Bungy jumping is a rite of passage for many visitors to New Zealand, who love the thrill of a heart-stopping leap of faith - or the alternative soaring through the air on a swing.
In the 1980’s, a couple of young kiwis, AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch, set up New Zealand's first commercial bungy jumping operation, with a jump from the historic Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown. Since then, New Zealand has become the home of bungy. All over the country you can leap from bridges, climbs, rail viaducts, specially made platforms perched on the edge of cliffs, and stadium roofs.
You can take a leap off the Auckland Harbour Bridge against the backdrop of the beautiful Waitemata Harbour and the city skyline. In the Central North Island, just upstream from the Huka Falls, lies the Taupō Bungy - 47 metres above the Waikato River. You can also choose to be dunked in the Waikato River below at the end of your jump.
Not only does the South Island have the country's oldest bungy jump experience at AJ Hackett's Kawarau Bridge, it also has the highest jump at an incredible 134-metre plunge at Nevis Bungy - which are both in the Queenstown area.
Every day of the week locals and visitors alike enjoy the experience of a bungy among stunning landscapes. Bungy jumping remains one of New Zealand's most popular and renowned leisure activities.
