Skydiving in NZ: where to jump, heights, prices and what to expect

New Zealand might be the easiest country in the world to tick off a skydive. Drop zones sit next to the most famous views in the country, no experience is needed for a tandem jump, and the whole thing takes a morning. The hard part is choosing where.

This guide compares the main tandem operators by place, height and price, explains the weight, age and weather rules, and covers how to check an operator’s safety credentials. Prices are in NZD from each operator’s own website, as at November 2026, and are for the jump only unless we say otherwise.

Best places to jump

Queenstown is where NZONE says tandem skydiving in New Zealand began. Wānaka is often quieter, with a huge lake and mountain view. Taupō is the value pick in the North Island, and is about 1 hour 30 minutes from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing; see our Tongariro guide. Franz Josef pairs with a glacier visit; see our Franz Josef Glacier guide.

Heights explained

Higher means longer freefall, a longer plane ride up and a higher price. After freefall, the parachute opens and your tandem master steers you down to the landing zone.

NZONE says the flight to 15,000 ft takes about 15 minutes. Skydive Wānaka describes a scenic 15 minute flight to altitude.

Insider tip: for a first jump, 12,000 ft is the sweet spot for most people. You get a proper 45 seconds of freefall without paying top dollar, and the view from 12,000 ft over Queenstown or Wānaka is already absurd.

What it costs

Queenstown, NZONE Skydive: 9,000 ft from $379, 12,000 ft $469, 15,000 ft $575.

Wānaka, Skydive Wānaka: 9,000 ft $379, 12,000 ft $469, 15,000 ft $575. With a return transfer from Queenstown: $399, $489 and $595. Queenstown transfers run on set days from 19 October 2026, meeting at the NZONE Skydive Centre on Shotover Street, and you should allow up to 6 hours. If you are staying in Wānaka without a car, you can choose a shuttle from the Wānaka i-SITE when you book.

Taupō, Taupō Tandem Skydiving: jump only from $279 (9,000 ft), $329 (12,000 ft), $379 (15,000 ft) and $529 (16,500 ft). Packages with photos or video run from $438 to $759. It offers free pick-ups within Taupō, and from Rotorua for groups of four or more. NZ public holidays carry a 15 per cent surcharge on skydives.

Auckland, Skydive Auckland: the website shows prices with its Ultimate photo and video package included: $729 for 13,000 ft, $829 for 16,000 ft and $999 for 18,000 ft, each with $45 off when booked online. A 1.9 per cent booking fee applies to online bookings.

South Island scenic drop zones, Skydive New Zealand: 13,000 ft at Mount Cook from $399, 16,500 ft at Abel Tasman from $499, 18,000 ft at Franz Josef and Fox from $799, and a 10,000 ft helicopter tandem at Franz Josef and Fox from $799.

Skydiving on the southern West Coast. Photo: Stewart Nimmo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Weight and age rules

Every operator has limits, because the tandem harness and parachute are rated for a combined weight and the instructor has to be able to land you safely.

Under-18s need a parent or guardian’s consent. There is no upper age limit at NZONE, which says its oldest jumper was 94, and Skydive Wānaka’s oldest was 92. Body shape, fitness and mobility also count, so contact the operator before you book if you are close to a limit. Be honest about your weight: you will be weighed on arrival.

Weather and rebooking

Skydiving needs reasonable visibility and safe winds, so weather delays are normal, especially in the mountains.

• Book early in your trip. NZONE recommends it, so a weather cancellation can be moved to another day.
• Allow about 3 hours at most drop zones, and longer if the weather is changeable. Skydive Auckland asks you to allow 3 hours from your booking time.
• Payment and refunds vary. Taupō Tandem Skydiving takes payment after your jump, and rebooks or cancels free of charge for weather. Skydive Auckland gives a full refund for cancellations 48 hours or more before, 50 per cent at 24 to 48 hours, and nothing within 24 hours.
• Spectators: friends can usually wait at the base. Skydive Wānaka says its landing zone is on a private farm with no viewing area.

Photos and video

You cannot take your own camera or GoPro. Operators say it is a safety issue with lines and parachutes, so they sell photo and video packages instead. There are usually two styles: handcam or selfie footage filmed by your tandem master, and freefall footage filmed by a separate camera flyer who jumps with you. Taupō Tandem Skydiving says its camera flyers do at least 200 jumps before training to carry a camera.

Packages add a lot to the price: at Taupō, a 12,000 ft jump goes from $329 to $608 with freefall video and photos. Decide before you arrive so you are not upsold while your adrenaline is up.

Safety: how to check an operator

New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says all adventure aviation operators must hold an operator certificate. Tandem skydiving is covered by Part 115, Adventure Aviation, which includes specific rules for tandem parachuting. Before you book, you can:

1. Check the CAA’s list of Part 115 certificated organisations. Companies are listed by their legal name, which may differ from the brand name on the website.
2. Ask about experience. Taupō Tandem Skydiving, for example, says its tandem masters are tested by the New Zealand Parachute Industry Association.
3. Tell them about health conditions. If you have heart problems, recent surgery, back or neck issues, or are pregnant, ask the operator before you book.

Adventure activities can be excluded from some travel insurance policies. Our travel insurance guide explains what to check, and if you are jumping in Wānaka, see things to do in Wānaka for the rest of your stay.