At 216m, Bloukrans Bridge is the highest commercial bridge bungee in the world. It’s a place where likeminded crazies, adrenaline junkies, and timid yes-men gather together to face what is an incredibly unnatural and senseless activity. There’s no feeling quite like jumping off a bridge and hoping for 5 terrifying seconds of freefall that the bungee cord doesn’t break. But it’s one that results in a full body glow from the inside out, a permanent wide-mouthed smile, and a memory that can never adequately be explained, just experienced.

After a few days of indecision, we were suddenly at Bloukrans; my finger shakily typing my pin into the card machine. There was no backing out now. Not unless I wanted to lose R850 (there’s no refund if you chicken out). We were weighed, fitted with harnesses, and then timidly followed an instructor for a short briefing.

The narrow walkway to the bridge is made of wire, with a view all the way into the valley below. While this was the scariest part for other jumpers, I just found the view of the river mouth beautiful and I was grateful for the time to collect my thoughts. Despite the tangible fear hanging in the air, there was a sense of solidarity among the group.

The girl in front of me exploded in a flurry of tears as she reached the edge. After 5 painful minutes of shrieking that she didn’t want to jump anymore, she finally took the plunge. Her fear magically eradicated mine. I stepped nervously over the yellow line and tried to clear my mind as an instructor fitted my feet into ankle braces and clipped up my harness. He reassured me that the bungee jump is 100% safe. All I had to do was smile at the camera and have fun. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and edged gingerly towards to the verge. My toes curled over the edge as I peeked at the drop. After a shaky smile at the camera above me, I dove off the bridge like a swan.

My mind went blank. I felt an incredible sense of peace. Then suddenly, the air rushed past me, through my ears and mouth, drying up all of my saliva. I had forgotten to scream. Time stood still for those chilling 5 seconds of freefall. I felt a mixture of fear and exhilaration. My body no longer belonged to me.

After what seemed like forever, the bungee caught and I was treated to an incredible view of the Bloukrans River. Hanging upside down was terrifying. It felt as though my feet were slowly slipping out of the ankle brace.

Being pulled upside down, up towards the bridge was not enjoyable and I was relieved when the instructor met me halfway. I clung to him like a hopeless barnacle until he convinced me to let go so that he could spin me right-side up. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of accomplishment when it sunk in that I’d done it. And survived. It felt like the whole experience lasted a lifetime, yet was over in a second.

Whose idea was it to jump off a bridge with a rope attached to your feet anyway? Well whoever you are, I applaud you.

Did you know?

• Bloukrans has a 100% safety record.
• Out of every 10 people that go up, 2 don’t jump.
• Celebrities like Prince Harry, Jack Osbourne, Thabo Mbeki, the Zuma family, and Bobby Skinstad have done the Bloukrans bungee.
• Bloukrans has been part of 3 world records. Mohr Keet was the oldest man to bungee jump, at the brave age of 96. Veronica Dean performed 19 bungee jumps in one hour. Scott Huntley performed 107 jumps in 24 hours.

Tips

• Phone ahead to book.
• There’s absolutely NO pain involved when the bungee catches you.
• Bring someone for emotional support.
• You can wear anything, but I’d recommend long pants, closed shoes, and a warm top as it can get cold on the bridge. You can leave open shoes, warm tops, and scarves on the bridge when you jump.
• Watch the horizon and don’t look down. Dive like a swan and try not to close your eyes.
• For safety reasons, each bungee cord is used for 100 jumps. You can purchase a piece of it for R40 as a tip for the instructors.
• Photos are not permitted, but professional photos and a video of your jump are available. These are shown on the shop screen even if you don’t buy them. Pick up your free certificate to say you’ve jumped.
• Bring binoculars to watch from the viewpoint
• The Cliffhanger Restaurant is a place to rest pre and post-jump jitters. A large screen shows live footage of the jumpers. There are clean bathrooms, plenty of parking, and informal stalls with African curios on-site.

Bungee jumping with Face Adrenalin

• Times: 09:00 – 17:00 daily
• Contact: +27 (0)42 281 1458 (booking office) and +27 (0)71 248 5959 (Bloukrans) or [email protected]
• Cost: R850 for bungee, R100 for bridge walk, R200 for photos, R300 for video, R400 for photos and video.

10% OFF BUNGEE OR FREE BRIDGE WALK with Tranquillity B&B

Tranquillity B&B is hidden in the heart of Nature’s Valley, surrounded by beaches and indigenous forest. They offer their guests 10% off a bungee jump or a free walk on Bloukrans Bridge for those who want to watch family and friends bungee jump. Find accommodation near Bloukrans Bungee.

Share your experience – you get bragging rights for this one! Have you jumped off Bloukrans Bridge?