If you’ve ever fancied climbing to the top of the Amazon jungle, then there’s good news because Google’s got your back. Virtually speaking, of course.
Google Street View, that brilliant service*/rabbit-hole-that-sucks-up-all-your-time-if-you-let-it* has included the world-famous rainforest since 2012, but now it has scaled the treetops after putting its Street View cameras on ziplines for the first time.
That’s right. Google took its cameras and literally suspended them in the rainforest thanks to assistance from the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS). The BBC reports that the cameras traveled as fast as 100 km/hour, that’s around 62 miles/hour.
The resulting 360-degree images are a spectacular reminder of the unique experiences that the internet makes possible.
Google’s virtual tour allows you to survey the forest floor and climb the vines to reach the treetop canopy for spectacular views. There’s also an option to float down two rivers — the Rio Aripuanã and the Rio Mariepauá — and visit indigenous villages and settlements in the area.
Google said the FAS hopes that “sharing the imagery of their local communities, rain forests and rivers with the world will raise awareness and support for their efforts to conserve these areas.”
