilities for cultural immersion. Virtual sightseeing—in this case, a zip line ride—can increase tourist buzz and strengthen shared cultures and interests.

Ras Al Khamiah Tourism Development Authority’s CEO Haitham Matter believes that combining the exciting zip line tour of London with the latest in technologies provides a unique experience that will thrill people all throughout summer.

Zip Now London’s Jebel Jais VR zip line tour can be booked only until September 9th in Southwark, London, so don’t miss it.