So, you want to jump out of a plane? Or you’re at least thinking about it that you’re jumping curious (my advice for these people is to just do it, YOLO). I recently made my skydiving debut with Taupo Tandem Skydiving, and I was absolutely blown away by the whole experience.
Of course, New Zealand is a magical place for your first time, and I know you want it to be special. Here are my 5 reasons why you can’t resist taking the plunge in Taupo:
1. “Jump into the Super Volcanic Lake”
Lake Taupo is pretty magnificent, and the more you know about it, the more awe-inspiring it is. The lake is actually a crater from a massive supervolcano, that erupted 26,500 years ago. This eruption was estimated to be the biggest volcanic eruption the world has seen in the last 70,000 years. So yeah, it was pretty big.
A more recent eruption (and by recent I mean nearly 2000 years ago) was so powerful, that the ash emitted turned the sky red in China and Rome. At 616 square kilometres (that is roughly the size of Singapore), the only way to truly appreciate the size of this beautiful lake is from God’s eye view by skydiving in Taupo.
2. Unbeatable Views For Daaaaays
It’s not just the sparkling blue waters of Lake Taupo that you’ll feast your eyes on during your skydiving. There’s something to be said for seeing the central North Island from up to 18,500ft above, and skydivers get the best seat in the house. You’ll see some pretty famous mountains during your ascent: Mount Tongariro, which you’ll have the chance to conquer a little bit later in your Stray Journey
And you’ll see gorgeous Mount Ruapehu, the peak of North Island, also the best (ok, only) commercially skiable mountain; and of course the world-famous Mount Ngauruhoe – better known to you guys as “Mount Doom” from “The Lord of the Rings”. Don’t forget to wave to Smeagol on your way down.
On a clear day, you’ll be able to see both coasts as you free fall, if you can tear your eyes away from the ground and take a look around. Keep an eye out for White Island on the north coast, NZ’s most active volcano, and Mount Taranaki to the west, which is one of the most symmetrical volcano cones in the world. Gotta love that aesthetic!
3. Taupo Tandem Skydiving Keeps It Chill
All this is really great, but jumping out of a plane is still scary, right? The height I did was 15,000ft upon the seas level, about 4,570 in metres. But you get another choice to embrace the largest freshwater lake of Australasia for 18,500ft, the highest jump in the North Island.
Before I was “dragged out” the plane by my jumping instructor Joe, to be honest, I was absolutely nervous. But of course, on the surface I looked calm and ready, mom’s spaghetti. The team at Taupo Tandem Skydiving was so helpful and friendly, they calmed me down during the pre-jump safety briefing.
Then, we took 20min fly by the stylish yellow aircraft to reach the height. The 360° panoramic views really made me feel better, but when the exit was lifted up, the fear immediately came back. After some others jumped out in the lower height, that was my turn.
My instructor Joe had done so many jumps he could practically do it in his sleep and was happy to answer any questions I had. I appreciated that he kept me informed of everything he was doing along the way – by the time we were sitting on the edge of the plane with our feet dangling into the abyss, I was surprisingly calm. And then, well, a picture paints 1000 words, doesn’t it?
The free-falling was swift (later I knew that was just about a minute before the parachute opened) and felt like more surreal than scary. You have to come and try it by yourself. That was hard to tell in words. But not finished yet! I would say another highlight of skydiving in Taupo was the 5-7 minute gliding before landing. The world suddenly braked from free-falling, and the huge “Mirror Lake” and the snowy volcanic peaks are in my eyes.
From the start of preparation until the landing, that was about 3-hour flawless time full of adrenaline and I would never forget.
4. You Deserve the Sustainable Jump
Not only did the team keep me cool as a cucumber, but they also give back to the community as well. They get involved in a bunch of local and national community projects each year. Last year, even though under operational pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they kept the way to donate prize sponsorships to Hospice Waikato, KidsCan, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ and Greening Taupo, etc. When I wasn’t chilled with fear and adrenaline, I was feeling pretty warm and fuzzy about this.
The team not only put their contributions to the society, but they know the sustainability for Mother Nature to keep it that way for decades to come. That’s why they are also committed to protecting the environment they operate out of for many more skydivers to come. To minimise pollution, TTS uses a Cessna Caravan aircraft which is both fast and fuel-efficient. It allows a bigger number of passengers per load and the new engine consumes less fuel than older designs. In addition to the more eco-friendly “warship”, they have the procedures over the last 20 years that ensure flights are kept away from noise-sensitive areas.
5. Baby, You Got the Cheapest!
Well, first of all, you get picked up from the stunning Huka Falls in a stylish Hummer LIMO for free. For some of my jump buddies, this was their first time ever in a limousine! What a way to start your unforgettable experience.
More importantly, many of us are travelling with a limited budget. Skydiving is a kind of “luxury” cost indeed, especially you want to keep some photos or videos for the once a lifetime memory. So you probably have the thought to choose one with a great deal. I promise I did the search before booked my experience.
Taupo Tandem Skydiving offers the most competitive price around the country. No matter where you jump from over 10k feet height in NZ, every glimpse of the views and the excitements brought are comparable. However, the prices are different. Queenstown, Wanaka or Glaciers Country in South Island have the obvious higher cost than skydive in Taupo. Well.. That’s right you will see amazing big lakes and snowy peaks when jumping there, but Taupo has the unique volcanic lake and mountain views that cover all of those. So why not Taupo?
How the prices look like when choosing to skydive in Taupo
If you’re ready to take the leap, book your Tandem Skydiving in Taupo from your Stray Guide for a special price. If you need a little more convincing, check out these little legends – if I can do it, so can you! What are you waiting for?
