Go Ape Thetford Review: Treetop Challenge & Forest Segways

Fancy yourself as a bit of a Jungle VIP? A Zip Line Hero? Is your mantra ‘let’s off road!’? Then a day out amongst the trees of Thetford Forest will be right up your street… sorry… undulating trail.

We were lucky to be gifted a Go Ape experience at High Lodge in Thetford Forest recently and had the best day.

Go Ape Thetford Forest: A Day of Adventure at High Lodge

I should start by saying that we’re already big fans of High Lodge at Thetford Forest. Tucked just over into Suffolk (don’t judge), it’s a great day out in its own right with plenty of activities to enjoy and regular events. In the past few weeks, we’ve been there to see Fat Boy Slim (brilliant) and I ran the Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog (an annual 5-miler through the trees – not for the faint hearted but good running fun).

We’ve celebrated birthdays there and love it as a location to meet friends, have a picnic and while away a day surrounded by nature.

Thetford is the UK’s first Go Ape centre, with a variety of activities on offer, including brand-new-for-2026 Nets Adventure. We’ve passed it many times but – incredibly – never actually experienced it here.

Segways Through the Pines

First up, we were booked on to the Forest Segways. Yes – you read that right. Think an hour of exploring trails, but on a heavy-duty, all-terrain, eco-friendly, chunky-wheeled Segway.

I’ll admit – at first, I was a little nervous. None of us had ridden a Segway before. Luckily you’re kitted out and get full training before you cruise off in formation to explore the forest in a truly unique way. By the end I wished I had another hour having found my ‘Segway feet’.

It’s not a passive activity by any standard – and you have to keep your wits about you as you tackle tight bends and bumpy tracks.

For a totally different activity and a unique experience, I’d highly recommend it. Imagine the freedom and forest-bathing benefits of a woodland walk but with added power and thrill. It’s a great, fun thing to do with older children (minimum age is 10+), friends or even colleagues. We went with our two teenage sons and we all had a really fun time.

Taking on the Go Ape Treetop Challenge

After our Segway adventure, we met friends and embarked on the Go Ape ‘main course’, high above the forest floor: the Treetop Challenge.

This is the original Go Ape high ropes course up among the trees, with tarzan swings, zip wires and obstacles. It is high. It is physically challenging. And if you feel like you need more, there is the Treetop Challenge Plus with some even tougher obstacles to tackle.

The grown ups embarked on the Treetop Challenge. We’ve done this sort of thing before in England (Go Ape Sherwood and Go Ape Grizedale) and in France (don’t ask). I’ve been burnt before by going too high and too hard for my own good. I know my limits.

The teens took on the Challenge Plus of course. Young, fit, fear-free types that they are.

We discovered on the day that the Treetop Challenge is supposed to take 2-3 hours to complete. We scoffed slightly – how could it possibly take that long, etc etc.

Over three hours later, we flew down the final zip.

In the time between we climbed, swung, wobbled and zipped out way around 5 sections of tricky obstacles (and in the case of Challenge Plus, over 40 crossings), including 5 zip lines. The highest platform is 12m and the longest zip wire is 140m long.

We finished a little bit dirty, shattered on most levels, but feeling exhilarated. And proud. One of the best things about this experience is the sense of accomplishment at the end. Demanding and thrilling both physically and mentally, you really do feel like you’ve achieved something. It’s an excellent buzz.

The Good, The Bad and the Wobbly

For me, the best bit was the sense of relief and achievement when you step onto each treetop platform after successfully making a crossing – be it a wobbly bridge of sorts or the stirrups crossing (oh my days…). The zip lines were fun of course – they go really fast – totally exhilarating.

I didn’t personally attempt the second Tarzan Swing, though two other members of our group did. It looked crazy – one nearly lost a shoe! I’m leaving that little something for my next visit…

The worst part? For me, it was actually the wobbly ladders you have to climb as you actually get up onto each section. More scary than any of the obstacles!

This Treetop adventure isn’t for the faint hearted. But if you’re feeling adventurous and want a good challenge, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Is Go Ape Safe? Everything You Need to Know

The Go Ape activities felt very safe and we were well briefed beforehand by the super friendly team. For the Segways, you have helmets, and for all activities, you’re kitted out with a whistle that you can blow if you need to raise the attention of the Go Ape team while out in the trees.

You’re trained beforehand to use the self belay system on the Treetop Challenge and the course is very well structured and maintained.

Minimum age is 10+, making this an ideal activity for teens plus.

Our Top Tips for Visiting Go Ape Thetford

• Wear gloves (trust me).
• Allow longer than you think – the Treetop Challenge took us over three hours.
• Bring a picnic to enjoy at High Lodge afterwards.
• Wear comfortable, practical clothing that you can move it and that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
• Don’t underestimate the Challenge Plus!

Would We Do It Again? Absolutely.

After all that climbing and zipping, we busted out the picnic and relaxed against the backdrop of High Lodge.

If you’re after a proper adventure that takes you off seats and screens and will ensure you sleep soundly that night, I can’t recommend Go Ape highly enough as an experience. I’d happily return again and again – I can’t imagine it getting dull. There’s always a new challenge – whether it’s the second Tarzan swing, which alluded me on this visit, upgrading from the Challenge to the Challenge Plus, or simply mastering a graceful landing from the zip lines (I managed one – the rest mostly saw me dragged through the chipping on my backside). Each adventure could easily be a new experience.

And beforehand or afterwards, you have the walking trails, picnic area and play area of High Lodge to enjoy. If you have the energy.

A day out like this, especially for a family, isn’t ‘cheap’. It’s a Big Day Out – akin to a theme park or zoo. But it’s worth every penny – it can be a full day escapade, especially if like us you take a picnic. And the memories you make will stay with you – as cheesy as that may sound. The sense of connection and teamwork you get from tackling a physical challenge together cannot be beaten.

Currently with the Great British Summer Savings government scheme, you can save 15% at Go Ape locations until 1st September. Use the promo code VATSUMMER to qualify. Full details here.

Big thanks to Go Ape Thetford for arranging our experience. We can’t wait to come back!

Find out more about Go Ape adventures in Thetford Forest.