Skydiving Wanaka; My Experience Sky Diving New Zealand!

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Skydiving Wanaka; My Experience Sky Diving New Zealand

Bucket list time folks! I’m actually pretty scared of heights, truth be told. I once bungee jumped in Victoria Falls on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border, and that was terrifying enough. So the thought of Skydiving Wanaka in New Zealand was almost too much! Bu then again Sky diving New Zealand is kind of almost expected of you when you make it to this part of the world. So it was time to do my part! Anyway, I did it, and it was pretty epic. You can check my video below (ignore my screams!).

Anyway, my blog post should tell you everything you need to know about Sky Diving in Wanaka, and sky diving in New Zealand in general. Also, whether it’s better to go skydiving in Queenstown or Wanaka (Wanaka!). Check it out:

TOP-TIP: Can’t be bothered to read all about my experience? You can book it skydiving Wanaka online, reserve your place, and save money HERE!

NOTE: You can see the SKYDIVING WANAKA video WITH AUDIO HERE. The youtube video below won’t allow the songs. Boooo.

Where can you go skydiving in New Zealand?

Actually, all over. Skydiving New Zealand is pretty epic, so there are lots of places that offer it. From the tip of the North Island, all the way to the bottom of the South Island.

The most popular (and best) places to go Sky Diving in New Zealand are:

Wanaka
Queenstown
Fox Glacier/Franz Josef
Abel Tasman
Auckland
Bay of Islands
Glenorchy
Rotorua
Taupo
Tauranga

Should you go Sky Diving in Queenstown or Wanaka?

The best place to go skydiving in New Zealand is Wanaka. Then, next up, is Fox Glacier or Franz Josef. Queens Town comes in third. But, many people find themselves in Queenstown and ask which is better, there or Wanaka. Wanaka is better. Why? The views are more beautiful, there is less rain. And less skydivers are called off due to the weather. Also, you can day-trip from Queenstown to Wanaka to skydive, and back again. That’s what I did, and I’d recommend to anyone.

How much does it cost to go Skydiving in Wanaka?

From $200 to $450USD depending where you book! If you book online, it’s cheaper ($195 HERE WITH THESE GUYS to skydiving Wanaka!).

Do you need any experience to go Skydiving in New Zealand?

Nope. Like all skydiving experiences, you just show up! There is rarely an age limit either, and the weight limits are 30kgs to 100kgs which accommodates almost everyone. My mum even skydived for her 65th birthday!

Can I skydive solo in Wanaka? Or Do I have to do tandem (strapped to someone)?

Unless you have your skydiving qualifications, no. You must be strapped to an expert. If you want to skydive solo, you must take some courses first. They take longer than a day or 2, so if you’re not already qualified, you don’t have time to learn instantly!

Do I need to book in advance if I want to skydive in Wanaka?

The weather often makes skydiving New Zealand a little tricky! New Zealand is famous for its ‘4 seasons in a day’ type of weather. That’s why choosing skydiving Wanaka is best. They have the least of all cancellations. Do you need to book in advance? It’s much better to do so, especially if the weather has been bad and other people are waiting and waiting.

Book online with these guys to reserve your spot, that’s who I used.

Skydiving New Zealand; My personal experience Skydiving Wanaka

I was backpacking around New Zealand quite happily until it all got a little scary! Step forward Anthony ‘peer pressure’ Middleton from Man Vs Clock and I find myself either facing the prospect of my manliness being called into question (never gonna happen) or being stuck in a plane 15,000 feet in the air with door wide open and a parachute strapped to my back. Living up to the testosterone0filled stereotype, I couldn’t back down so up we went.

We were in Wanaka, New Zealand which is one of the most beautiful spots in the whole country. And one of the most beautiful spots in the world to Sky Dive. On a clear day, you can see New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Cook, as you’re free-falling. Snow-capped mountains all around you. Lake Wanaka staring right back up. It’s really something. This is why skydiving Wanaka is the best option of all the skydiving in New Zealand.

The second time is better

We signed up online, and when our turn came, we went to the office to register. Upon seeing me turn (and remain) ghostly white from entering the office at Sky Dive Wanaka, the girl asked me had I ever skydived before. I had actually when I lived in Sydney, on my working holiday visa for Australia. And it was so scary! She then told me that people’s second skydive was always the most enjoyable. Hmmm, let’s see about that!

First, we went through the safety routines. Then in what seemed like minutes we were in the bloody plane on the way up. How did it go so fast?! The instructor took great fun in cracking jokes and me trembling like a 5-year-old girl on the way to her first day at school. Soon we were at 15,000 feet. We had organised a co-jumper to video the whole thing (video above) and a guy to photograph the event. So I was supposed to put on a brave face, but to be honest, as soon as we reached 15,000 feet the fear genuinely disappeared. Either that, or I was resigned to my fate. Or perhaps the girl from the counter was right. The second time around is better.

Watch the video!

Finally, I was excited. For the first time since signing up. Loving it, ready to jump I actually asked to go first. When we left the plane, it was ecstasy. Free-falling for almost one minute, looking at gorgeous New Zealand. I had one of those travel moments-of-appreciation. Appreciating New Zealand, appreciating travel, appreciating my lifestyle. You know one of those moments when everything comes together, and you know you’re on the right path? Well, this was it for me.

The parachute opened soon after and I got to soak up the vistas for another couple of minutes. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins so I had this strange clash of peace and excitement, pretty cool. I landed and wanted to go straight back up. My fear of skydiving has officially gone, I’m ready to go again.

If you want the version with audio (much better, you can truly gauge my fear there!), it’s on my facebook fan page video section here. If you want the party-pooper youtube version with no audio, it’s at the top.

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