Southern Skydivers

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Fueled by a mix of adrenaline and endorphins there are only a few moments of pure terror, from the moment you launch yourself from a perfectly good plane to the instant your body reaches terminal velocity – about 200 kph. Although even the most experienced skydiving instructors will question their sanity from time to time, everyone that’s taken the plunge has agreed it’s well worth the flight.

One of a human’s most common dreams is to fly and glide through the clouds over extraordinary landscapes. Skydiving, by nature, is against every instinct built into us – but the view from the other side is beyond remarkable and will make you catch your breath. Start ticking of the bucket list as we look into the world’s most magnificent skydiving locations.

An Exhilarating Snowy Ride from the Top of the World

Despite temperatures thousands of meters above ground being much colder, it’s not often you need to suit up in a full winter jacket with gloves and a hat (that will most probably fall off anyway) to go skydiving. Our number one location however, Mount Everest, Nepal – it’s probably ideal attire.

Very few people can say they have climbed Mt. Everest, and even fewer can say they have skydived from it. Whilst you almost need a winning lotto ticket to take the dizzying plunge (unless you have $25,000 – $35,000 lying around) it’s the most extreme way to fall from the sky. It’s not for the fainthearted though, included in the price is an insulated jumpsuit, an oxygen mask (the air is deadly thin at 29,000 ft) and the longest free-fall you can experience (as long as two minutes, you are on top of the world remember) – not to mention the breathtaking and super spectacular mountain views.

The King and Queen of Extreme Sports

It’s no secret that Australia and New Zealand are renowned for their extreme sports and to be perfectly honest, these locations are both pretty hard to beat. Queenstown, New Zealand squeezes it’s way in at number two – the self-proclaimed adventure capitol of the world – where you can (safely) soar through what’s known as ‘The Sky of Gods’, to the Maori. The alpine scenery will ensure you get a little taste of paradise and the stunning mountain backdrops will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie scene.

For those that want to whale watch from 14,000ft in the sky Busselton, Western Australia comes in at number three. Not only do you get the magnificent views of WA’s notorious crystal-clear turquoise coast, but you also get to plant your feet on the soft white beach when you land. When swimming isn’t enough and you want to “skydive the beach”, then skydiving Perth is most definitely for you.

Panoramic Mountain Scenery

On the odd chance your budget doesn’t allow for our first choice, souring over spectacular mountains is still a possibility with number four, Interlaken, Switzerland, one of the most popular skydiving locations in the world. Embedded between two Alpine lakes, the panoramic view of deep valleys and waterfalls combined with the icy-cold air and thrilling adventure ensures you’ll have your socks blown off. You can even indulge in Switzerland’s famous chocolate and cheese afterwards.

Juvenile Adventure

If skydiving with your 11-year old brother is something you’ve wanted to do, now’s a good time to consider our fifth location, Mauritius. This little island off the southeast coast of Africa will fling some dynamite views your way, with the only prerequisite that children under 12 have to suit up before leaving the ground. With no age limit, yes, that’s right – we hope the extra dollars ensure toddlers are strapped in tight for this paradise adventure.

If You Can’t Stand the Heat

Then location number six isn’t for you. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, is for the extreme thrill-seekers – when the average skydives just don’t cut it, jumping over the Avacha, an active volcano in the region, will surely do the trick. Whilst you won’t exactly be dodging lava, you’ll be landing right by the hot s prings to soothe you back to earth-bound reality.

Desert Mirage

Tousle your brain with a mixture of desert wildlife and caramel-coloured dunes for one of the most unique views you’re ever going to get. Number seven, Namibia, Africa is your first class desert jump filled with the odd delusions of pride rock (although you may just get to see other characters from ‘The Lion King’) to make an adrenalin oasis experience.

Surf the Sky

Take a bird’s eye view of the golden coastlines of a true paradise for our eighth pick, Oahu, Hawaii. Not only will you get the experience a thrilling voyage and see practically the entire island from the sky (including the famous Pearl Harbour), but you will also get to plant your ‘green’ footprint firmly in the ground. Most of the skydiving operations over there use energy efficient planes so if you’re an environmentally friendly being, you’ll get to reduce the carbon imprint by 40% when you jump – any excuse for a skydive right!?

The Europe Leap

If you’re looking for a captivating European leap then jump out of a plane from our tenth location in Seville, Spain. For the real action junkies, the highest altitude in Europe is where you will be dropped from – 15,000ft to be exact, lower risk-takers can opt for the 10,000ft if nerves get in the way.

Author: This article is written by Jayde Ferguson, who writes for Southern Skydivers, Perth’s best skydiving experiences with magnificent views of the WA coast.