The Highest Bungee Jump in Costa Rica
Stepping out onto the platform the sounds of the world becomes muffled: From the gurgling of the river below to the Bob Marley song playing, to the spinning wheels of bicycles as kids gather to watch. My senses freeze. Looking straight ahead, not down, the tops of trees stir in the wind. Somewhere, far off, I hear a countdown. Curling my toes around the edge, I wait for the signal and leap into the air.
read more closeCue the Wilhelm scream. Everything moves in fast forward. Bounce. I'm looking at trees. Bounce. Now, my feet. Bounce. Now, the river rapids.
And then, it's over, I'm back on top of the bridge; Hands shaking, head spinning and heart pounding. But hey, that was just my experience.
The Spot
Located an hour outside San Jose, Tropical Bungee's got the oldest and the highest bungee jump in Costa Rica. Roughly 260 feet high, the jump platform is built into the side of the Old Colorado River Bridge. The Bridge, constructed in 1924, used to be one of the main routes across Costa Rica. These days though, it doesn't see much traffic making it an ideal location for Tropical Bungee to build their platforms. To date, they have recorded more than 50,000 jumps.
The Safety
In operation for more than 20 years, Tropical Bungee is certified by the North American Bungee Association and takes extra precautions to ensure the safety of its guests including frequently replacing the bungee cords, adding extra safety webbing on each cord and staffing 2 jumpmasters for every tour.
The jumpmasters for my tour group were experienced, relaxed and made a positive atmosphere. They ensured us everything has a backup and gave comprehensive directions, which came in handy when I was hanging upside down buckling a carabineer to my harness so that I could be pulled back up.
The Skinny
It's $75 dollars for the first jump, $45 for the second. Prices include a t-shirt and video. They run tours twice a day, 8am and 1pm, and will even do night jumps. Transportation is free and they'll pick you up from San Jose, which makes it an excellent start to a journey through Costa Rica. There's an old Taoist proverb that says "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Well, sometimes that step…is off a bridge. At least that's how the jumpmasters at Tropical Bungee see it.
