I travelled to New Zealand on my own, on a trip built around visiting my sister who had moved to Christchurch. Part of the plan — the part I was most nervous about — was Queenstown, and specifically, the Nevis Bungy.
Some background: back in 2008 I went skydiving in Australia. People hear that and assume I am a daredevil. I am the complete opposite. I am deathly afraid of heights — I could not even rewatch my own bungy jump footage until I uploaded it here. After the skydiving experience I told myself that whenever I made it to New Zealand, I would try bungy jumping. Eight years later, I landed in Auckland determined to keep that promise to myself.
Queenstown, Here We Come
I spent a week travelling through New Zealand before reaching my sister in Christchurch. From there we headed to Queenstown for a few days and a road trip.
My original plan was the Kawarau Bridge — the classic, easier 43-metre AJ Hackett jump, and over water, which felt more comforting. My sister had other ideas. Due to the shuttle arrangement it made more sense to do everything at one stop, which meant I was now signed up for the 134-metre Nevis Bungy instead of the "easy breezy" Kawarau option.
I spent the entire night before thinking about it. I did not sleep well.
The Nevis Bungy Experience
We met at the AJ Hackett centre in town to get weighed in and tagged. The bus ride out to the Nevis site was rough on the nerves in the best possible way — we dropped people off at Kawarau Bridge just in time to see someone jump. Full panic mode. 43 metres looked terrifyingly high from the bus window. My sister asked if ours was higher. I said yes. She went pale.
The bus climbed a dirt track up the mountainside until we spotted the AJ Hackett centre. We got suited up and reweighed, then went outside to see the jump site — a pod suspended in the middle of a gorge, accessed by gondola.
First-Timer Tip
If it is your first bungy jump, the Kawarau Bridge is the more sensible starting point at 43 metres over water. If someone convinces you to do the Nevis first, accept that you will be terrified and do it anyway. You will not regret it.
Into the Gondola
There were eight of us, six per gondola trip. My sister and I went over together, holding the rails, staring at the horizon, deliberately not looking down. The gondola takes you to the centre of the gorge where the bungy pod sits.
Inside the pod there were sections of glass floor. I could not look down there either. To my left, people jumping. To my right, the enormity of the gorge itself.
The Jump
One by one, everyone went. I made my way to the prep seat where they tied me up and attached the cord to my feet. I shuffled to the ledge.
I still had not looked down. I asked if they would push me. Not allowed — everyone jumps on their own. Finally on the edge, they threw the cord off, and I could already feel it pulling.
The countdown started.
"Three..." My brain went into overdrive. Am I really doing this? Why? I don't have to do this. Yes I do. I can't do this.
"Two..." You spent $275 NZD. You are not wasting it. Breathe.
"One..." Don't look down. You can do this. What am I even doing. I'm not doing this.
"Bungy!"
Something switched off in my brain and I jumped.
The wind rushed past. I opened my eyes and watched myself speed through the gorge. It was completely freeing — more relaxing than terrifying once I was actually in the air. I reached the end of the cord, bounced back up, freefell again. I could not get the cable released to flip upright so I just hung there waiting to be pulled up, adrenaline pumping, feeling like I had conquered my biggest fear. By the time I got back to the pod I had tears in my eyes. I was so happy.
The Nevis Swing
After the traumatic high of the bungy, my fear of heights kicked straight back in for the Nevis Swing — the world's largest swing at the same site.
Doing it with my sister made it completely different — we screamed the whole way down and back up together. It was actually one of the best shared experiences of the entire trip and I would recommend it just as highly as the bungy.
We collected our hats afterwards and I got one of my favourite shirts ever: the Nevis Jumper shirt.
Nevis Swing Tip
Book the combo package if you are doing both the bungy and the swing — it uses the same shuttle and site, and doing them together makes for a genuinely epic day. Most people say the swing feels scarier than the bungy because the free fall is longer before it catches you.
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- The Ultimate New Zealand Travel Guide — 4 Weeks Around Aotearoa
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- Rotorua — Geothermal Wonders and Māori Culture
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Frequently Asked Questions
134 metres — the highest bungy jump in New Zealand, operated by AJ Hackett outside Queenstown. By comparison the classic Kawarau Bridge jump, also by AJ Hackett, is 43 metres.
