Already home to the “world’s only seven-star hotel”, the world’s tallest building, the world’s largest choreographed fountain and other unique attractions, Dubai has added one of the world’s only urban zip lines to the ever-increasing list of mind-blowing attractions in the Persian Gulf city.
The zip line begins nearly 90 metres above the downtown area from a high-rise residential apartment and runs for 558 metres, across the fountain and ending on the Dubai Mall rooftop.
The 40-second trip has created quite a stir among adrenalin junkies and mesmerised onlookers. It allows daring thrill-seekers to traverse the impressive Dubai skyline at speeds of up to 80 kilometres an hour. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, took the ride last month, to much publicity.
But at present only a select few can actually follow in his wake. Adventure sports company XDubai, the attraction’s organisers, is selecting 30 people a week for eight weeks from a social media competition to participate in the invitation-only attraction.
Xline will run until the end of the year, and participants must be 10 years old or more, weigh between 50 and 110 kilogrammes, and be between 1.4 and 2.1 metres tall.
A gentle shove starts the trip from atop The Residences Tower 3 and you are flying in the breeze, strapped in by a harness with nothing but air beneath your feet.
“Leap off and swing across Downtown Dubai with breathtaking views of the fountain,” says the XDubai website. “We dare you to keep your eyes open.”
“It is the longest zip line I’ve seen,” said British tourist Andrew Duncan. “It’s just a shame more people couldn’t take a ride on it. It looks like a really great way to see the city.”
For more details visit xdubai.com/xline/
