
Mega Zipline in the Harz Mountains: must-do for adventurers
I stand on the plateau and look into the depth below me. 1-2-3 go! The two people in front of me whiz down a cable like some kind of superman, far away to the other side of the reservoir. My knees are weak and I feel I have to go to the toilet. A standard thing when I’m nervous about something. Why again did I say ‘that I wanted to do the Mega Zipline in the Harz?
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A trip to the Harz Mountains
It is a sunny day at the end of September when I drive to the German Harz Mountain region. I was here for the Deutsche Blogger Wandertag four years ago and I was introduced to the Harzer Hexenstieg back then. I was impressed by this area and when the German Tourist Office asked if I wanted to travel to the Harz again, I immediately said yes. Not the least because the longest suspension bridge of its kind, Titan RT, can be found here, which I figured would be cool, especially after visiting and writing about the super cool Geierlay suspension bridge in the Hunsrück, until recently the longest suspension bridge in Germany.
The Mega Zipline in the Harz
But … next to (or better said: above) the suspension bridge is something much cooler: the Mega Zipline over the Rappbodetalsperre. This zipline has a length of more than a kilometer and transfers you in just under a minute to the reservoir. When I arrive at the Harzdrenaline Center I report to the desk. My flight (I call it that) is booked for 4.30 pm and I have to report half an hour in advance. From the parking lot it is a five minute walk to the mountain ridge from where you have a view of the bridge and where the tower is where you leave from.
Just as I walk up, someone starts their flight screaming. My stomach turns. OMG – I’m going to do this soon. I take a deep breath and give myself some courage. The last time I did a mega zipline was from the Euromast and that was, in hindsight, really cool. So this ought to be awesome too eventually, right?
High up!
Not much later I walk back to my car where I leave my backpack with stuff I’m carrying. You can take some small things along the way in a pocket in your harness, but not a whole bag. I put a hair-tie and my iPhone in my pocket and also take the car key with me. At exactly 16.15 I can go through the gates with my ticket and I am welcomed by a guy with a big grin who asks me to fill in and sign the form. In the meantime I send a text message home with “it’s that time, love you in case I die” and after I have submitted the form, I’m weighed, I’m outfitted with a helmet and glasses and I can walk upstairs.
Once upstairs on the tower, the employees are still attaching the people in front of me. I try to look cheerful in my selfie cam but almost shit in my pants because of the altitude. The things I wanted to take with me go into the pocket in the harness. During the flight I am not allowed to hold any stuff and therefore I cannot take pictures. On my helmet there is a camera for the video that will be made of the flight.
Here we goooo!
I may come forward and be attached and secured. You are lying in some kind of harness, so your head goes down first. You keep your hands behind you as a kind of “superman”. The most anxious moment is really just letting go of control. In other words, take your feet off the ground, bend over and let the harness support your weight.
The lady shouts “we start in 3-2-1 – bye bye!” And there I go. The adrenaline rushes through my body during the first few meters. I feel the cold wind in my face and … I feel like I’m flying! How cool is this!
The beauty of this Mega Zipline in the Harz is that it lasts almost a minute, giving you ample opportunity to enjoy it. With spectacular things that last a short time (such as bungy jumping) it is often the case that you completely forget to enjoy, now my fear gives way to a wonderful feeling of freedom and I arrive at the end with a broad smile on my face.
Here I am released and I still tremble like crazy. This was SO cool, can I go again?
Back to the car
If you wish, you can walk back to the car yourself (approx. 25 minutes), but there is also a shuttle service available when there are enough people. I decide to wait for the shuttle. Once back at the car, I’m still intensely stuffed with adrenaline. What a great job I have!
Curious? Unfortunately I couldn’t take pictures during my flight, but the headcam on my helmet captured everything. Enjoy watching:
Conclusion en disclaimer
More information, rates and conditions can be found on the HarzDrenalin Center website. I made this trip at the invitation of the German Tourist Board. All opinions given are only my own.

