Skydiving in Pretoria - A Comprehensive Guide

What is better than doing one adventure sport in the enchanting city of Pretoria, two adventure sports! And with skydiving topping the list of the majority of adventuresome folks, the clement weather of Pretoria makes your experience euphoric! As thrilling as it sounds, skydiving can seem threatening to some, and this article is going to burst that fear bubble because how can you miss the opportunity to breathe in the magnificent view of the city from the skies? 

Types of Skydiving in Pretoria

1. Tandem Skydiving

The most popular type of skydiving among first-timers, Tandem Skydiving or the “piggyback skydiving”, is one of the easiest and most secure ways of giving your lifelong dream a starting kick. In Tandem Skydive, the student skydiver is strapped to the instructor skydiver with a harness during the entire fall. As the two people are harnessed together, the straps make it so that one person is floating above the other during the freefall, with one’s back against the other’s front side. Attached to a tandem skydiving instructor, it takes about 50 seconds to go through the freefall after jumping from the plane before the parachute opens and glides both people back down to a safe landing surface.

2. Accelerated Freefall Skydiving(AFF)

Accelerated FreeFall is the type of skydiving training boot camp deemed the most decisive and well-structured program to train a person as a solo skydiver.  Since it is the quickest method to get trained to land solo in the sky at a magnificent height, it is termed an “accelerated” program. Though as exciting as it may seem, it is a tedious process which requires determination and resilience.

The process comprises ground training for around 6 – 8 hours, followed by a written test to prepare a diver for the first jump. The initial jump will be assisted by two instructors holding onto the new diver as they take exit from the plane and are then supposed to deploy their parachute and fly it all by themselves under proper radio guidance. Once the diver has landed, the instructors debrief about the jump and lay the foundation for the rest of the AFS Skydiving course.

Best Time for Skydiving in Pretoria

While most skydiving spots are open almost all year round, it is best to plan your adventure from April to October to make the most of it, as the weather in Pretoria during this period is perfect for skydiving. Clear blue skies, mellow temperatures ( 25 degrees Celsius) and a dash of a light breeze to tickle your senses are the ideal climatic conditions as suggested by the experts in the business to enhance your experience. 

Skydiving Spots in Pretoria

1. Skydive Pretoria

Skydive Pretoria boasts of being South Africa’s skydiving hotspot, and rightfully so. The centre laid its foundation stone 52 years ago, back in 1964 and has recorded the highest number of students passing out with flying colours, becoming terrific skydivers. Situated at Wonderboom Airport, the closest location to both Pretoria and Johannesburg, making it super convenient for tourists and offers the most amazing freefall photographers and videographers to capture your tornado of emotions at the right moment to be edited and provided to you later on.  

Location: 122 Lintvelt Road, Wonderboom Airport, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa.
Timings: Monday – Friday & Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Saturday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Telephone: +27 81 499 5739
Email: [email protected]
Booking Information: You can drop your queries on the contacts page on their official website: skydivepretoria.com

Prices and Packages: 

Tandem Skydive Packages

 1. Main Operation Days: Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays
·   Tandem Skydive – R 2 370 per person
·  Tandem Skydive with media package(video and photos) – R 3 270 per person
2. Outside main operation: Monday – Friday( One week’s notice required)
·   1 person jumping – R 5 970 per person
·   Group of 2-3 – R 5 145 per person
·   Group of 4-5 – R 4 350 per person
·   Group of 6 and more – R 3 270 per person
Booking requirements:
Weight limit: As per the general convention, the recommendation for males is 100 kg and for females, it is under 85 kg( however it varies from person to person ).
Age Limit: 16 years and older.
Arrival Time is pre-booked and an alteration of +/- 3 hours of the whole experience is appreciated as your cooperation since they are weather dependent.

AFF – Accelerated Learning in Freefall

1.     AFF Weekends
Main Operation: Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays
·       Ground School and Level 1: R 3 425 per person
·       Level 2&3: R 2 555 per person per level
·       Level 4 – 7: R 1 640 per person per level
·       Level 8 – 10: R 600 per person per level
·       All Levels(Total Price): R 16 895 per person
 2.      AFF Weekdays
Weekday course, completed in 4 days, Levels 1 to 10
·       Start Monday: R 44 895
·       Start Tuesday: R 35 295
·       Start Wednesday/Thursday: R 29 695  
Booking Requirement:
Age Limit: 16 years or older.
Weight Limit: Female jumpers are under 85kg and/or all male jumpers are under 95kg.

2. SA Skydiving School

Another gem to set your spirits high for a skydiving adventure in Pretoria is SA Skydiving School! Offering two of the most chosen options – Tandem Jump and Accelerated FreeFall(AFF), it is one of the best places to kick off your adventure ride, providing an enthralling experience and optimum safety with a plethora of different packages to suit your needs and pocket!

Location: Lintvelt Road Wonderboom Airport, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
Timings: Monday: Closed          
                    Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 Pm           
                     Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM           
                    (Heritage Day): Hours might differ           
                     Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Telephone: +27 72 124 6670
Booking Information: Via official website: skydive.simplybook.me 

Pricing and Packages:

Accelerated Freefall

AFF Level Break-Down
Jump altitude: 11,000 feet.
·   AFF Level 1 Includes: Ground school (Instruction), First jump, Two Instructors, Rental of equipment, Club membership till the end of the year, PASA student membership, Logbook.Edited video footage of jump optional.
·   Levels 2 and 3 Includes: Briefing for level, Jump, Two Instructors
·   Levels 4 to 7 Includes: Briefing for level, Jump, One Instructor
·   Level 8 & 9: Two solo consolidation jumps including briefing
·   Level 10 test Graduation Jump : Video footage is available on request for levels 1 to 7 at an additional cost.
    Weekday CoursesCourses starting during the week Monday to Thursday are to be completed in 4 days.
 Following are the available options for online bookings:
·   Accelerated Freefall Course Level 1 to 10, Starting on a Monday - R44 895.0, Starting on a Tuesday - R35 295.00, Starting on a Wednesday - R29 695.00, Starting on a Thursday - R29 695.00
·   Weekend Courses: Courses are done on Saturday or Sunday. Jumps will take place on Saturdays and Sundays and all 10                  levels can be completed in 4 weekends.
Following are the available options for online bookings:
 ·   Accelerated Freefall CourseLevel 1 Ground School and Skydive - R3 425.00
       Levels 1 to 10 Full Course  - R16 895.00

Tandem Jump 

Weekends and Public Holidays Tandem Skydive no Video Option - R2 370.00
Tandem Skydive with Video Option - R3 270.00 
Weekday Tandem skydive including Video Option Single Person - R5 970.00
Group of 2 or 3 Persons - R5 145.00 per person
Group of 4 or 5 Persons - R4 350.00 per person
Group of 6 or more Persons - R3 270.00 per person  

Tips

• Comfortable, well-fitted clothes should be worn along with closed shoes.
• Do not jump on an empty stomach. A balanced meal and enough hydration are the keys to not feeling any motion sickness.
• Be a banana! A secret to having an amazing dive is to shape your body like a banana, which is considered the optimal posture for skydiving. It involves tilting the head back, looking straight towards the horizon, arching the back, extending the hands to the sides, and the soles of the feet aiming towards the sky.
• Say no to alcohol and any narcotics to remain fully conscious during each dive phase.
• Breathing is the key! Try not to hold your breath during the freefall, as you might feel overwhelmed. Taking in deep breaths and exhaling at a steady pace keeps the mind calm and the body flowy.
• A little stretching is a must since the body is subjected to extremely high pressures, especially during the freefall, which can cause stiffness and sprains later on. Therefore it is highly advisable to do some neck, arms and legs exercises to loosen the muscles.
• A good night’s sleep is a must! The body needs optimal rest to sail smoothly through such an unaccustomed situation hence taking sound sleep the night before is important.