Taupo Bungy and Taupo Cliffhanger’s New Zealand

New Zealand is world famous for its extreme sports activities, and bungy jumps are at the top of the list  for thrill seekers who mean business.  The country is also famed for its fabulous natural beauty, and those two attractions are combined with stunning effect at Taupo Bungy and Taupo Cliffhanger’s.

Located on the Waikato river just upstream from Haku Falls and about a 10-minute walk from Taupo town centre, the site is one of the most spectacular in the world for both scenery and thrills.  They have the first cantilevered platform in the world, and New Zealand’s highest ‘splash cam’ jump where you actually touch the water of that beautiful pristine river.  In fact they’ll dunk you all the way if you so choose, or you can just stick out your foot (or hand) and say you got wet.

Taupo Bungy and Cliffhanger’s has an outstanding safety record, with more than 275,000 intact customers since they opened in 1991.  The staff is both chatty and entirely professional, checking and re-checking your harness whilst offering cheery encouragement to the faint of heart (or knees).  The bungy platform is built 20 metres out from the clifftop and the drop is 47 metres to the water’s surface, with all that incredible scenery to observe on the way down if you can only keep your eyes open.

The Cliffhanger is your childhood  tree swing to the nth degree: they strap you into a seated body harness, winch you about 41/2 metres out from the cliff and 44 metres above the river, and then they release the cord.  The swing reaches an arc of around 40 metres and speeds up to 80kph; it is “an indescribable experience”, so you’ll just have to try it yourself.