New Zealand attracts thrill seekers from around the world keen to experience all this natural playground has to offer.
From rock sailing to river boarding, New Zealand has plenty of adventure activities to get your blood pumping. But the granddaddy of them all is a New Zealand invention called bungy jumping.
In this extreme activity, adrenalin junkies jump from a structure, such as a bridge or platform, while their feet are attached with a latex cord. The excitement comes both from the free-fall and the rebounds experienced at the bottom.
Bungy jumping in Nevis Canyon, Queenstown
While bungy jumping has become popular all around the globe, it’s worth experiencing this activity where it all began. The world’s first commercial bungy site, AJ Hackett Bungy, opened in Queenstown in 1988. Since then the business has expanded operations to include a location in Auckland and a variety of bungy jumping options. In Auckland you can jump off the city’s main bridge, but on the original site there are many more experiences to choose from. There’s the massive 134-meter Nevis Bungy set in the rugged Nevis Canyon, the Kawarau Bridge Bungy, and the only urban bungy in Queenstown known as The Ledge.
In Rotorua, adventurers head to Agrodome Park for their bungy fix. This is one of New Zealand’s most picturesque bungee spots, with views of Mount Ngongotaha, the Paradise Valley, and nearby Lake Rotorua. Rotorua Bungy offers solo and tandem jumps from a 43-meter tower to the Ngongotaha River below. If that doesn’t give you enough of a thrill, Agrodome Park also has zorbing, jetsprinting, and a giant swing called The Swoop.
Nervous jumpers shouldn’t let Thrillseeker’s Canyon Bungy intimate them. Located on the Waiau River near Hanmer Springs, this is New Zealand’s lowest bungy site at 35 meters. There’s also jet boating and rafting on site for anyone looking for another high.
New Zealand bungy jumping experiences can range between $20 and $220, depending on the operator and the package’s inclusions. It’s common for jumpers to receive a T-shirt and certificate, while videos and action photos may also be available at an additional cost.
