Skydiving at Skydive Wanaka in Queenstown, New Zealand

Updated: July 2020

Located on the South Island of New Zealand, Queenstown draws adventure seekers from all over the world offering skiing, bungee jumping, jetboating, and pretty much any other extreme activity you could think of.

It’s basically a capital for adventure seekers. Are traveling or road tripping through New Zealand and looking to add a bit more *extremeness* to your trip?

Have you considered skydiving?

No trip to Queenstown is complete without casually jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet in the air…right? Though I was nervous, it was AWESOME, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to conquer their fears.

Wondering what it’s like to skydive in New Zealand? Here’s all you need to know!

What to Expect

They provided jumpsuits, hats, goggles, and gloves. But make sure to wear shoes that will stay on (as in no flip flops or bare feet!) In the winter, you’ll want to bundle up in layers (and not bulky clothes).

We sat through a short briefing and signed our lives away. We were immediately weighed, given jumpsuits, introduced to our tandem skydivers, and the next thing I knew I was stepping into a little plane.

(This seriously all happened within 15 minutes of arriving!)

I literally didn’t have a second to reconsider or even think about what I was doing. I know that sounds kind of scary, but these guys are pros and know what they’re doing!

Next up: Strap yourself to a beautiful stranger and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!

In the Plane

The engine on the plane started and my stomach sank. We were all silent, nervous, and blatantly scared. As we flew higher and higher, one of the tandem skydivers let us know we had reached 4,000 feet and they would be pulling the parachutes at that height.

That’s right — we still had 8,000 feet to climb (?!)

I was officially freaked out. The view of the land below from my window, while incredible, looked very, very, very small. I have no idea how long it took to reach 12,000 ft. It was all a blur now. I just stared out the window as the world below got farther away and nausea in my stomach got stronger.

I snapped out of my daze as soon as the door to the plane opened and the only way down was OUT. My buddy, Blaine, was the first to jump and all I remember is one second he was there, and the next he disappeared into the sky.

I was next.

The Jump

I could barely step to the edge. My tandem skydiver kept me moving forward towards the open door and the next thing I knew my legs were hanging out over the edge of the plane.

“What am I supposed to do again? I know he said something about head back, don’t grab anything…

YIKES.

1, 2, 3…

And just like that, I was plummeting towards the earth below at 200 kph! I fell for what felt like an eternity as we spun 360 degrees over Lake Wanaka and rolling green landscape below.

Eventually, the fear dissipated and I let the view of one of the most incredible and beautiful things I’ve ever seen sink in! The wind was freezing and we were falling so fast I could feel my face forming to the force of air against my skin.

All I knew was that I was smiling.

The parachute opened and we took a few spins on the way down. My friends landed and I came down shortly after them sliding in on my booty. We were all smiling ear to ear. It was such an amazing experience!

I would highly recommend the company I “dived” with. For more information check out Skydive Wanaka. 

Are you thinking about skydiving in New Zealand or have you already? I’d love to hear in the comments below!