How to Get to Kawarau Bridge: Address, Drive and Shuttle

• Top choice Kawarau Bridge Bungy from US$188 Duration1 - 2.5 hours^[3]Rating4.90 from 195 reviews^[3]Group sizeLimited to 6 participants^[3]CancellationFree up to 24 hours before^[3] Check availability
• Nevis Bungy from US$232 Duration4 hours^[5]Rating4.96 from 100 reviews^[5]Group sizeLimited to 6 participants^[5]CancellationFree up to 24 hours before^[5] See this tour
• Nevis Canyon Swing from US$191 Duration4 hours^[6]Rating4.86 from 144 reviews^[6]Group sizeLimited to 8 participants^[6]CancellationFree up to 24 hours before^[6] See this tour

Where the Kawarau Bridge bungy address is

The Kawarau Bungy Centre stands at the old suspension bridge over the Kawarau River in the Gibbston Valley, out along the road towards Cromwell. The jump platform sits 43 metres above the water,^[1] with the river running green and fast through a rocky gorge below. If you are looking for the Kawarau Bridge address, search for the Kawarau Bungy Centre in the Gibbston Valley near Queenstown. From Queenstown it is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) via State Highway 6.^[2] The turn-off is signposted, and the car park sits a short walk from the bridge.

This is where commercial bungy began. The world's first commercial bungy jump was launched at Kawarau Bridge on 12 April 1988.^[1] By 1994, 100,000 jumps had been completed here.^[7] The bridge itself is an old suspension span over the river, and the jump pod hangs out over the middle of the gorge, so the walk out from the centre is part of the experience. Even on a warm day in town, the wind funnels along the river, so bring a layer for the minutes you spend waiting on the platform.

The transfer from Queenstown

You do not have to drive. Shuttle services run between central Queenstown and the Kawarau Bungy Centre, which saves you thinking about the road out and the road home. Times, pickup points and what the ride includes sit with the operator, and they can change with the season, so confirm the details when you reserve rather than relying on a timetable you found in an old post. If you are staying out at Frankton or along the highway, it is worth asking where the nearest pickup point is.

Booking through the Kawarau Bridge Bungy listing gives you some breathing room. You can reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[3] If your plans shift or the weather looks rough, that flexibility matters. Once you are on site, the visit runs for 1 - 2.5 hours,^[3] so plan the rest of your day around a slot rather than a quick in-and-out stop, especially if you have booked a shuttle back into town.

The suspension bridge over the Kawarau River, seen from downstream on State Highway 6.

Driving yourself from Queenstown

By car, the run from Queenstown to the Kawarau Bungy Centre is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) via State Highway 6.^[2] Leave town towards Frankton and Cromwell, follow the river as it leaves Lake Wakatipu behind, and turn off the highway at the signposted bridge. Parking is at the site, and the bridge itself is a short walk from there. The road is sealed and easy to follow, but it narrows and curves once you are in the gorge, so allow a little more time in rain or after a cold snap.

Distances are short in this part of Central Otago, which makes the bridge easy to fold into a wider day. The vineyards of Gibbston run along the same valley, so you can pair the jump with a cellar door stop, a riverside walk or a slow lunch on the way home. The Kawarau bungy location is right on the highway, so you never have to leave the sealed road to find it. Treat the drive as part of the outing: the gorge is the scenery, not just the route.

What else is out there

The bridge is a base for more than jumping. The Kawarau Zipride is a 130m long zipline that reaches a highest speed of 60 km/h according to AJ Hackett's team,^[8] and it is a gentle way to get the same gorge views if you would rather not step off a platform. Downriver, the rafting trip ends with a 400 meter long, grade 3/4 rapid.^[9] The Kawarau River is a much deeper and bigger river, flowing through Central Otago vineyards,^[9] and it looks it from the bridge deck.

Prices vary widely across the options. The Kawarau Zipride starts from US$29,^[10] the Kawarau Swing from US$141,^[11] and a Kawarau bungy and swing combo from US$270.^[12] If you want the biggest drop in the region, the Nevis site is 134m and the Ledge site is 47m,^[13] while the Kawarau Bridge jump itself is 43 metres above the water.^[1] A jet boat trip on the Shotover and Kawarau rivers is a separate outing, from US$87.^[14]

The road and the gorge

The drive out to the gorge is part of the trip. The road follows the Kawarau River through the gorge, past schist rock and tussock, with the vineyards of Gibbston opening up as you go. Gold was first discovered in the Kawarau Gorge in the early 1860s, sparking a rush that transformed Central Otago.^[15] Keep an eye on the hillsides for the traces that rush left behind, from stone walls to worked-over terraces, and give yourself time to pull over at a lookout on the way back.

This is mountain and river country, so the weather moves quickly. Mornings can be still and clear, and the wind often builds through the gorge later in the day. Pack a light waterproof, a warm layer and shoes that stay on your feet when you are upside down, and leave loose jewellery, scarves and anything that can slip out of a pocket behind. A hat and sunscreen earn their place in summer, and gloves and a beanie do the same in winter.

Timing your slot

The Kawarau Bridge Bungy runs for 1 - 2.5 hours in total, depending on the slot, and you check availability to see starting times.^[3] Groups are small, limited to 6 participants,^[3] so once the paperwork and harnessing are done the wait to jump is usually short. Booking ahead gives you the pick of the day. You can reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[3]

Build the day around the jump rather than the other way round. A slot takes 1 - 2.5 hours,^[3] and the drive out and back adds to that, so a jump in the middle of the day can take up most of an afternoon. Queenstown welcomed 412,897 international visitors in 2024,^[16] so in the busier stretches of the year it pays to book early in your stay rather than on your last morning, when a turn in the weather can upset the plan.

How to say it, and what to ask

Kawarau is usually said KAH-wah-rau, with the weight on the first syllable. Gibbston, the valley you drive through to reach the bridge, comes out as GIB-stun. Nobody will mind if you get it wrong, but saying it roughly right helps when you are asking for directions, checking in at a counter or chatting to the crew out on the platform.

Before you travel, confirm the practical bits. Ask whether a shuttle from Queenstown is running on your date and where it picks up, what time you need to be at the centre, and what you should wear and leave behind. The limits at AJ Hackett are a minimum age of 10 years old, a minimum weight of 35kg and a maximum weight of 235kg.^[4] In New Zealand, bungy operators are required to be registered under the Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016 and must periodically pass independent safety audits.^[17]

Getting there, step by step

1. Book your slot

   Pick a start time on the booking page and hold it with reserve now and pay later. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours in advance.^[3]

2. Decide how you travel

   Drive yourself out to the gorge, or check whether a shuttle from central Queenstown is running on your date and where it picks up.

3. Check the limits

   AJ Hackett sets a minimum age of 10 years old, a minimum weight of 35kg and a maximum weight of 235kg, so check before you book.^[4]

4. Check in on time

   The visit runs 1 - 2.5 hours and groups are limited to 6 participants, so check in before your slot and let the crew gear you up.^[3]

5. Walk out to the platform

   Walk out onto the platform, 43 metres above the water. The world's first commercial bungy jump was launched here on 12 April 1988.^[1]

Quick answers