Shotover Canyon Swing

Canyon swing website

I would have to say that Canyon Swing is one of the craziest and best things I have done whilst being in Queenstown. This is the highest cliff swing in the World, 109 meters high, 60 meters free fall and a 200 meter swing over the Shotover River. It is $199 for a single swing of your choice, $49 for a second jump and $20 for spectators.

Our group of seven met at the Canyon Swing office front on Shotover Street where we were introduced to our jumpmaster Chris. We were then weighed for safety reasons and while this happened Chis wrote something on our hand. Many other companies in Queenstown, like AJ Hackett Bungy, put numbers on your hand to represent which group you are with or which bungy cords need to be used. Canyon Swing, however, use the hand to draw funny little things that appear to have no meaning whatsoever. Chris only had to ask where I was from before he was writing ‘I ate six pies today’ … Stereotypical outlook on Australians. 

We boarded the Canyon Swing mini bus to drive out to the swing site about 20 minutes from Queenstown. On the way Chris was completely lighthearted and made us feel at ease about jumping towards the raging water below. We watched a short movie about the different types of swings we would be able to do and there was so many possibilities. Some of them included jumping off the platform forwards, backwards, upside down, in a chair, with a bin on your head or with various teddy bears and other items. Each had a name like the Elvis Cutaway, Gimp Boy Goes To Hollywood, Indian Rope Trick or the Jumpmasters Choice. It gave us our first look at how we might be creative in our jump.

Once the van was parked we were told that the last toilet stop would be the drop dunnies – go now or hold it in … I recommend holding it! We had a 300 meter walk down a dirt path to get to the platform and along the way we were challenged to find all the gnomes hiding along the way and to laugh at the funny path signage that really didn’t make much sense.

Our first job on arriving at the platform was to chant ‘backflip, backflip, backflip’ for Duchy, the new operations manager, he didn’t quite make it that far though. Chris went through a bit of safety information before we headed out to put harnesses on. Although the guys fitting us up were joking around they were also very through about our safety and making sure the harness was on properly. Each of us had our own little perks about our jump; one of us started off in the chair and ended up having to get out and walk away from the edge, another wouldn’t let go of the railing, one of us played a ukulele and one of us went off the edge with a bin strapped over his head while dancing to the Harlem Shake.

Me, I decided it would be cool to jump backwards and do as many backflips as possible. Standing on the edge I was a little bit apprehensive, what was I thinking? The human mind isn’t made to casually fall off a 109 meter cliff, yet there I was. Because I had chosen a jump which I had to commit to by myself I was very fortunate to have Chris as the jumpmaster and there to talk me through my craziness. I had to fall back a certain amount before I could push off and tuck up my feet. I listened carefully as I fell and Chris told me exactly when to push off and I managed four awesome flips before going a bit spastic at the bottom! This was the biggest burst of excitement and adrenalin and when they asked if anyone wanted to do it again I just had to. For my next jump I did the Gimp Boy Goes To Hollywood, they suspend you upside down and let you fall when you least expect it! In the process of freefalling I lost one of my shoes, which will now be at the bottom of the Shotover River. When I got back up Chris gave me the biggest hug and a shoe from their spare collection, which has skulls and crossbones on it.

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Inside the platform centre we collected our photo and video package (in which you can actually see me losing my shoe). Because it was only my teacher and I who attempted a second jump and because the operations team thought my jumps were epic, they gave me the second jump on the house! Definitely the coolest guys around  town. I would highly recommend the Canyon Swing for everyone, adrenalin junkies to those a bit unsure, everyone comes away feeling revived. The guys who run the operation might joke and be funny, but they are %100 focused on your safety and enjoyment, and on the way home you have the privilege of watching people who are so funny that they made it into the Oscar’s of Swings video, honestly the best laugh I’ve had in a long time!

This blog from the Road Folks will inspire anyone who wasn't inspired by my blog!!