What is: Shambhala
Shambhala is a steel roller coaster located at PortAventura World, in Salou Spain.
The ride opened to the public as Europe’s tallest roller coaster, taking guests up 76m (249ft)
high before allowing them to plummet back towards the ground below. On top of this,
it became the 2nd hyper coaster in Europe to be constructed by Swiss roller coaster
manufacturer, Bolliger and Mabillard. Unfortunately, however, Shambhala is no longer the continents
tallest roller coaster, as the record was broken in 2017 by another attraction located
at the same resort, Red Force.
Shambhala opened to the public on the 12th of May 2012, at the cost of 25 Million Euros.
Interestingly, the ride is themed to the ancient myth of Shambhala, the mythical lost world
located deep within the Himalayas. Shambhala is said to be an inaccessible paradise, a
cradle of eternal youth, a centre of happiness and a kingdom of both peace and wisdom. The
myths forgo that the king of the world resides in this lost city, a city which connects every
continent on earth, the city of Shambhala. As guests enter the ride’s plaza, they are
said to be exploring central Asia on a journey to find the mythical world. The attraction’s
design has been inspired by the Kingdom of Bhutan, seen from the plaza’s entrance arch
to the interesting station design. Snow is also present throughout the area, further
iterating the exploration and Tibetan theme.
Once guests have navigated the ride’s queue line, they board one of three vehicles, each
of which seat a total of 32 riders per train. Unlike other similar roller coasters, Shambhala
features trains which seat visitors in a v formation. Not only does this increase the
length of the train, but also helps to isolate the individual guests, exposing them to the
surrounding elements. Once they have boarded, the trains are dispatched from the station
building and undergo a right-hand turn. At this point, riders begin to ascend the lift
hill. They slowly climb 76m (249ft) high, obtaining breathtaking views of the park itself,
as well as the nearby coastline and vast ocean. Once they’ve crested the lift hill, the
trains quickly plummet down a 78m (256ft) descent, at the maximum vertical angle of
76 degrees. It’s at this point that riders enter a short underground tunnel and reach
the maximum speed 134kmh (83mph). After emerging from the tunnel, guests enter the attractions
first floater airtime hill, giving them the sensation of total weightlessness for a brief
period of time. They fall back towards the ground, before entering one of Shambhala’s
signature elements, its huge ampersand shaped track structure. Riders navigate the upwards,
and then downwards 540-degree helix, which leads immediately into a speed hill. After
a pop of ejector airtime, guests are subject to a second large airtime hill, followed by
a descent into an artificial splashdown element. The trains of the ride appear to enter the
water, causing a large splash to occur, produced by a series of water jets. Visitors complete
two further floater airtime hills, before entering the ride’s brief mid-course brake
run. The trains undergo sweeping left-hand turn, a final airtime hill, and an upward
ascent into the attractions final brake run. Throughout the entire airtime filled experience
guests navigate a total of 1564m (5131ft) of track in approximately 64 seconds of ride
time. That’s measured from the moment the train leaves the lift hill, to when it hits
the final brake run. Because of this, and the three individual vehicles, Shambhala has
a large maximum theoretical throughput of approximately 1680 riders per hour.
Upon its debut, the ride received fantastic reviews. Many people enjoyed the long, smooth
experience, packed with large amounts of floater airtime and other interesting forces. Shambhala
quickly became known as the best roller coaster at PortAventura World, and as one of the best
attractions within Europe as a whole. However, with the construction of newer roller coasters
throughout the continent, does Shambhala still remain as Europe’s best hyper coaster?
What’s your opinion?