There are many bungee jumping enthusiasts out there who can enjoy one of the closest experiences to feeling like a bird while viewing spectacular destinations around the world from above. A jump can also provide the inspiration you need for greater self-confidence, accomplishing things you never dreamed you could do. Of course, those who are experienced know that all too well. If that’s you, it might be time to start a bucket-list that includes the top spots for a jump, including these.
Macau Tower - Macau
Located just off the coast of Hong Kong, the 63-story needle-like Macau Tower is home to the world’s highest bungee jump. Located in the heart of Macau, at 764 feet, it’s in the Guinness Book of World Records, differing from most by utilizing a”second-generation bungee cord,” which has a sphere shape so that bodyweight is evenly distributed throughout the jump. You can jump during the day or take a night jump overlooking the city lights below. There are many other thrilling activities here too, from the Xposure and Tower climb to the Skywalk. Afterward, test your luck at one of the many famous casinos.
Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge - Queenstown, New Zealand
While there are many places to bungee in New Zealand, including the Sky Tower in Auckland, jumping in Queenstown where it all began is really a must. The Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge is where it all started, giving birth to this thrill when Kiwi AJ Hackett opened up the first commercial bungee jump from this bridge that’s considered the “birthplace of bungee jumping.” It’s one of the top adventure activities in New Zealand, where you’ll plunge over 141 feet over the Kawarau River just outside of the city in the Otago region. Hackett is also the one who created the heart-pounding Macau jump and many others throughout New Zealand, Australia, France, Russia, Singapore and China.
AJ Hackett Cairns - Smithfield, Australia
Cairns is a picturesque coastal city that enjoys a tropical climate, a laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous scenery while providing an adventurer’s paradise. Not only is it close to the mountains, rainforest and Great Barrier Reef providing everything from hiking to some of the world’s best diving, but it’s said to be Australia’s capital of bungee jumping. Just 15 minutes from town, you can jump from a 164-foot-high tower in the canopies of the rainforest, with your head dipping into the stream at the bottom. There are many other thrills that can be enjoyed too, like a multi-person jungle swing.
Lake Taupo - New Zealand
Taupo Bungee is another must when visiting New Zealand, known as the country’s highest water touch bungee. While it may not be the highest, it’s definitely one of the most unique with the staff allowing you to choose how far down into the frigid water you want to go. The guides use your weight to determine how to get you deep within the chilly sapphire lake. Once you’ve reached it, you’ll be ripped back into the sky, a bizarre and disorienting sensation. The views are amazing and you’ll have options like a tandem jump, or you can opt for the rope swing instead. Taupo also offers tandem skydiving and more traditional options like boating and fishing.
Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe
Those who’ve done it have called jumping spectacular Victoria Falls the very best free fall in the world. Located on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, the cascades are also some of the world’s most stunning. The jump is straddled between the two countries, on top of an old railway bridge designed to catch the spray while the thundering falls plummet down the huge cliff behind you. Visitors can also whiz across a zip line and then take a sunset cruise along the calm stretch of the Zambezi which sits just above Victoria Falls.
The thrill is in The Zambezi River beneath and the falls behind you. If you are going to take the leap of faith, this eye-popping scenery is the place to begin.
Royal Gorge - Canon City, Colorado
The Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest bridge in the United States, with a deck height of 955 feet measured from the deck to the river surface below. It spans 1,260 feet and provides one of the world’s highest spots to jump from, ideal for serious adrenaline junkies. It also offers a different twist on bungee jumping, with up to three riders on the Royal Rush Skycoaster which begins at the edge of the canyon, pulling them on the bungee swing then overtly dropping riders to swing out over the canyon at speeds excess of 50 mph. Ziplining can be enjoyed too, with tours including the world’s first “flight line” free fall belay system, with 20 zip lines in total, from classic to extreme courses spanning over three miles.
Bloukrans Bridge - Nature's Valley, South Africa
A bungee jump off the Bloukrans Bridge is so terrifying that people recommend having an “emotional sponsor.” In fact, about a fifth who comes to leap off it change their mind once they get there. While it may be heart-pounding, in the nearly quarter-century it’s been around, no one has suffered from any injuries. The bridge, located along South Africa’s popular Garden Route, is subject to crosswinds, but there is a metal grated bridge to help keep you on your feet as you carefully navigate across, looking down at the rocks about 700 feet below. You’ll free fall for about eight seconds, accomplishing the world’s highest commercial natural bungee jump.
Europe Bridge - Innsbruck, Austria
Visiting the Alps guarantees incredible views but few people enjoy them upside down. By heading to Europa Bridge, officially known as Europabrücke Bridge, you’ll be nearly 700 feet above the ground. One of the most coveted jumps in the world, it stretches 2,155 feet across the valley and provides jumpers with a drop of more than 600 feet. You’ll reach speeds of up to nearly 75 mph over the five-second leap – afterward, the cord will pull you back up providing the feeling of weightlessness just before you fall again. As it’s located near beautiful Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol region with mountains towering over it, you can enjoy the gorgeous scenery and attractions there too.
Verzasca Dam - Tessin, Switzerland
Located in the Italian-speaking region near Lugano in southern Switzerland with its palm-lined lakes and jagged Alpine peaks, Verzasca Dam is famous as the filming location of James Bond’s bungee jump in the movie “Golden Eye.” Visitors can do the same by leaping over 720 feet, ending just over the crystal-clear waters of the Verzasca river.
Rio Grande Bridge - New Mexico
The Rio Grande Bridge stretches about 600 feet above the Rio Grande river gorge as one of the highest bridges in the U.S. and the highest bungee jump. Located 10 miles northwest of Taos, the scenery is spectacular although it’s vertigo-inducing even from the viewing platform. Taking the leap of faith guarantees a one-of-a-kind view of the vast and barren plateau below. You’ll want to capture a shot of the bridge from afar as well. Hovering above the water, it makes such an outstanding photo-op that it’s been featured in a number of TV shows and movies like 2009’s “Terminator Salvation” and 1994’s “Natural Born Killers.”
Villarrica Volcano - Chile
Arguably one of the most death-defying unique jumps you can possibly take is a bungee that will drop you just above the hot, melting lava of the active Villarrica volcano in Chile. You’ll hop on a helicopter heading 10,000 feet up before dropping 375 feet, suspended 700 feet over the fiery red lava. After the freefall, you’ll have to continue hanging by the bungee cord, dangling 350 below the helicopter as you’re flown back to the airport, a double thrill in one.
Swiss Alps - Switzerland
Hosted by Outdoor Interlaken, the Stockholm bungee in the Swiss Alps is one of the most unusual and magnificent sites for a jump in the world. You’ll be lifted 440 feet up in a mountain gondola, and when the doors open, you’ll take the plunge, freefalling towards the unspoiled waters of Lake Stocksee. It’s a rush you won’t soon forget, surrounded by the dramatic mountain scenery.
The Last Resort - Nepal
Mountaineers are often drawn to Nepal as a vacation destination, but it also offers a clifftop adventure called the Last Resort which sits high above the Bhote Kosi River on the sharp ridge of a canyon, about 60 miles east of Kathmandu and seven miles from the Tibetan border. One of the world’s most frightening, you’ll dive down from a pedestrian bridge over a tiny sliver of the narrow canyon with an audience of locals watching. Afterward, you can enjoy more thrills by mountain biking through rugged jungle terrain or whitewater rafting across the rapids of the Bhote Kosi River. There are miles and miles of scenic hikes to enjoy too.
Navajo Bridge - Marble Canyon, Arizona
About 4.5 hours from Las Vegas, the Navajo Bridge is made up of two identical steel-arch bridge, one that’s new and one that’s old, crossing the Colorado River in northern Arizona between the fiery red walls of Marble Canyon near the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. Depending on current regulations, which are known to change, you may be able to do an individual jump or join an organized excursion, leaping some 467 feet from the historic bridge toward the river which carved out the Grand Canyon eons ago.
