Fear Factor at the Nevis Wire Bungee and Queenstown Fun

It was at The Station that I started feeling serious qualms. We visited this prominent Queenstown booking center the previous day to reserve our Bungee jumps and felt pumped up when we returned here to catch our rides to the Bungee sites. We had half an hour to kill, so we just sat down and watched video loops of screaming people doing jumps.

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The Mental Aspect

The jumpers on those video screens conveyed this intoxicating excitement, but there was also a contagious fear in their gaping expression. It just made us think too much about what we were about to do.

It also made me recall one elderly woman I saw a month earlier who froze on the edge of the Lake Taupo Bungee. She stood there for nearly twenty minutes while her brain tried to convince her legs to step forward. Her mistake was that she looked down... and then kept looking down at the abyss. In those looping videos at the Station I imagined I saw what she saw and I felt I was going to freeze as well.

So Spoiler alert after reading this you may never want to go Bungee jumping or you may rush to book a flight to New Zealand just to do it.

Shaken and Stirred at the Nevis

The ride from The Station to the Bungee site seemed lengthy and did not help with our growing doubts. The Nevis is one of the world's premiere Bungee jumps at 134m/440ft. But it's much more than those impressive numbers that make it so scary and exciting. Finally at the site, the monster was revealed in all its glory. Crazier than anything I imagined...

This is not an evil scientist lair. It is the Nevis Bungee

It is a massive metal cage hung on wires between two peaks. To board the cage we rode an open waist-high cable car that swung nicely in the wind. I resisted the temptation of glimpsing at the jagged valley below. Que in the dramatic music – this whole structure had a touch of a James Bond movie scene.

The crew operated the jumps at a frantic pace to some heavy metal tunes. I watched them standing on the ledge as slight vertigo snuck upon me. Everything happened so fast that it seemed the dozen other jumpers ahead of me in line were not even there. I was strapped to the Bungee cable in a dentist-like chair and tip-toed my way to the jumping platform.

The crew released some weights over the edge for balance and I got scared about losing mine. I looked back at my girlfriend. The crew did a countdown 3-2-1 and without thinking or a moment of hesitation I spread my arms and jumped into the air.

I heard the winds whistling in my ears and saw the ground approaching. Six whole seconds of free falling – literally flying. It's a surreal experience that my brain struggled to comprehend, being upside down and all. The elastic Bungee cable stretched and pulled me upward for a 2nd and 3rd falls with a split-moment of being suspended in mid-air at the top of each.

Like a fish on a Wire

As the cable started settling down under my weight I recalled that I needed to release a short secondary cable from between my legs that would orientate my body at a normal position. I reached to grab it but missed the timing as it has to be done at the top of one of the falls. Now I got to experience how heavy your arms become when you are hung upside down. Let me tell you all those movie scenes with upside-down people dangling from a rope are certainly not over-dramatized.

The full vertigo-inducing length of the Nevis Bungee cord

I looked upward to retry and undo the secondary cable and then it hit me the incredible height punctuated by the perspective of the 100m/328ft cable connecting me to the cage. I remained this way as the adrenaline subsided.

Here is an interesting way to appreciate the scenery

My ankles were secured with a Velcro strap to the wire. This was just for balance as my entire weight was attached with a four points harness. But the Velcro slipped just a tiny bit under my weight with an alarming tearing Velcro'ish sound. Was it going to get undone?

My heart jumped a little bit as the main rope shook from above. Later, in the video of the jump, I saw it was done a few times just as a standard procedure before the crew began pulling me up. The next moments seemed like an eternity while I was watching the cage approaching me very slowly.

At last I was there, like a fish on a hook. I was turned around for a view of the canyon and a last pinch of fear. Then I was finally pulled in, face all red from the blood that rushed to my head. This was one absolutely unforgettable adventure. As I rode the cable car back it all downed on me and I recreated those free-falling moments in my head. That night I slept soundly, exhausted from the mental fatigue, but with a happy smile on my face.

If you are up for more adrenaline fix, the Nevins Swing is a great alternative to Bungee. Instead of just falling you will swing a 300m/980ft arc. It is done in an upright position probably allowing your brain to better digest the height and experience. Buy a combo ticket if you do decide to do both.

The Nevis High Wire Bungee | Neemod's score - 9

Bungee Town

Queenstown has two other active Bungee sites (all part of the A.J. Hacket's empire, inventor of the sport). Both are much milder experiences compared to the Nevis. Kawarau Bridge is where it all started. It is only 43m/141ft high and a good introduction to Bungee jumps. Because it is cheaper and less scary it gets many more participants than the Nevis. There are also more spectators watching from the river bank, giving it somewhat of a theme park feeling.

Kawarau Bridge Bungee is not as high as the Nevis...

This is not to say that Kawarau is not a thrilling experience. My girlfriend had to settle for the Kawarau because she wasn't heavy enough for the Nevis minimum weight requirements. She loved it so much, she wanted to repeat it immediately. The bonus with Kawarau is that she got to dip her head in the the river at the bottom of her jump before she was lowered into a boat.

...but it will let you dip your head in the river below

Had I had the time I would have probably go for the Kawarau first followed by the Nevis. Because the Nevis looks so overwhelming I shut off my senses a bit to overcome the fear. An easier intro jump with the Kawarau would have helped. I can tell you I defiantly enjoyed my 2nd Bungee experience (in Nepal, a couple of years later) thanks to being more acquainted with the experience. Alternatively, simply consider booking a double jump at either site.

The Ledge Bungee operates at the Skyline gondola site. Again it is not very long (47 m/154ft), but seems much higher thanks to being situated 400m/1312ft above sea level.

Queen of Adventures

Queenstown, the world-renowned Mecca of adventure activities, is on everyone's list of must-visit spots in New Zealand. You will be able to find almost any activity offered here somewhere else in the land of the Kiwis, but no other place packs so many choices, varieties, and magnitudes. Below I list the few activities we did in addition to Bungee.

Queenstown is not shy about catering to the adventure-seeking crowds. It is a small town with the energies of a much bigger place and plenty of dining, cafes, entertainment, and nightlife offerings. Yes it is touristy, but somehow it maintains a very pleasant welcoming vibe. This has a lot to do with the remarkable views of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps, always offering a piece of tranquility when you need a break from exterme activities.

Upon arrival we headed to Fergburger, a local institution among travelers. We were not disappointed. I did have some better burgers in my life, but never bigger than this almost pancake size delicious budget choice.

Bob's Peak Fun

It's well worth it to take the trip up the Skyline gondola for a better perspective of the mountains reflecting in the lake. The views from the top of Bob's Peak became very picturesque toward sunset when the lake turned almost purple.

The view from Bob's peak in all its glory

Up there, we also watched a Haka Maori ceremony. It was surprisingly energetic and professional considering there were only ten spectators. Actually, coming to think of it, this was a much more intimate experience than a larger Haka I saw later in New Zealand.

A surprisingly energetic Haka ceremony at Bob's peak

We also did the peak's fun Luge ride. The two tracks offer more great views of the mountains and lake as they twist around the peak. This is nothing like the thrill of a Bungee obviously, but we enjoyed it nevertheless.

Jetboating

The hair-raising bus ride to Skipper Canyon was almost as thrilling as this adrenaline-packed river fun. Once on the river, we had all of our need-for-speed taken care of. But it was more about the wild swerving and 360 spins that made this unique.

To be honest, this is one of those activities where I lost sense of what was happening because it happened so fast. Thankfully I had shades to shield my eyes from the water spray and I managed not to swallow any flies. The outing also included a comical visit to an old closed Bungee site, where our driver-guide tossed a big rock down to the river with a nice audible splash and cheers.

Queenstown Accommodation

Butterfli Lodge | Neemod Score – 8.5

62 Thompson Street, Queenstown

Butterfli Lodge is situated on a hill at the quieter southern end of town. It offers a friendly atmosphere with a mature (attitude-wise, not necessarily age-wise) crowd. You can get to town with a pleasant lakeside stroll of about 15 minutes. It is very clean and well-maintained.

We slept in a private room which had a very convenient direct access to our car for loading and unloading. The communal area and kitchen were small but open and invited socializing. The porch and hammocks on the lawn were very nice for relaxing while sipping coffee or reading a book. Facilities were a bit lacking but this is one of those hostels that felt like a home away from home after a long day of adventure.