Protest over bridge suspends bungee jumping in Nepal

Dec 22, 2010, 13:23 GMT

Kathmandu - Bungee jumping, a major tourist attraction in Nepal, was suspended Wednesday when protesting locals shut down the bridge that is the sport's springboard.

The adventure sports operator The Last Resort said locals claimed ownership over the suspension bridge over the Bhotekoshi River after the contract between residents and the company to operate the service for 10 years expired.

The locals said the bridge is now under their ownership and The Last Resort should pay them for using it.

Tourists dive from the bridge into a narrow gorge from a height of 160 metres while attached to an elastic cord. Operators said it is one of the longest free-fall bungee dives in the world.

The Last Resort has been operating under the joint management of New Zealand and Nepalese entrepreneurs for the past decade. It operates close the Chinese border, 100 kilometres east of Kathmandu and charges 85 dollars per jump.

The Last Resort said more than 14,000 visitors have jumped with it and it receives about 40 tourists daily.

Read more about Nepal Tourism