Bungee Jumping In South Africa

Bungee Jumping In South Africa

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Bungee Jumping in South Africa

Preparing for a bungee jump includes ridding your pockets of all loose objects, tying your shoelaces properly and tucking the laces back neatly, having a giant elastic band fastened to your ankles and numerous counts of deep breaths. It may sound like a death trap but it is said that many jumpers become addicted to the intense adrenalin rush that overcomes you when you take the leap; the leap of faith that everybody should attempt at least once.

What's it all about?

Bungee jumping is one of the world's premier extreme sports which involve jumping off a high point, usually a bridge, with an elastic rope and harness secured either to the ankles or waist. The fun starts when the jumper leaps over the edge; the bungee cord stretches to its maximum length and as it snaps back the jumper is shot upwards again. As the energy of the elastic rope is dissipated the jumper is shot back and forth in a bouncing motion until the jumper is safely lowered to the ground.

Bungee locations in South Africa

South Africa is an ideal holiday location for adventure sport enthusiasts across the globe as it is home to not one of, but the tallest bungee jump in the world. The Bloukrans Bridge near Plettenberg Bay measures 216 meters and currently holds the official title in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the highest place that you can bungee from.

But bungee jumping is not the only way to experience the addictive adrenalin rush at the Bloukrans Bridge. Because the region has become a real tourist hub for anyone who passes through South Africa, a milder, less scary addition has been added to the Bloukrans menu: the Flying Fox. The Flying Fox was designed for families and the individual who's not really amped yet for the big air drive.
The Flying Fox (known to the locals as a Foofy Slide) works like this: You will travel along a 200 meter cable slide secured by a harness all along the archway of the bridge. The Flying Fox is an adventure on its own though it is also used by the very daring as a warm-up to the bungee jump.

There is of course a little something for the faint-hearted, to keep you entertained as well. The Bloukrans hosts a live bungee show where the public can observe as the daring take their leap of faith. Seeing the jumpers' bodies being catapulted through the air and hanging down so many feet off the ground is enough of a thrill for anyone who cannot muster up the courage to jump.

There are many other bungee jumping spots in South Africa, including the Gouritz River Bridge near Mossel Bay, and further north of the border, the bridge over the Zambezi River in between Zambia and Zimbabwe. And other variations of bungee jumping include bridge swinging, the catapult, which is in essence a reverse bungee: the cord is pulled down and the jumper is shot upwards!

The Gouritz Bridge bungee jump is equally exhilarating as the Bloukrans, though not as daunting. However all things are relatively equal when you're plunging off a bridge. You exit the platform over 65 meters with your elastic band secured safely to your ankles and as you leap, feel the forces of gravity pulling you closer to the riverbed. Nowhere in the world would you get to view the river from this angle again. The Gouritz Bridge bungee is an excellent taster to bungee jumping and makes for great training ground when you make the ultimate jump at the Bloukrans Bridge.

Bungee jumping started ages ago as a tribal ritual for young boys to enter manhood. For most people staring down the edge of a 216 meter bridge can be plenty intimidating. Although there is much controversy about the safety level of bungee jumping, South Africa has world class bungee equipment that is designed to protect the jumper while taking the plunge.

Apart from the equipment we have experienced and trained bungee trainers at every bungee jumping location to make sure that every safety precaution is taken. So the next time you're in the mood for something extra-ordinary, do yourself a favour and get down to one of South Africa's world class bungee jumping locations for an adrenalin rush like no other.

About the Author:
About The Author:

Excape Tours and Travel is a world-class inbound tour operator, specializing in personalised safaris, travel itineraries and accommodation in South Africa.



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