Plan Your Trip Outdoor Pursuits - Hiking and Tramping in New Zealand - page 49

EXTREME SPORTS
We're not sure if it's something that has evolved to lure tourists, or if it's something in-
nate in the Kiwi psyche, but extreme activities (skydiving, bungy jumping, paragliding
etc) are part and parcel of the modern NZ adventure experience.
Bungy jumping was made famous by Kiwi AJ Hackett's 1986 plunge from the Eiffel
Tower, after which he teamed up with champion NZ skier Henry van Asch to turn the
endeavour into a profitable enterprise. And now you can get crazy too! Queenstown is
a veritable spiderweb of bungy cords, including the original 43m jump off the Kawarau
Bridge, a 47m leap from a ledge at the top of a gondola, and the big daddy, the 134m
Nevis Bungy ( www.bungy.co.nz ) . On the North Island, you can make the leap in Taupo,
Taihape, Auckland and Rotorua. Varying the theme, try the 109m-high Shotover
Canyon Swing ( 03-442 6990, 0800 279 464; www.canyonswing.co.nz; per person $199, additional
swings $39) or Nevis Swing ( www.bungy.co.nz ) in Queenstown; both are seriously high rope
swings. You might think this is easier on the nerves than a bungy, but just wait until
you try it. A bungy jump will cost $150 to $200, with frequently available combo deals
luring you into other adventures with irresistible discounts.
If bungy jumping seems a bit tame, why not leap out of a perfectly good aeroplane?
There are numerous skydiving opportunities around NZ, including in Taupo on the
North Island, with fantastic views of the lake and volcanoes. In Motueka you can ogle
three different national parks with Skydive Abel Tasman ( 03-528 4091, 0800 422 899;
www.skydive.co.nz; Motueka Aerodrome, College St; jumps 13,000ft/16,500ft $299/399) . Skydive Franz
( 0800 458 677, 03-752 0714; www.skydivefranz.co.nz; Main Rd, Franz Josef Glacier) claims NZ's
highest jump at 19,500ft and 90 seconds of freefall. With Aoraki/Mt Cook in your
sights, this could be the most scenic leap you ever do, providing you can keep your
eyes open. Tandem jumps involve training with a qualified instructor and cost around
$300/400/550/650 for a 12,000/15,000/18,000/19,500ft jump; extra for a DVD/
photographs.
Paragliding - sitting in a harness with your instructor under a modified parachute
canopy - is a thrilling yet serene way to take in NZ's mountains and lakes. Leap off
lofty spots in Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Queenstown and Wanaka and soar like a bird. Tan-
dem paragliding costs from around $180 for 20 minutes, while introductory courses
are around $250.
White-Water Rafting & Canoeing
There are almost as many white-water rafting and canoeing possibilities as there are rivers
in the country, and there's no shortage of companies to get you into the rapids. Rivers are