Extreme sports in Rotorua, NZ

White-water rafting, freefall, bungy and zorbing in New Zealand

Feb 17, 2007

Whether it's the rapids and Tutea Falls on the Kaituna River, rubber balls at the Agrodome or a skydive simulator, there's an adrenalin rush for everyone.

Whitewater rafting

If you want to get seriously wet, then the Kaituna River is the place to fall into. It’s amongst the best places in the world for whitewater rafting, and includes the fearsomely nasty Tutea Falls. This 7m drop is allegedly the highest commercially rafted drop in the world, and there is a rather high chance of the raft capsizing, and you having to flounder for dear life in the raging foam until you surface again.

Kaitiaki Adventures (www.kaitiaki.co.nz/ +64 7 357 2236) do a package that gets you a rafting trip down the Kaituna.

Zorbing

This is possibly the most bizarre adventure activity we’ve ever come across, and it seems like it belongs in some kind of fetish club. Dubbed ‘the ultimate spherical challenge’, it basically entails you standing in a massive ball and getting thrown down a hill. There are two choices – a 150m straight route, for the more conservative of you, and a 180m zig-zag one, which is definitely for the more sadistic. Expect several blood rushes to the head. It takes place at the Agrodome. See www.zorb.co.nz or call +64 7357 5100 for more information.

Bungy jumping

Throwing yourself from a steep height and risking life and limb may not appeal to you, especially if you’ve already done it on some tacky beach resort in Greece or Cyprus. But things are different in Rotorua. Located amongst the pristine water of the Ngongotaha stream, this 43 metre jump gives you some of the breathtaking views in New Zealand, with farms, forests, the dormant Mt Ngongotaha, Paradise Valley and Lake Rotorua in your face. You can jump on your own or with someone else. See www.rotoruabungy.co.nz for more information.

Freefall Extreme

If you ever fancied jumping out of a plane but were too scared to do it, fear not – the Freefall Extreme may be right up your alley. Reportedly the only freefall skydive simulator in the Southern Hemisphere, the Agrodome’s FE lifts you 3m into the air using a 180kph wind tunnel and allows you pull all sorts of stupid faces, while waving your arms around like a demented child. You can also get pictures taken and if they’re done at the right angle, you’ll even be able to con your friends and family that you had the bottle to do the real thing. Perfect, hey? See www.freefallxtreme.com or call +64 7 357 5856 for further details.

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