How does the idea of hurtling towards the mountains, lakes, and alpines from a crazy height of 19000 feet sound to you? Crazy, right? But it’s fun to be crazy sometimes. And that is exactly why you must try skydiving in New Zealand – the country better known as the ‘adventure capital of the world’.
A must do on your New Zealand trip, skydiving is an extreme adventure in which you skyrocket towards the ground at a speed of more than 140 mph. New Zealand, known for vast glacial and volcanic mountain ranges is the perfect place to try it. Prepare yourself to take the leap of a lifetime with this guide to skydiving in New Zealand, which takes you through the different types of skydiving, tips for skydiving in NZ and top 11 places to try skydiving in New Zealand!
Best Time To Visit New Zealand
Skydiving is quite popular all around the world nowadays. The most important thing that you should be aware of before leaving for your vacation is the best time for skydiving in New Zealand. The best time for visting New Zealand is either in the winter season or in the summer season. Deember and January are the best months for skydiving in New Zealand.
Types Of Skydiving In New Zealand
Before we go deeper into New Zealand’s best skydiving destinations and other details, here is a look at three different types of skydiving that you can try in New Zealand.
1. Tandem Skydiving
Suitable for beginners, Tandem skydiving requires you to wear the instructor like a backpack. You are closely harnessed to the instructor, while he maneuvers you during the entire session – from jumping off the plane to pulling the ripcord to open the parachute. The entire session takes almost half a day.
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2. Static Line Skydiving
Suitable for amateurs, Static Line Skydiving involves a static line that holds you attached to the aircraft. This line is responsible for the deployment of the main canopy as you close into the ground. The diver gets to experience a very short free fall before the main parachute opens and comes into play.
Static Line Skydiving should be opted if you want to go for a solo jump on the first day of your skydiving session. A 4-5 hour of ground training is required for it and the entire session spans for one full day.
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3. Accelerated Freefall Skydiving
Suggested only for pros, Accelerated Freefall is where you jump off the plane accompanied by two instructors. They maintain a firm grip on the harness and at the same time ensure your stability by instructing with hand signals mid-air. After a 50-second freefall, as you near 5500 feet, you are required to pull the ripcord. Another instructor on the ground watches you over and ensures a safe landing by guiding you over the radio mounted on the helmet.
This one is some serious adventure!
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Top 11 Spots For Skydiving In New Zealand
Here is the list of the best destinations and famous skydiving organizers in New Zealand. Keep scrolling down and read along!
1. Abel Tasman – Look No Further
Known for scintillating beaches, granite cliffs, and picturesque islands, Abel Tasman National Park located in Central Motueka is the perfect place to go skydiving in New Zealand. While you float in the air, soak in the glorious spectacle of the turquoise ocean and vast mountain ranges of the park.
Charges: $ 249 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Abel Tasman
Address: Hangar One, 16 College Street Motueka Airport, Motueka, New Zealand
For more details click here
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2. Auckland – On Your Mark! Get Set! Go!
Choose Auckland to go skydiving in New Zealand to live the thrill of a freefall from 16000 plus feet. When you shoot towards the ground in excess of 200 kmph, the experience is unforgettable, incredible, and completely unexpected. The grand spectacle of fluffy white clouds painted on the seamless ocean is a treat to the soul.
Charges: $ 295 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Auckland
Address: Parakai Airfield, Auckland, New Zealand
For more details click here
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3. Bay of Islands – Hold On, That’s 144 Islands In Front Of You!
Skydiving in Bay of Islands – one of the best places for New Zealand skydiving – is a cherished dream for adventure fanatics across the globe. Here, you experience Tandem Skydiving from a height of 16500 feet, the highest recorded jump in Northlands. At the same time, behold the breathtaking view of 144 islands located in the Bay.
Charges: $ 299 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Bay of Islands
Address: 182 Wiroa Road, Kerikeri 0475, New Zealand
For more details click here
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4. Fox Glacier – Hey! It’s The Backdrop!
Known as the most exciting place to skydive in New Zealand, Fox Glacier is all decked up with the magical view of Westland National Park, Southern Alps Glacier – the highest snow fields, blue ocean, and sprawling rainforest around. The journey from tightening up the harness to taking the leap to living the fall – skydiving in this part of the country is mesmerizing.
Charges: $ 249 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Fox Glacier
Address: 1 Cook Flat Road, Fox Glacier, New Zealand
For more details click here
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5. Franz Josef – Altimeter Says 19000 Feet, I Say Can You!
At 19000 feet Franz Josef is New Zealand’s highest skydive. It is also believed to be one of the most scenic skydives in the world! Here, you soar high above the Franz Josef Glacier sipping in every bit of the surreal view made up of the ocean, river, and New Zealand’s highest mountains.
Franz Josef Skydive happens to be the most popular and highly recommended skydiving zone in the island country. Now that’s some serious fun because nobody jumps higher than this!
Charges: $ 319 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Franz
Address: 20 Main Road, Franz Josef Glacier 7886, New Zealand
For more details click here
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6. Glenorchy – Nothing Beats This Natural High
Dive into the ‘gateway to paradise’, that’s what people fondly call the small alpine village of Glenorchy! Surrounded by forests and imposing mountains, the dropzone in Glenorchy leaves everyone drooling over the thought of making a smooth landing over it, capturing every bit of the view as it comes.
A skydiving session in Glenorchy – the ‘center of the earth’ presents breathtaking movie settings as shown in Hollywood movies like The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings. You are certainly in for the treat of a lifetime!
Charges: $ 335 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Paradise
Address: Glenorchy Airfield, Glenorchy, New Zealand
For more details click here
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7. Queenstown – Wanna Do A Space Bound Rocket Ship? Try This!
Known as the birthplace of Tandem Skydiving in New Zealand, Queensland is the one of the most sought after places to go skydiving in New Zealand. From an altitude of 15000 feet, you get to treat your eyes to the incredible views of snow-capped mountains and beautiful landscapes, while flying like a bird. Skydiving in Queenstown is the most exciting extreme adventure to do in New Zealand.
Charges: $ 299 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Nzone Skydive
Address: Shotover Street, Queenstown, New Zealand
For more details click here
8. Rotorua – How About Some Adrenaline Shots!
One of the best places for skydiving in New Zealand, Rotorua is one heck of a destination where you can embrace the wilderness and don’t bat an eyelid despite rocketing towards the ground. In the picturesque environs of Rotorua that boast of infinite trails, natural geyser, and valleys, skydiving is one of the most insane things to do in New Zealand and Australia. Look no further because the earth is indeed a heaven once you look down from 15000 feet. The sea of blue, green, and brown awaits you.
Charges: $ 360 NZD per person onwards (available in combo with rafting and zydro)
Service provider: Rotorua Combos
Address: 1103 Hinemoa Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
For more details click here
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9. Taupo – One Heck Of An Experience
Matching the size of Singapore, Lake Taupo is another of the popular New Zealand Skydiving destinations. Surrounded by picturesque peaks of Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe, lake Taupo is a unique place to cut loose your fear and embrace your fantasy. Take up the Tandem jump as you hurl over the colossal lake and mountain peaks in the backdrop.
Charges: $ 478 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Taupo
Address: Anzac Memorial Drive, Taupo Airport, Taupo, New Zealand
For more details click here
10. Lake Wanaka – Beauty That Will Blow Off Your Mind
Lake Wanaka justifies every reason why most of the skydivers have named it as the most gripping skydiving destination in New Zealand. The panoramic view of Aspiring National Park rainforest, Lake Wanaka, Mt. Cook and never ending stretch of forest land do justice to this spectacular place for skydiving in New Zealand.
Charges: $ 339 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Wanaka
Address: Lake Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand
For more details click here
11. Tauranga: Enjoy Freefalling Back!
Get ready to enjoy the magnificent view of places like the Coromandel Peninsula, East Cape, Mt Ruapehu and Bay of Plenty on your flight journey towards Tauranga. One of the best spots for Skydiving in New Zealand, Tauranga will surely satiate all the adventure junkies. You can try tandem skydiving at Tauranga and get yourself recorded for cherishing this achievement in the future.
Charges: $ 325 NZD per person onwards
Service provider: Skydive Tauranga
Address: 2 Kittyhawk Way, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, 3116, New Zealand
Tips For Skydiving In New Zealand
Exciting as it looks, one has to be utterly cautious while skydiving in New Zealand or any other destination for that matter. It is important to pay attention in your training sessions and make a note of important things such as:
- Wear loose clothes with sturdy and fully attached shoes, avoid flip-flops
- Don’t carry any valuables with you
- Make sure you are wearing sturdy goggles
- Double check the harness that you are wearing
- Keep a track of your health conditions and consult your doctor for any heart-related issue. Let your doctor tell you if you can handle this or not
- Take deep breaths, it relaxes your body and mind
- Adhering to the weight limit is very important because being overwieght can take a toll on the parachute bearing your weight. Weight limit – 225 pounds for tandems, and 220 pounds for accelerated free fall
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Want to know what it’s like to conquer all your stratosfear, troposfear, and exosfear in the atmosphere? If yes then get packed and leave for a fun vacation in New Zealand. Don’t forget to add skydiving in New Zealand on your must-dos list!
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A perpetual nature seeker, Amit is on a mission to explore the best of planet Earth. Much famed as the Whistling Hound, Amit’s is currently based out of Wroclaw in Poland, and is experiencing the best of his life in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
