World's Wildest Bungee Jumping Spots
Bungee jumping, diving off a fixed point while connected to an elastic cord, lets leapers experience a free fall of anywhere from 100 feet to 600 feet. The descent lasts only a few seconds, but the surge of endorphins—the kind that are produced when, say, you plummet toward the caldera of a volcano—impart a natural high. Minor injuries—bruising, rope burn, whiplash—are not unknown, and in rare cases, jumps have resulted in death. But the quality of equipment has improved over the years, and the practice is now relatively safe.
Bungee jumping (or a primeval variation of it) was discovered in the 1950s on Pentecost Island, part of the Republic of Vanuatu, about 1,000 miles off the eastern coast of Australia. When historian David Attenborough was in the region filming a documentary, he discovered young men tying vines to their ankles and jumping from a raised platform. This practice, known locally as land diving, began hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years ago and was a means for boys to prove their bravery and earn passage into adulthood.
It took a few decades before the activity migrated. A few illegal jumps—which resulted in some arrests—were made in 1979 and shortly thereafter. And then, in 1988, after working with scientists to develop a safe, professional-grade rope, bungee legend AJ Hackett opened the first commercial bungee jump site on Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand.
Today, aficionados continue to look for more outlandish ways to get their thrills. At the Macau Tower jump in China, daredevils plummet toward the ground from nearly 800 feet in the air (most jumps fall in the low hundreds). The infamous leap off Victoria Falls Bridge comes with the backdrop of a thundering falls that’s 5,600 feet wide and 360 feet high. It’s hard to imagine a more intimidating bungee setting…except perhaps for that volcano in Chile.
So if you’re looking for a rush and are brave enough, step to the front of the line, sign the waiver—yes, you will be required to—and take that leap of faith.
Villarrica Volcano, Chile
Bungee jumping certainly isn’t for the fainthearted, but this descent is in an entirely different (read: scarier) league altogether. Soaring some 10,000 feet in the air, jumpers sit perched on a helicopter’s skid—the landing gear just beneath the body of the craft—until they’re hovering above this active volcano, located near Pucón. Then: time to let go. The cord stretches between 350 and 375 feet, leaving jumpers hanging just 700 feet above the volcano. Did we mention the bubbling pool of lava? If you survive—and fret not; there have been no fatalities on this jump—you’re transported back to the airport 35 miles away, dangling from the helicopter.
Details: The jump is part of a five-day adventure trip run by Bungee.com. The price tag is $9,995, which includes lodging at Hotel del Lago Resort and Casino.