Auckland - city of bungees

TAKE THE PLUNGE: The Sky Tower jump in Auckland.

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Auckland and Sydney have a few touristy things in common, such as a fine harbour, a bridge you can climb and a sky-scraping tower offering spectacular city views.

Both Auckland’s 328m-high Sky Tower and the 270m Sydney Tower at Centrepoint offer breath-taking strolls around a walkway at the top. But Auckland trumps Sydney: it invites guests to jump off! And every month, hundreds make the 192m  ‘‘skyjump’’ - here in the land which gave the world bungee-jumping - with lots of them at the minimum age of 10 and going on through the generations to pensioners, the oldest of whom was a woman of 86.

Jumpers wear a ‘‘flying suit’’ and a full-body harness with three wires attached. They leap or step out into space, falling at up to 85kmh but then slowing right down over the last 10m to make a soft two-point landing on their feet in a circular target at the ground-level plaza. The trip takes just 11 seconds.

‘‘It’s terrifying but absolutely exhilarating,’’ a Skyjump spokesperson said.

‘‘Awesome - I can fly,’’ exulted Laura, a Canadian tourist.

Other comments recorded by the Skyjump operators: ‘‘Amazing, I’ll never forget it,’’ (Josh, Australia), ‘‘a rocking experience and a must-do’’ (Soumya, India) and ‘‘Fun - not as scary as I thought it would be’’ (Emily, UK).

It’s a bit like parachuting from a plane, but the wires remove any worries about the ’chute failing to open or about landing in the upper branches of a tree.

The Skyjump people say reassuringly: ‘‘There’s a very high perceived risk - but in fact a very low real risk.’’

A weight limit of 117kg is imposed, and people with heart problems should consult their doctor before skyjumping.

Loose-fitting footwear is unacceptable, jumpers are told, ‘‘because we don’t want to see your jandals flying over the city or hitting innocent pedestrians’’.

The Skyjump costs $195, for adults - that’s about $17.70 per second in the air. Student concession is $175 and for children aged from 10 to 15 it’s $145.

Skywalkers have a little more time than the jumpers to admire the city and harbour scenery in Auckland’s version of the Sydney Tower and other Australian skywalks.

Groups of six wire-tethered adventurers amble around a 1.2m-wide track with no handrails. The Skywalk weight limit is 130kg, wind conditions are closely monitored with a minimum of 45kg if winds are over 45kmh, and loose footwear is again a no-no along with items which may fall out of your pockets.

What happens if a walker freezes or freaks out?

‘‘Just sit back in your harness and a guide will wheel you back to safety.’’

Both Skyjump and Skywalk, in the Skytower at Federal and Victoria streets in the city, are open daily from 10am (except for Christmas Day), the former until 5.30pm and the latter until 4.30pm; both are subject to weather conditions.

Including safety briefings, the Skijump experience takes a total of about 30 minutes, and Skywalk, 75 minutes.

Skyway prices are $135 for adults, $115 student concession and $100 for children aged 10-15.Combine both Skyjump and SkyWalk experiences and the cost is $260 for everyone.

Details: Call 0800 759 586. Also visit www.skyjump.co.nz and www.skywalk.co.nz.

Auckland (‘‘the City of Sails‘‘) also offers a climb of the city’s harbour bridge, which is a smaller version of Sydney’s - but also has something else going for it.

You can throw yourself off this one as well - in an old-fashioned bungee jump with an ankle rope.

Opened in 1959 to link the city with North Shore suburbs, the eight-lane box-truss Auckland bridge is 1,020m long with a main span of 243.8m which is just over 43m above the sea at high tide.

Climbers are rewarded with fine views of the city and Waitamata harbour during their 90-minute walk on, around, up and over the top of the bridge.

Prices are $120 each for the climb and the bungee jump, with minimum ages of seven and 10 respectively and a minimum height of 1.20m

Details: Phone 0800 286 495 or visit www.aucklandbridgeclimb.co.nz and www.bungy.co.nz.

- AAP