Content of the article:
- What is bungee jumping
- History of bungee jumping
- Where to bungee jump in the Czech Republic
- Best bungee jumping abroad
- Bungee jumping and its derivative activities
- How bungee jumping works
- How to prepare for bungee jumping
- The cost of bungee jumping
- The safety and risks of bungee jumping
- Who is bungee jumping (un)suitable for?
- Bungee records
href="https://www.adrop.cz/en What is bungee jumping
Bungee, or bungy jumping, is an adrenaline-pumping activity in which you free-fall down from a height. Your life depends on an elastic rope tied behind your ankles or a full-body harness. Your body reacts to this situation with high levels of stress and by releasing more than a small dose of adrenaline. The main driver is overcoming yourself. Can you do it? If so, you're in for a whirlwind of endorphins and an ear-to-ear grin that won't come off until at least the evening.
You can jump alone or in tandem. This extreme sport is widespread virtually all over the world and is one of the most popular adrenaline sports ever, thanks to its safety and affordability.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enA brief history of bungee jumping
Native Legend
This extreme sport is certainly no modern invention. Look for its roots in the Vanuatu archipelago in the South Pacific. There, there is a legend in which a woman tried to escape from a husband who was not exactly loving and respectful to her. And she went about it in a fictional way. She climbed a tree, tied a liana to her ankles and threw herself to the ground. Her husband climbed up after her, didn't have time to catch her and jumped too. But he missed the liana part. So while the woman survived, the man was not so lucky.
The continuation of the legend is then not so clear-cut. While in one version the men started jumping to prove their courage, in the second version they jumped so that the women could no longer deceive them.
Some indigenous tribes have adopted these jumps as a test of maturity in which only boys participate. Other tribes use this to ensure a good harvest. This ritual was discovered by a National Geographic expedition in the 1950s and has attracted the attention of Western civilization. The first brave foreigner to attempt the leap was National Geographic reporter Kal Müller in 1970.
Modern History in the World and in the Czech Republic
The modern history of bungee jumping began in 1979 with an illegal jump from a 75-metre-high bridge in Bristol, England, by the Dangerous Sports Club. It ended well, they got off with just a fine. They then took the idea of jumping across the Atlantic and jumped off the Golden Gate and Royal George bridges, laying the foundation for bungee jumping in America.
In 1987, the first (and to this day the last) jump from the Eiffel Tower took place, which ended with the arrest of New Zealand jumper A. J. Hackett. Fortunately, this did not deter him, and after his release he launched New Zealand's first commercial bungee jumping operation.
The American and New Zealand systems are different. While America has double security and a longer free fall, New Zealand offers more comfortable jumping but also only single security. This is because the American method uses less flexible and longer ropes, which makes you freefall longer, but the braking is a bit harder. The New Zealand system has shorter and more flexible ropes, so you freefall for a shorter time, but you brake more gradually and comfortably.
And how was it for us? The history of bungee in the Czech Republic
Bungee jumping first came to the Czech Republic in 1993. The first jumps for the public took place on the Prague embankment, where jumping from a crane took place. As far as the system is concerned, a combination of both is used in our country.
In the beginning there were several companies offering bungee jumping, only two have managed to make it to the present. The biggest supplier of this adrenaline experience is Jiří Stolín and his Xtreme sports. Don't forget to read the interview with Jiri that we have on our blog.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWhere you can bungee jump in the Czech Republic
There are many places to bungee jump in the Czech Republic, from Harrachov to Prague to Chomutov. Each location offers a slightly different experience. So come and see what you can try first. Will you jump solo or in tandem with another daredevil?
Jump from the TV tower in Harrachov
Bungee from the 36-metre high TV tower in Harrachov, which rises 145 metres above the town, is often considered the first base for adrenaline enthusiasts. The Bungee in Harrachov is unique in that it is jumped all year round in all kinds of weather. And as a bonus, you can jump in a flip or on a snowboard.
Jump from the highest bridge in the Czech Republic in Chomutov
Want even more adrenaline? There is a 62-metre high bridge over the Hačka valley, which is also the highest bridge in the Czech Republic from which you can jump. If the numbers don't mean anything to you, imagine a 20-storey building instead of 62 metres. If you're feeling up to that height, be sure to book during the season, which is April through October for bungee jumping off the bridge.
Jumping off the Zvíkov Bridge
From May to September, you can also jump from another bridge, namely the Zvíkovský Bridge, located in the south of Bohemia. Before you jump, you can enjoy the magical landscape. Once you're flying upside down, you won't have much time to do it.
Jump from a crane from up to 110 metres in many places in the country
If you want to experience a really extreme adrenaline rush when bungee jumping from 110 metres, go to Brno, which is the only place in the Czech Republic where such an experience is possible. But you can also jump from 50 or 80 meters.
Bungee jumping from a crane also takes place in other cities. For example, Prague offers jumps from 80 and 50 meters, Plzeň, Ostrava and Olomouc offer jumps "only" from 50 meters. It will be an incredible experience in any case!
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enBest bungee jumping abroad
Are you so excited about bungee jumping that you want to try as many destinations as possible? Let's see where you can enjoy this adrenaline rush.
The world's highest bungee jump
If you're done for fear, you can't miss the highest commercial bungee jumping you'll find in China at the 233-metre high Macau Tower. However, it has currently been surpassed by jumps from the 260-metre-high Zhangjiajie platform, also in China.
