In a nutshell
- Kawarau Bridge is the original 43m jump, the Nevis is 134m and the Ledge is 47m, so pick by setting, height and travel time.[1][2]
- The Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) from Queenstown via State Highway 6.[3]
- At AJ Hackett the minimum age to bungy jump is 10 years old, the minimum weight is 35kg and the maximum is 235kg.[4]
- The Kawarau Bridge Bungy tour starts from US$188 and the Nevis Bungy from US$232, both with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.[5][6]
- The Kawarau Bridge Bungy tour runs 1 to 2.5 hours and is rated 4.90 from 195 reviews.[5]
| Kawarau Bridge | Nevis | Ledge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump height | 43m[1] | 134m[2] | 47m[2] |
| Setting | Historic suspension bridge over the river | Canyon site, a longer trip out | Urban jump above the town |
| From Queenstown | Around a 25-minute drive (23 km)[3] | Out of town, allow a bigger block | In town, easiest to reach |
| Age and weight | 10 years, 35kg to 235kg[4] | 10 years, 35kg to 235kg[4] | 10 years, 35kg to 235kg[4] |
| Great for | First timers and history | Big drops and big days | A quick add-on in town |
On 12 April 1988, AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch stood on the Kawarau Bridge in the Gibbston Valley and launched the world's first commercial bungy jump. The site, a historic 1880s suspension bridge spanning the Kawarau River 43 metres above the water, is still home of the original jump today.
Which one should you book?
Worth knowing first
Kawarau, Nevis or the Ledge: the quick version
Queenstown has three very different AJ Hackett jumps within reach of town, and the one you choose changes the shape of your day. Kawarau Bridge is the historic one, a 43m drop from a suspension bridge over the Kawarau River.[1] The Nevis is the canyon jump, listed at 134m, and the Ledge is 47m.[2] Same sport, same operator family, very different settings. On the bridge you look down at green water and a stone gorge, at the Nevis you hang in a canyon with nothing but air beneath you, and at the Ledge the town is spread out below. The jump itself lasts seconds; the build-up and the setting are what you actually remember.
The practical difference between them is mostly travel and time. The Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) from Queenstown via State Highway 6, which makes it an easy add-on to a morning or an afternoon.[3] The Kawarau Bridge Bungy tour runs 1 to 2.5 hours and keeps groups to 6 participants.[5] The Nevis tours list 4 hours, so that site asks for a bigger block of your day.[6] Start by deciding how much time you have, then how big a drop you want, and the choice usually makes itself.
Kawarau Bridge Bungy: where it all started
On 12 April 1988, AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch launched the world's first commercial bungy jump from the Kawarau Bridge in the Gibbston Valley, and the site is 43 metres above the water.[1] The bridge itself is a historic 1880s suspension span, which means the jump platform hangs off something much older than the gear and the cameras around it.[1] By 1994, 100,000 jumps had been completed here.[8] Standing on that platform, you are joining a very long line of people who have looked at the same green water and stepped off anyway. The whole sport started on this one span, and you can still see the exact spot where it happened.
The tour booked from this site is the Kawarau Bridge Bungy, from US$188, rated 4.90 from 195 reviews.[5] The breakdown gives guide 4.9, transportation 4.9 and value for money 4.7, so the scores hold up across the whole experience rather than just the jump.[5] An English speaking instructor runs the session, the group is limited to 6 participants, and the whole thing runs 1 to 2.5 hours, with starting times shown when you check availability.[5] Reserve now and pay later is offered, and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance gives you room to change plans.[5]
A jumper drops from the Kawarau Bridge platform towards the green river below.
Nevis Bungy: the canyon drop
Nevis bungy vs Kawarau is the comparison most people end up making, and the numbers settle part of it. The Nevis site is listed at 134m, the Kawarau Bridge site at 43m and the Ledge at 47m.[1][2] The Nevis sits out in a canyon, so the trip out and back is part of the experience. The Nevis Bungy tour starts from US$232 and is rated 4.96 from 100 reviews.[6] It runs for 4 hours with a small group limited to 6 participants and an English speaking instructor, with reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[6] Check availability to see starting times.[6]
The same canyon has a swing for anyone who likes the setting but not the head-down part. The Nevis Swing lists a 300m arc and starts from US$191, rated 4.86 from 144 reviews, with a 4 hour duration and groups limited to 8 participants.[9][10] There is also a Nevis Catapult listing and a Nevis Thrillogy combo that bundles bungy, swing and catapult together.[11][12] If you are making the drive anyway and your nerve holds, stacking rides is a good way to make the day count. If you only have one jump in you, save it for the big canyon drop and enjoy the view from the platform.
The Ledge: the jump above town
The Ledge is listed at 47m, above the Kawarau Bridge site's 43m and below the Nevis 134m.[1][2] It is the urban jump, sitting above Queenstown with the town and the lake in view, and it is the one that fits easiest into a day that already has other things in it. You can wander the town, ride the gondola, eat something, then go and step off a platform before dinner. For plenty of travellers that convenience is the whole argument: no drive out, no long block of the day gone. It is also a sensible first jump if you are testing whether you actually enjoy this sort of thing.
Rules are the same wherever you jump with AJ Hackett: minimum age 10 years old, minimum weight 35kg and maximum weight 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, which is the framework behind the harness and the checks on the platform.[7] So if you are wondering whether the short jump is the tame version, it is a real jump over a real drop, run to the same rules as the big one.
43m
The Kawarau Bridge bungy site stands 43 metres above the water, and the world's first commercial bungy jump was launched there on 12 April 1988.[1]
Rules, safety and what the fall feels like
Age and weight limits follow the operator rather than the individual site. The minimum age to bungy jump at AJ Hackett is 10 years old, the minimum weight is 35kg and the maximum weight is 235kg.[4] That range is wide, so most adults and plenty of teenagers will qualify, but it is worth checking before you build a whole day around a jump. On the safety side, bungy operators in New Zealand are required to be registered under the Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016 and must periodically pass independent safety audits.[7] That is the legal framework, separate from the crew briefing you get on the day, and it applies across the industry rather than to one famous bridge.
The fall itself is short. Bungee jumping has a free fall lasting about 5 seconds and reaching a speed of about 70 km/h.[13] Then there is the bounce, the swinging, and the winch back to solid ground, which always takes longer than the drop. Around the bridge, the landscape carries its own story: gold was first discovered in the Kawarau Gorge in the early 1860s, sparking a rush that transformed Central Otago.[14] You are jumping into a valley that changed shape, in human terms, long before anyone attached a rubber cord to a bridge.
Getting there, timing and how busy it gets
From Queenstown, the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) via State Highway 6 according to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand.[3] That puts the bridge in half-day territory and makes it the simplest of the three to fit around other plans. Queenstown welcomed 412,897 international visitors in 2024, which is a useful reminder that the busy months are genuinely busy and good slots go early.[15] If your trip lands in a peak period, book the jump before you book much else, then build the rest of the day around it.
Both the Kawarau Bridge Bungy and the Nevis Bungy listings offer reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, so you can hold a time without paying straight away.[5][6] The Kawarau tour runs 1 to 2.5 hours and the Nevis tour runs 4 hours.[5][6] Check availability to see starting times for the slot you want, and think about light: a jump early or late in the day gives softer light for photos and a quieter road out through the gorge.
Which Queenstown bungy should you book?
There is no single best bungy Queenstown offers. The right one depends on your day, your nerve and your budget, and the three sites answer three different questions. Kawarau Bridge is the pick for history and an easy half day: the world's first commercial bungy jump was launched there on 12 April 1988, the site is 43 metres above the water, and the tour starts from US$188.[1][5] The Nevis is the pick for height, at 134m, and for a proper day out in a canyon.[2] The Ledge is the pick if you want to stay in town, at 47m, and keep the schedule light.[2]
The Kawarau Bridge Bungy tour runs 1 to 2.5 hours, keeps groups to 6 participants and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[5] If you are travelling with people who would rather not jump, there are other options at the bridge: the Kawarau Zipride starts from US$29 and is a 130m zipline that reaches a highest speed of 60 km/h according to AJ Hackett's team.[16][17] Jet boating on the Shotover and Kawarau rivers starts from US$87, and Kawarau River rafting starts from US$193.[18][19] Build the jump into a bigger day and everyone gets something out of it.
Jump heights at the three Queenstown sites
Heights in metres for the AJ Hackett sites listed for the Queenstown area.[1][2]
From prices for Queenstown jumps
GetYourGuide from prices per person in US dollars.[5][6][10][20]
When to book your Queenstown bungy
How to choose your jump
Start with the height
Heights are listed as 43m at Kawarau Bridge, 47m at the Ledge and 134m at the Nevis.[1][2]
Check the drive time
The Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre is around a 25-minute drive (23 km) from Queenstown via State Highway 6.[3]
Know the rules
The minimum age to bungy jump at AJ Hackett is 10 years old, the minimum weight is 35kg and the maximum is 235kg.[4]
Match the tour length
The Kawarau Bridge tour runs 1 to 2.5 hours; the Nevis Bungy and Nevis Swing list 4 hours.[5][6][10]
Keep your booking flexible
Reserve now and pay later is offered, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[5]
Ready to jump from the Kawarau Bridge?
from US$189Reserve now & pay later
