Adventure experiences

Skydiving in South Africa

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If you're a skydiver, you know all about adrenaline addiction and the pull of gravity – so don't miss out on the chance of a quick jump while you're on holiday in South Africa!

The country has skydiving clubs in all the major centres, as well as some of the smaller ones, such as Grahamstown and Pietermaritzburg.

Pretoria Skydiving Club, the biggest club in South Africa, is your best bet if you're inland and want to get involved in some big RW. They fly two Pilatus Porters, so 20-way formations are a real possibility.

Paragliding

If you're into paragliding or hang gliding, the sky's the limit in South Africa!

If you've never skydived, consider doing your first jump in South Africa. With our favourable exchange rate, you'll find it a lot cheaper than in other countries. You can choose between a standard static line jump or a tandem jump, where you are tied to an instructor who makes the decisions for you.

If you think you might get serious about skydiving, you could do an accelerated free-fall course while you're in South Africa and save a bit of money, as it is the most expensive part of a skydiving career.

Besides the cash value, many of South Africa's drop zones offer stunning aerial scenery. Even if it's your first jump, and you think you'll have your eyes closed the whole time – don't worry, you'll see the view!

Skydive Cape Town can take you to a drop zone that boasts one of the best views from altitude anywhere in the world. And, hey, here's a bonus: do a tandem (or single) jump in Cape Town and get a pic of yourself hurtling earthwards in front of Table Mountain. That won't look bad on your desk (or desktop) back to the office!

SOUTH AFRICAN SKYDIVING CLUBS

SOUTH AFRICAN SKYDIVING OPERATORS

Adventure Skydives operates about an hour from Johannesburg and offers courses - including tandem, accelerated free fall, and static lines - displays, team building, and stunts.

African Skies operates out of Cape Town and offers numerous packages aimed at the overseas visitor. The Skydiving Safari includes visits to drop zones in Cape Town, Citrusdal, Mosselbay, Plettenberg Bay, Grahamstown and Pietermaritzburg. There are courses for beginners and advanced skydivers, as well as tandem jumps.

Cape Extreme offers tandem jumps which include breaktaking views of Cape Town and the surrounding coastal areas. The drop zone is a 20-minute drive from Cape Town.

Downhill Adventures offers tandem skydiving in Cape Town. The jumps present the opportunity to take in many of the city's best known sites, as well as those surrounding it.

EP Skydivers operate out of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. They offer static line and accelerated free fall courses for first-timers, as well as tendem jumps. You will find a bar, tuck shop and braai facilities at the drop zone, as well as accommodation. And if the weather is too bad to jump, a special arrangement with the local paintball field means discounted prices for EP Skydivers' members.

Go Skydive SA, a freelance operation based in Johannesburg, offers tandem skydives at most surrounding drop zones, as well as ground and aerial DVDs of jumps.

Icarus Skydiving School in Edenvale, Johannesburg offers first jump courses, and also manufactures and supplies skydiving equipment and accessories.

Pretoria Skydiving Club offers top level instruction in formation skydiving, freefly, freestyle and wing suiting. Instruction is available for beginners but, if it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience one is after, tandem jumps are also available. The drop zone includes a club house, swimming pool, and a bunk house.

The SA Skydiving School is based at Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria. They offer tandem jumps and top freefall photogrpahers to capture the thrill on film. They also present accelerated freefall courses.

Skydive Cape Town In need of some Higher Education? Want to visit a drop zone with one of the best views from altitude in the world? Caters for local skydivers as well as international visitors.

Skydive Durban offers tandem jumps from 9 500 feet (DVDs optional) as well as accelerated freefall training.

Skydive Joburg is actually in Carletonville, but not a long drive from Johannesburg. It offers tandem skydiving, solo jumps and various courses with or without videos and photos.

Skydive Mossel Bay is to be found in the beautiful Garden Route town, midway between Cape Town and Port Elzabeth. The drop zone is less than five kilometres from the beach, and training courses and tandem jumps are offered.

SkyDive Oudtshoorn is located in the Karoo town famous for its arts festival. With the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains nearby, and the Indian Ocean visible from 10 000 feet up, it is an ideal skydiving location. On offer are tandem jumps and static-line courses. Bookings are essential.

Sky Dive Plett operates from beautiful Plettenberg on the Garden Route. They teach skydiving, and also offer tandem jumps and photographs or DVDs of jumps.

SkyDive Rustenburg has plenty on offer, including a club house, braai area, shade areas, a swimming pool, canteen, chalets and huts with bunk beds. Operating out of the club is SkyDiversity, which offers tandem skydiving and student training, as well as accelerated freefall and static line courses.

Skydive Xtreme operates out of Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) in Limpopo province. Offers tandem skydiving, static line courses, accelerated free fall, formation skydiving, freeflying, freestyle, wingsuiting, tracking dives and canopy swoops. Equipment store on the premises.

Tandem Skydiving Adventures offers tandem skydiving, accelerated freefall, beginners courses, base jumping and more with a highly experienced jump team. Jumps are from 11 000 feet, from one of only two turbine aircraft used for skydiving in South Africa.

Vertical Descent, located at the Witbank Skydiving Club, promotes all types of tandem and sport skydiving. DVDs and photos of jumps, including of more than one person at a time, are available. Static line courses and accelerated freefall training are also on offer.

The Witbank Skydiving Club is less than an hour's drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria. It offers static line first jump courses every second Saturday, and tandem jumps/accelerated free fall every Saturday and Sunday. The club is situated next to the Witbank Aerodrome and the club house features a canteen, a large braai area, and mattresses for those who wish to overnight.

SAinfo reporter and South African Tourism