Bungee Jumping

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Bungee jumping, also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a bridge across a deep ravine, or on a natural geographic feature such as a cliff. It is also possible to jump from a type of aircraft that has the ability to hover above the ground, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter. The thrill comes from the free-falling and the rebound. When the person jumps, the cord stretches and the jumper flies upwards again as the cord recoils, and continues to oscillate up and down until all the kinetic energy is dissipated.



The highest jump :

In August 2005, AJ Hackett added a SkyJump to the Macau Tower, making it the world's highest jump at 233 metres (764 ft). The SkyJump did not qualify as the world's highest bungee as it is not strictly speaking a bungee jump, but instead what is referred to as a 'Decelerator-Descent' jump, using a steel cable and decelerator system, rather than an elastic rope. On 17 December 2006, the Macau Tower started operating a proper bungee jump, which became the "Highest Commercial Bungee Jump in the World" according to the Guinness Book of Records. The Macau Tower Bungy has a "Guide cable" system that limits swing (the jump is very close to the structure of the tower itself) but does not have any effect on the speed of descent, so this still qualifies the jump for the World Record. background not found Kushma Bungee Jump is the world's second-highest bungee jump with a height of 228 Meters. It is located in the George of Kaligandaki River and world-first natural canon bungee jump. Another commercial bungee jump currently in operation is just 13m smaller, at 220 metres (720 ft). This jump, made without guide ropes, is from the top of the Verzasca Dam near Locarno, Switzerland. It appears in the opening scene of the James Bond film GoldenEye. The Bloukrans Bridge Bungy in South Africa and the Verzasca Dam jumps are pure freefall swinging bungee from a single cord.

Guinness only records jumps from fixed objects to guarantee the accuracy of the measurement. John Kockleman however recorded a 2,200-foot (670 m) bungee jump from a hot air balloon in California in 1989. In 1991 Andrew Salisbury jumped from 9,000 feet (2,700 m) from a helicopter over Cancun for a television program and with Reebok sponsorship. The full stretch was recorded at 3,157 feet (962 m). He landed safely under parachute.

One commercial jump higher than all others is at the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado. The height of the platform is 321 metres (1,053 ft). However, this jump is rarely available, as part of the Royal Gorge Go Fast Games—first in 2005, then again in 2007. Previous to this the record was held in West Virginia, USA, by New Zealander Chris Allum, who bungee jumped 823 ft (251m) from the New River Gorge Bridge on "Bridge Day" 1992 to set a world's record for the longest bungee jump from a fixed structure.



Popular Places For Bungee Jumping

1: Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge Bungee, China

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We get straight to the point and start with the highest commercial bungee jump in the world! This 430-metre-long glass-bottom bridge in China's Hunan Province, is home to the world's highest bungee jump. Opened in 2016, this stunning piece of architecture spans a vast canyon 300 metres deep, in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Masses of tourists from all over the world come to visit the site (and for some, to bungee). Head to the Zhangjiajie Bridge to get a glimpse of its UNESCO World Heritage area - the greater Wulingyuan Scenic Area that it is part of, through the bridge itself.

See stunning views of this gorgeous densely-forested mountain valley and the surrounding mountains as you jump from a platform connected to and just below the main glass suspension bridge, in a location you have to see to believe, (check out the video above).

Set within an area of stunning natural beauty, that is known for being the partial inspiration for some stunning landscapes in the 2009 blockbuster movie, Avatar. Whilst in the area, after experiencing this incredible adrenaline rush, check out the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain and the Bailong Elevator.

This bungee jump costs approx. CN¥3,000 (around 385€)

2: Macau Tower, China

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Head to Macau, an autonomous region on China's south coast, to try the world's second-highest bungee jump. This glamorous resort city on the South China Sea is home to the Macau Tower which opened in 2001. And it is a popular spot for adrenaline seekers from around the globe, wanting to conquer one of the world's highest bungee jumps.

After Macau businessman, Dr Stanley Ho Hung-Sun visited the Auckland Sky Tower, he was so impressed that he wanted one like it to be constructed in his city. The building itself is 338 metres high, however, the bungee platform is at 233 metres, all the way almost to the ground, where you will be lowered to at the end of your jump.

In summer, it is also possible to do a nighttime bungee jump, for an added thrill, seeing all the world-famous nearby casinos lit up as you free-fall. With incredible views of the Zhejiang River Estuary and the area of Taipa across the bay, this is a scenic jump if ever there was one.

On your jump, you may reach speeds of up to 200 km/h during a 4/5 second free fall before the bungee cord rebounds 30 metres above this location's specially designed large airbag, which you will be lowered onto after your jump.

This bungee jump costs approx. HK$2,888 (around 310€)

3: Contra Dam, Switzerland

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The Contra Dam, also known as the Verzasca Dam or the Locarno Dam, takes the third spot, with a bungee jump at 220 metres. This popular bungee spot, located 10 km from the lake-side resort town of Locarno, offers incredible views of the surrounding Swiss Alps. Made famous in the opening scene of the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye, adventurers travel from far and wide to try this incredible bungee jump.

Opened in 1965, this amazing work of engineering was not a bungee jumping location until shortly after the release of GoldenEye, as the film made the location an attractive destination for the activity. This arch dam is a sight to behold, even more so when you are bungee jumping from its heights! Do as Pierce Brosnan and try the world's third-highest bungee jump from the Verzasca Dam!

This bungee jump costs approximately CHF 195 (around €184)

4: Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa

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At 451 metres long and 216 metres high, this stunning arch bridge, Bloukrans Bridge, is an incredible feat of engineering and a great place to try a bungee jump! Bridging the border between Eastern Cape and Western Cape, two neighbouring provinces on South Africa's south coast, this bungee destination is just 30 km from the popular coastal resort spot of Plettenberg Bay and just under a two hours' drive from the city of Port Elizabeth. This fantastic adrenaline spot is located on South Africa's world-famous Garden Route - situated within this National Park's 300 km stretch of stunning coastline.

Take your place at the centre of the bridge's pedestrianized path, underneath the main vehicles-only topside of the bridge, get harnessed up and wait for your turn to experience the incredible thrill with this bungee jump from Bloukrans Bridge! With great views of the Bloukrans river, the bridge takes its name from, as well as of the nearby Indian Ocean and the greenery-lined surrounding deep valley sides.

This bungee jump costs approximately ZAR 1,400 (around €81)

5: Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, New Mexico USA

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Only available once a year, this is a bungee jump to tick off your bucketlist! Number 5 of the world’s highest bungee jumps offers a rare opportunity to see the surrounding New Mexico landscapes whilst free-falling over the Rio Grande River, flowing 206 meters below.

Bungee jumping at this location, the highest in the US, is an experience only a few get to participate in. The Rio Grande Bridge, also known as the Gorge Bridge, has no permanent bungee platform based there, but a number of touring bungee operators offer a select number of dates to try this activity.

This bungee jump costs approximately between 400-500 US dollars

6: Europabrücke (Europe Bridge), Austria

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This 777 metre long bridge, known as the Europa Bridge, or Bridge of Europe, opened in 1964 and is home to an incredible bungee! Spanning the Wipp Valley, around a 15 minutes drive south of the Austrian winter sports resort city of Innsbruck, this bridge is a sight to behold.

In 1993, Rupert Hirner dared to do the first-ever bungee jump from this impressive spot. Five years later, the first official bungee jumps were allowed from the bridge and thousands of adrenaline seekers have jumped from the bungee station since 2002.

Head to Europabrücke to bungee jump from 192 metres, reaching speeds of up to 120 km/h in free fall. With stunning views of the surrounding Tyrolean Alps and of the River Sill below, this is a fantastic spot to try this exhilarating sport.

This bungee jump costs approximately €179

7: Niouc Bridge Switzerland

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Spanning the river Navisence, is the Niouc Bridge, the current highest suspension bridge in Europe. At 200 metres long, this bridge is almost as high as it is long, and is referred to by many as the Spider Bridge, a reference to its unique criss crossing metal structure.

The views from this bungee jump are incredible, see the alpine valley of Val d’Anniviers and the surrounding Swiss Alps peaks, such as the world-famous Matterhorn. Bungee jumping from the Niouc Bridge is however not the only way of taking in the stunning scenery of this destination. Whilst in this spot, why not try ziplining along the Niouc Bridge or the Niouc Bridge giant swing!

This bungee jump costs approximately CHF 210 (around €165)

8: Artuby Bridge, France

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This arch bridge is located near the famous water sports spot of the gorgeous Gorges du Verdon. Spanning the Artuby River and its namesake canyon, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region of France, just before it flows into the larger Verdon canyon, the Artuby bridge is an amazing destination for bungee jumping.

Opened in 1946, this bridge offers stunning views of the surrounding valleys. At 182 metres high, with a jump length of 160 metres, bungee jumping from the Artuby Bridge is an experience of a lifetime. After your jump, you will be lowered down into the canyon below and get to see the bridge from a whole different vantage point. You’ll certainly be impressed by what you just did…

This bungee jump costs approximately €105

9: Kölnbrein Dam, Austria

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Opened in 1977, this arch dam in the eastern Alps in Austria is around 85km north-west of the alpine city of Villach, and the perfect spot to head to for a bungee jumping adventure! Located just north of the Ankogel Group mountain range, this is a very nice area to visit, with incredible scenery to take in on your jump.

For your bungee jump from Kölnbrein Dam, you'll be lifted from the top of the dam in a cage attached to a crane, positioned at the middle of the arch, from which you will jump from a height higher than the dam itself. Gain incredible views of the surrounding mountains and of the grassy valley far below, at this stunning Austrian bungee destination.

This bungee jump costs approximately €169

10: Vidraru Dam, Romania

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Here we go for number 10 of the highest bungee jumps in the world and at the same time also the highest jump in whole Romania! Head to the Vidraru Dam, set within the Southern Carpathian Mountains, for amazing views and a thrill like no other.

Opened in 1966, this dam harnesses an incredible amount of hydroelectric power and is the reason for the creation of the artificial Lake Vidraru, as the creation of the dam stayed the Arges River. For incredible views of this stunning thick-forested mountainous area, check out this bungee! Just under a 3 hours drive from the country's capital of Bucharest, it's definitely worth a trip!

We have to add here that it is quite hard to find information on booking and prices on the internet for this bungee jump.