Adventure experiences

Skydiving in South Africa

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.

Flying, paragliding

Whether you're into flying, gliding, hang gliding, paragliding, microlighting or hot air ballooning, 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

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.

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.

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. 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.

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 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.

Article last updated: November 2009

SAinfo reporter and South African Tourism