Bungee Jumping Over River Nile
A couple of months back, I took a trip out of Rwanda and visited one of the finest destinations in EastAfrica. Jinja, a city in eastern Uganda is known for several tourist attractions, one of these being the Source of River Nile which is historically considered the longest river in the world. There are several activities and attractions along the Nile, one of these being Bungee Jumping at Bungee Uganda
For those hearing this for the first time, Bungee jumping is an exhilarating adventure sport of jumping off a very high bridge or similar structure. This is done with an elastic rope tied to your legs. The purpose of the rope is not just to hold you, but to pull you back before you hit the ground or water in this case.
Bungee jumping at Bungee Uganda involves jumping from a tower 44 meters high with a special cord connected to two tied legs or body. Everyone can choose from two types of jumps: the full-body harness or the ankle harness.
Full-body harness is where each jumper wears two independent harnesses. A seat harness supports the waist, thighs and buttocks while a chest harness supports the chest, back and shoulders. The bungee cords are attached to your harness at the stomach.
Ankle harness is where two independent ankle harnesses securely attach both ankles. The ankle harness is also attached to the waist harness. Therefore ankle jumps actually include three separate harnesses. The bungee cords are attached to your harness at the ankles and you will be hanging upside down from your feet ultimately.
What to Consider
Bungee Uganda particularly follows a procedure that starts with registration. All participants gather at the reception to register and make payment. The rates (pricing) vary depending on nationality and citizens. Participants are also required to sign the waiver or consent form. and the participants are called to get briefings in small groups. Bungee jumping in Jinja doesn’t require any special training or experience, but a couple of things must be considered in the preparation. This includes ;
- Age; You should be 13 and above
- Weight; The minimum weight is 35 kg while the maximum is
145/150 kg. - Health; You should not have high blood pressure and heart problems
or any related problems. This means you should consider taking a
full body check-up in your preparations for going for this activity. - Pregnancy; Women, you should not be pregnant, it is absolutely
against the rules plus, you don’t want to put yourself in trouble. - Time; Bungee jumping in Jinja starts at 9am and ends at 5pm.
- What to wear; Shorts, trousers and leggings are the best. Sunscreen is
essential as well for sun protection and you shouldn’t take anything
else on you, for example, a watch, necklace or glasses. Chances are you
will leave it in the river Nile.
Safety
Bungee Jumping on the River Nile? Is it safe? Absolutely!
Bungee jumping in Jinja is a very safe sort and no accident has ever occurred since the activity was introduced more than 10 years ago. The team has put in place safety procedures to ensure that the activity is as fun as possible.
The company follows New Zealand/Australian standards and the bungee jumping equipment used are comparable with the best elsewhere in the world. The jumping cords are made with high-quality latex rubber and every piece of equipment is tested thoroughly before use and records are always kept to ensure that they are within their working lifetime.
The Jump!
Bungee jumping is intimidating but it is worth the dare. The crew will advise you to avoid looking down. They will count 1,2,3 Bungee… Here is the scariest moment but again the best memory you will ever have is ahead of you, the last thing you can do is overthink it. You will have to relax, stretch your arms out, bend your knees and jump into nothingness. Enjoy the sensation of the free fall. It will last for a few seconds and the rope will be fully stretched and the elastic will recoil bringing you back slightly while you swing momentarily at the end of the rope. You are then lowered down to the boat where the guides are waiting for you and as you are laid in the boat, they let you relax and untie you, when you are ready; they take you out of the water and you walk your way up to the restaurant and there you can
take a drink, have your meal and pat yourself on the back for doing such a great adventure.
Bungee Uganda has a photographer who takes your pictures and helps you keep the memory. These, however, come at a cost. For the memories, it is a worthy investment.
Having done mine on 21 st May 2022, it is still the most adventurous and daring activity I have ever done. I still see the pictures and smile, I could do it again.
I hope reading this has not only inspired you1 but given you most of the information you need, if not all, to start planning that Bungee Jumping trip. The things you are scared of are usually the most worthwhile.
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