By Puneet Kumar Exploring a destination on foot or by conventional transport is what everybody does. But have you ever thought of exploring a destination dangling from nothing but a swaying wire strung to the top of a mountain? Floating hundreds of feet above the ground, a cable car ride ensure you get the most breathtaking view of the city and thrilling experience. From soaring over jungles to climbing peaks of mountains, here are 5 awesome cable car rides to add to your travel list.
Dubrovnik cable car, Croatia
In a swift four minutes, this bright orange cable car will deliver you to the top of Mount Srd for awe-inspiring views of the Old Town and Elaphite Islands and the crystal clear the Adriatic Sea. On clear days, one can spot Italy far out on the horizon.
Telluride Gondola, Colorado
Telluride provides free transportation between the town of Mountain Village and the town of Telluride, Colorado. The Gondola, the first and only free public transportation in the U.S serve a quiet 13-minute ride from town to town with breathtaking scenery. In winter, each gondola cabin is equipped with ski and snowboard racks for adventure seekers who want to access the Telluride Ski Resort.
Ngong Ping cable car, Hong Kong
For a bird’s eye view of the picturesque landscape of Hong Kong, ride the glass bottom crystal cabin car to Ngong Ping. One can board the cable car from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping village to enjoy the glittering view of the South China Sea and Lantau Island. A 25-minute ride later, one will see the Big Buddha surrounded by lush green forests, seated atop a wreath of petals. One can also catch a glimpse of the Hong Kong – Zuhai Bridge, the longest sea bridge-tunnelel system in the world.
Skyline Gondola, Queenstown, New Zealand
A five-minute walk from central Queenstown, the steepest cable car in the Southern Hemisphere carries visitors high above Queenstown and the surrounding mountains. There are a lot of activities for one to participate in once you reach the top. One can spend a relaxing evening at the Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar or experience the beauty of the Southern night sky by stargazing.
Rosh HaNikra Cable car, Israel
Located on the coast near the border of Lebanon, Israel’s steepest and wheelchair accessible cable car, Rosh HaNikra, takes visitors down for a fascinating encounter with the sea grottoes. The cable car descends to the bottom, a journey of barely a minute, from where the visitors have to explore the caves on foot.
(The writer is the Director, South Asia & Middle East at the Hong Kong Tourism Board)