Skydiving is an established adventure sport around the world and is in its nascent stage in India. If you think you need a passport to strike this adventure off your bucket list, you might want to think again.
Here is a list of 8 Places for Skydiving in India:
- Aamby Valley, Maharashtra
- Deesa, Gujarat
- Dhana, Madhya Pradesh
- Narnaul, Haryana
- Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
- Mysore, Karnataka
- Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
- Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
1. Aamby Valley, Maharashtra - Best Spot for Skydiving in India
Aamby Valley in Maharashtra is the top sky diving spot in India, especially for a tandem jump. If you are an avid skydiver, this place also offers membership which will allow you to go for skydiving all round the year. 10,000 ft tandem jumps are their speciality, for now, however, the organizers are also planning to introduce other popular types of jumps. There will be a training session of approximately for an hour with the instructor in which you will be briefed about the basic Do's and Don'ts of skydiving. Post the briefing, a plane will take the skydiver to the starting point of about 10,000 feet where you, with your instructor, will take that big exciting plunge from the aircraft. Within a span of 20-30 seconds, the instructor will deploy the parachute. In the next 40-45 minutes, you can absorb the picturesque surrounding of Aamby Valley while the wind takes you on a joy ride.
The height of the fall: 10000 ft.Price: Tandem JumpsMonday - Thursday INR 20, 000Friday - Sunday - INR 25,000Notable Operators: ThrillsExtremeBest Time: Anytime of the year except for monsoon and highly windy season
2. Deesa, Gujarat
In the scenic lakeside city, Deesa in Gujarat, the Sports Authority of India recognized its potential to become a certified drop zone for skydiving as an adventure sport. Thus, in this way, Deesa went on to become the country's first skydiving spot. Every year, the city becomes a host to several skydiving events. The Athletics Specialist of Gujarat is in the process of converting Deesa as a spot for more such experience sports. While one can opt for a Tandem Jump here where the first time skydivers can get an ensured memorable experience. There is also a Static Jump in which the skydiver will undergo a training for 1.5 days. In a Static Jump, the participant is his/her own master- there is no instructor attached to them with a harness, rather they are connected with two instructors via radio who guide the skydiver about the safe landing. The parachute is immediately deployed once the skydiver takes the leap.
The height of the fall: 3,500 to 4,000 ft.Price: Static Line Jumps - INR 16,500Tandem Jumps - INR 33,500Accelerated Freefall (AFF) - INR 37,500Notable Operator: Indian Parachuting FederationBest Time: All around the year
3. Dhana, Madhya Pradesh
In the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, lies the serene town of Dhana. The place has an airstrip where various operators organize skydiving camps for those who love an adrenaline rush. The freefall time is less here, however, one can enjoy the vast stretches of landscape in the area. The first Indian skydiving was hosted in this quaint town. The tandem instructor is strapped with the skydiver to ensure and help them in a safe landing. There is no mandate for previous experience in a similar scenario. A valuable 30-minute training session is all one needs to be ready for the big dive. The speed of the free fall is around 120 mph.
The height of the fall: 9000 - 10000 ft.Price: Tandem Jump: INR 35,000 - INR 37,500Static Jumps - INR 24,000Notable Operators: ThrillsExtreme, Chimes Aviation AcademyBest Time: Anytime of the year except for monsoon and highly windy season
4. Narnaul, Haryana - India's Only International Skydiving Zone
The Bachhod Airstrip located in Narnaul, is India's only international skydiving zone. Located two hours away from New Delhi, it is a popular place amongst adventure enthusiasts. Offered by SkyHigh Diving Company, two types of skydiving options are available - Tandem Jump and Static Line Jump. They also provide one hour training prior to the main skydiving.
The height of the fall: 10000 ft
Price: Tandem Jump - INR 27,500
Notable Operator: SkyHigh
Best Time: Not ideal during monsoon season.
5. Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh - Top 3 Paragliding Sites in the World
Bir-Billing is considered as one of the top three paragliding sites in the world. Known as the Paragliding capital of India, Bir attracts adventure-seekers from throughout the country and the world. Bir also hosts the Paragliding pre-world cup during the month of October. The exciting and thrilling activity of paragliding is set amidst lush green meadows. The starting point is at Billing (2400 m) and landing takes place in the fields at Western Edge of Tibetan Colony in Chowgan, Bir (14 km south).
6. Mysore, Karnataka
The height of the fall: 9000 - 10000 ft.Price: Tandem Jump - INR 35,000Accelerated Free Fall - INR 2,50,00Notable Operators: SkyridersBest Time: Around the year
7. Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Yes, the Aligarh airstrip has a skydiving facility where you can take that thrilling giant leap. You will be required to undergo a fitness test to make certain that the participant is medically fit. This medical certificate can be provided by a general physician. The registration process will be followed by an induction program by qualified tandem instructors. The Aligarh airstrip has 5 slots in a day, so, one has to make a prior reservation to ensure that they successfully get to dive on the day they wish to. For early birds who would want to soak some sunlight, the reporting time is 9:00 AM, wherein, the jump is conducted between 10:00 AM -12:00 PM. If you are a lover of watching sunsets, then you can report at 12:00 PM and be ready to have a bird-like experience between 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. One can either opt for a Tandem Jump in which the instructor will assist in deploying a parachute for the landing or A Jump to Remember. The Tandem Jump package also includes a coffee mug and a certificate of completion. A Jump to Remember participants will additionally get photographs as well as a video recording of their journey from the sky to earth. Do give the broadest of all your smiles, because, well, you are on camera. These participants can also choose the Coffee mug from an available selection range.
The height of the fall: 9000 - 10000 ft.Price: Tandem Jump - INR 27025A Jump to Remember - INR 31625Notable Operators: SkyHighBest Time: Anytime of the year but avoid planning during heavy rains
8. Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
The height of the fall: 10000 ftPrice: Tandem Jump - INR 27,000Notable Operator: Waltair Escapade Thrills, SkyridersBest Time: Not ideal during monsoon season.
Things To Know
The excitement that accompanies an unaided or aided flight from the sky is worth trying it. That dream of soaring high like a bird can be fulfilled through skydiving. The last necessary step in getting you ready for the thrill bound experience is that we walk you through the basic Dos and Don'ts of this extreme yet safe adventure sport.Do's
- Pay attention to each and every detail shared with you during the training session so that you have a good grasp of the nitty-gritty of skydiving. While most of the organizers conduct a compulsory training session, if you wish to fly solo, you can also enrol yourself in a well-equipped training facility
- Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the gear properly
- Check if the trainer is qualified with the necessary certifications
- It is best to go for a skydive on a light meal - neither on an empty stomach nor on a full stomach because the first-time thrill seekers might feel nauseous
- Dress appropriately - gym shorts, a full-sleeves tight fit top and tight-lacing shoes so that the wind doesn't knock them off or the strings with metal pop on your fancy top does not make the fun ride a painful one
- Acrophobics should avoid skydiving as it would not be a pleasant experience for them
Don'ts
- It is good to research on the internet before trying out something new and challenging such as skydiving, however, do not go by every word. There will always be negatives about everything, then there will also be troubling tales online the trick is not to let yourself believe truly in every word. The operators take great care of the participants' safety so any chance of things set off in the opposite direction is extremely low
- While the height of freefall is mentioned to give you an idea of the thrill involved here, do not torment yourself by imagining the unimaginable about how big the fall is because that's where all the fun lies
- During the fall, if panic grips you for a moment, relax, take a deep breath and recall the training course calmly and connect with the instructor immediately over the radio if you are on a solo flight
- Confidence is always good but does not allow yourself to be overconfident and think that the training is not required now that you have seen enough skydiving videos on YouTube
- Always go for the training prior to the jump. Lastly, skydiving in itself is an adrenaline-pumping activity, so, do not plan on consuming alcohol in a hope to double the fun. We can assure you that the fun is guaranteed.