Interzip Rogers is an attraction in the National Capital Region that’s relatively new, but is poised to leave an indelible mark. Simply put, taking a zip line from Ottawa to Gatineau is truly unforgettable.
The moment we heard that a zip line was in the works to connect Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec, it was added to our bucket list. When we learned it was 1200 feet long, 120 feet high and you could reach speeds exceeding 50 kilometres an hour, it was really added to our bucket list.
Sometimes you have an attraction where you’ve, in a sense, overhyped it and it doesn’t end up living up to what you imagined it would be. That wasn’t the case here – this was just plain fun, and, in our humble opinion, it’s a major addition to the tourism scene in the National Capital Region (especially for those with a penchant for adventure).
From Zero to Zip Line – What You Need to Know About Interzip Rogers
Here are a few things worth knowing before you soaring between two provinces.
Buying Tickets
The first thing that you’re going to want to do once you decide it’s high time that you fly over the Ottawa River is to buy your tickets. Tickets are currently $40 for adults and $30 for kids 14 and under. One quick detail to note – there’s no height requirement, but there is a weight requirement in that you’ll need to be no lighter than 70 pounds and no heavier than 250 pounds.
If you’re differently abled and have questions around accommodation, Interzip Rogers has let us know that you’re welcome to email info@interzip.ca, and they’ll be sure to get back to you.
By the way, you can add their video souvenir to your ticket for a little under $20, and they actually do a great job of capturing your ride from all angles. I used part of the footage for a post on Instagram if you’d like to see what you can expect.
The Setup
You’ll arrive at 40 Jos-Montferrand Street in downtown Gatineau (Vieux-Hull). Typically, they recommend arriving about 30 to 45 minutes early, and that’s because they need to give you your gear, run through some key information, note your weight, and you need to get your waiver signed.
There is parking on-site, but it’s limited. That being said, there are plenty of municipal parking lots nearby.
You’ll be put into a small group, and then you’ll walk across the bridge over to the Launch Tower. The Launch Tower is 9 floors high, and there isn’t an elevator or lift, so do note that you’ll be responsible for getting up those stairs – though, of course, you can take your time doing so.
At the base of the Launch Tower, you’ll get a safety briefing to ensure you’re all set to soar. That’s one thing that was clear from the onset – the team at Interzip Rogers has safety at the forefront of their mind, so for those who are nervous, we can confirm that we saw the staff checking, double-checking and triple-checking to ensure that riders were all set. The staff was trained well, and we felt like we were in good hands.
In our group there were both grandparents and grandchildren – that is to say, this is an activity for all ages.
Before you know it, you’re at the top of the tower, the staff are counting down, and you’re off. It’s hard not to have a smile as wide as the Ottawa River as you’re zipping from one province to the other.
The one thing we like most about this activity? You’re just not going to be able to do it anywhere else. It’s the world’s first interprovincial zip line, and there’s nothing else quite like it in this nation of ours.
What Else Do You Need to Know About This National Capital Region Attraction?
- The most important thing to mention is that Interzip Rogers is, understandably, not a year-round attraction. It typically operated between May and September.
- If you’ve got your ticket, and it starts raining, should you be worried? Nope, not at all. The Interzip Rogers runs rain or shine, though if there is an extreme weather situation, management does indeed have the right to cancel or delay.
- They have a number of partner restaurants, hotels, and associated attractions where, if you’ve bought a ticket for this experience, you’ll be eligible for a discount. You can find out more here.
- Students, alumni and employees from the University of Ottawa are eligible for 10% off.
- If you need to contact them, you’re best to start at info@interzip.ca, but you can also reach them at 613-695-5803, or toll free at 1-833-652-1399. Their hours of customer service are currently 10am – 4pm.
We hope we’ve given you all the information you need to make a decision about whether this is going to be the next Canadian attraction that you’ll be circling.
We want to humbly thank Ottawa Tourism and Tourisme Outaouais for hosting us as media. All opinions are completely our own.
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Christopher Mitchell is a Co-founder of We Explore Canada. He’s visited over 80 countries and has lived on 4 continents, but now has his eyes set squarely on exploring this incredible country and helping others do the same.