Action in Paradise

New Zealand is known as the place to go for extreme sport and adventure. So it is not surprising that three new adventure activities have been created.

New Zealand has a reputation for being not only clean and green, but also extreme. Called ‘natures playground’ by many, its diverse landscape of rivers, mountains and beaches provide a dramatic backdrop to all forms of adventure activities.

In the 1980s, Kiwi A J Hackett established New Zealand as the home of extreme adventure tourism with the development of the Bungy Jump. This activity, based on a ancient ritual performed by the people of Vanuatu, allowed people to jump off bridges to rivers below without physical damage – the ultimate adrenalin rush. Hackett established bungy jumping sites off high bridges throughout New Zealand and the world.

But if you’ve been there, done that and got the T-shirt, then check out some other ‘white knuckle’ activities created by innovative New Zealanders.

Sky Jump at Auckland Sky Tower

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to jump from one of the world’s highest buildings, then this is the place for you. The Sky Tower at Auckland has recently opened a new activity – the sky jump. It is 192 meters from the top of the tower to the ground. Anyone willing (wearing a full body harness that is clipped to a specially designed cable) can play like superman and plummet toward the sidewalk below at speeds of 60 km/hour. Fan decelerators similar to those used for major movie stunts will ensure that as ‘superman’ (or superwoman) nears the ground, the speed is reduced so that a safe landing occurs.

Fly By Wire

If you’ve ever wanted to fly a fighter plane, this activity might fit the bill, sort of a real live fight simulator.

Located in the North Island at Paekakariki (near Wellington) and in the South Island at Queenstown, this ride is the world’s fastest land based adventure flight. Within seconds you can go from 3 G to weightlessness in the matter of seconds (for those who don’t talk pilot lingo, that means ‘you go fast’.)

The brainchild of Kiwi Neil Harper, this ‘part rocket, part plane’ is like a giant tethered aircraft. Located in a valley, the aircraft is suspended by a heavy-duty cable to a series of high-tension cables attached to large concrete blocks. The pilot is strapped face down into the open cockpit and then hauled back until the nose is pointing down toward the ground. On release, you are in control, using the handlebars and fully instrumented dashboard to steer the plane powered by a 60-horsepower engine.

The plane will fly anywhere below the cables, allowing you to do hairpin turns, buzz the ground and skim the treetops. A real ‘Top Gun’ experience.

Zorb

Located in the North Island at Paihia (Bay of Islands) and Rotorua.

This is another uniquely New Zealand invention suited to those who prefer staying closer to the ground Imagine a giant beach ball that you can crawl inside off and you have the Zorb. Climb inside, roll down a hill at speeds of 50 km/hour and you can call yourself a ‘zorbonaut’.

The creation of two New Zealanders (Andrew Ayers and Dwaine van der Sluis), the Zorb is a 3 meter clear PVC sphere inflated with 13 cubic meters of air. An entrance tunnel leads to an inner sphere (where the Zorbonaut is harnessed in) is stabilized by 1000 internal ties. This, by the way, is not for the claustrophobic.

Once strapped inside the inner sphere of the Zorb, you have no control of speed or direction. The Zorb is pushed off the platform at the top of the hill and you start spinning as you head down the slope. It’s quite a unique feeling, going head over heels, watching an ever-moving horizon. Disorientating really and very, very strange.

So if you’re looking for some extreme fun whilst traveling in New Zealand, you have plenty to choose from.