Id

Email
SessionId

The Extreme Adventure with Everest Skydive

Skydive in the Sherpa region Everest Skydive does not only take you to the dizzying heights of 29,500ft, it also takes you to the heart of the Sherpa country and the Everest region. After landing at the airstrip in Lukla, you begin your trek to Syangboche. Following the Dudh Kosi River, you trek past picturesque Sherpa villages, gompas (monasteries) within the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Syangboche, a Sherpa hamlet situated just above Namche Bazaar, is the site for the Everest Skydive event.   Trip Highlights Join the World’s most Elite Skydiving Adventure Skydive in front of Mount Everest (29,035ft – 8,848m) Land on the highest drop zone in the world Experience a high altitude jump with supplementary oxygen Get your own personal video of your jump Get your own personal picture taken by a professional photographer Be part of an Elite club of international skydivers Ascend in a Turbine Pilatus Porter PC 6 from Switzerland Be a part of the international record books & history Visit the Sagarmatha National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage area Experience Kathmandu and the Sherpa country of the Everest region Experience the Himalayan environment of vast altitudes Drop zone vehicles: Squirrel B3 helicopter, local yaks, ponies and porters Equipment & Safety As jumping from such high altitudes requires special parachute equipment, which needs to be made of very tough materials, your skydiving equipment will be given to you. Your Everest Skydive rig will be packed for you under the supervision of an advanced packer. The opening altitudes for your main parachute will be between 16,000ft and 18,000ft AMSL; the main landing area (DZ) is at 12,350ft AMSL. These altitudes demand large main parachutes of 300 – 400 sq ft and a reserve of similar size. Due to our extensive experience in this field, both our parachutes have been proven successful. A world-renowned AAD has been incorporated into the system on the reserve. You will be issued with a standard MA2 – 30 altimetre, which is accurate up to 30,000ft. This means your AGL will be correct at 12,350ft and you will have a true reading on your altimetre. We will also provide you with a special skydiving oxygen system, which is well proven at high altitude, is unobtrusive and most importantly, non-restrictive to body movement or vision. You will also get a thermal head cover, head protection and protective goggles. You will be fully familiarised with all the equipment. The opening altitudes for your main parachute will be between 16,000ft and 18,000ft AMSL. The main landing area (DZ) is at 12,350ft AMSL. These altitudes demand large main parachutes of 300 – 400 sq ft and a reserve of similar size. Both the parachutes we are using have been proven successful. A world renowned AAD has been incorporated into the system on the reserve. You will be issued with a standard MA2 – 30 altimeter that is accurate up to 30,000ft, so your AGL will be correct at 12,350ft and you will have a true reading on your altimeter. You will also be provided with a skydiving oxygen system. The system has been well proven at high altitude, is unobtrusive, and non restrictive to body movement or vision. You will have thermal head cover, head protection and protective goggles provided. You will be fully familiarised with all the equipment. Tandem passengers will be fully prepared by their tandem master prior to making their tandem descent. You will also have a small personal survival kit, a compass, firefly strobe, and a two-way mini radio in case of landing off the DZ. The DZ ‘vehicles’ are an Equirrel B3 helicopter, or, in case you landed not too far away from the DZ, a Sherpa guide with a yak and yak man. Equipments provided: Solo Jumpers - » Jump helmet complete with oxygen face mask attachments » Lightweight neoprene balaclava to fit under helmet and oxygen face mask » High altitude jump goggles » High altitude tailors made Everest Skydive jump suit » High Altitude Military Spec Javelin container with rip cord. In the container is a silhouette ms 360 main and a TR 375 reserve with a military cypress. » MA 10 or 230 altimeter » Neptune » Silk inner gloves » Low profile cold climate outer gloves » Personal emergency kit » Emergency hook knife » Emergency flare Some of your trek clothing will be used as thermal layering as well, to ensure that you are warm but not bulky with clothing. Tandem jumpers » Jump helmet complete with oxygen face mask attachments » Lightweight neoprene balaclava to fit under helmet and oxygen face mask » High altitude jump goggles » High altitude tailors made Everest Skydive jump suit » Tandem harness (and instructor!) » Silk inner gloves » Low profile cold climate outer gloves » Personal emergency kit Some of your trek clothing will be used as thermal layering as well, to ensure that you are warm but not bulky with clothing. Team The experience our international team of experts has gained since the 2008, 2009 and 2010 events, has put Everest Skydive on the top of list of companies offering extreme adventure. Our team includes expert skydivers and mountaineers – some of the best names in the business. Throughout your adventure, the best skydivers in the world, mountaineering specialists, medical doctors and highly skilled high-altitude mountain pilots will accompany you. Suman Pandey :Team leader To operate a skydiving event in the extreme and difficult mountain environment of Nepal’s Everest Region has been no child’s play. From procuring special permits to arranging logistics and ensuring nothing untoward happens during the event, it needed (and still needs) a lot of hard work, determination, planning and a fair amount of bureaucratic clout to organize and hold an event of this caliber in the Himalaya. At a time when most Nepalese hardly knew what skydiving was, Mr. Pandey went ahead and introduced this adventure in his mountainous country – a first in Nepal as well as in South Asia. It took a lot of convincing on Mr. Pandey’s part to persuade the Civil Aviation authorities, Ministry of Tourism and other bureaucrats to allow this adventure to take place in the Everest Region. The event which was christened the World’s Highest Skydiving event, made history and set many records. Mr. Suman Pandey Continues to be at the helm of affairs at Everest Skydive, charting out new plans and looking for ways to make the skydiving adventure in Nepal more challenging and exciting. Having been a part of path breaking adventures in the Himalaya like the GKN Mission Everest, Nepal Government’s Highest Cabinet meeting, and many more, Mr. Pandey was honored with the prestigious title of “Tourism Man of the Year 2010 -Nepal” by Gantabya Publications. Wendy Smith :Chief Coordinator & Camera Flyer Wendy Smith grew up in New Zealand and has a great passion for the mountains; she has been based in France for many years and is the Chief Coordinator for Everest Skydive. She is also the director of aerial cinematography and production for Everest Skydive. She holds her Chief Safety Officer certificate for parachuting operations, is an AFF Instructor as well as the Ambassador for the Global Angels Charity Organization. The 2012 event will be her fifth Everest Skydive Expedition. World and Guinness record skydiver Wendy Smith made her first jump in New Zealand in 1985. Her resume to date is: X 7 World Records Emmy Award Winner 19,000 Skydives Professional Camerawoman and Aerial Cinematographer for 22 years Live Broadcast, Media, Air to Ground Cameraman International Events and Sports Athlete Recruiter International Skydiving Competitor since 1989 Model Stunt Skydiver Accelerated Freefall Instructor Freefly Kiwi School of Body Flight (founder and coach) Chief Safety Officer NZPIA for parachuting operations) First Everest skydiver 2008 (8,843m oxygen-assisted Women’s World Record, September 09, 181 way formation skydive World’s Highest landing at Kalar Pattar - near Mount Everest at 17,192ft in October 09 Himalaya, Nepal NEW HALO record skydive from 30,000ft in October 2010 As the Chief Coordinator & Camera flyer for Everest Skydive, Wendy has taken some fantastic aerial footage during our events. Her technical abilities have allowed her to cover helmet cameras, exceptional reportages and international skydiving events. She has gained several medals in different disciplines, won Emmy Awards for best remote location camerawoman, and has gained a new women’s world record gold medal in speed skydiving. She has also produced, filmed and participated in extreme skydiving movies at the cutting edge of sport skydiving and published a photographic book, ‘Eyes in the Sky’, to compliment 15 years of sport skydiving. She has been very active in live broadcast air to ground media transmissions all over the world and has actively participated in charity events helping raise millions of dollars for exceptional causes. Wendy is one of the most experienced members of our Everest Skydive Crew. Tom Noonan:Chief Tandem Instructor Tom Noonan is a professional skydiving instructor from the USA. He is also involved in both Civilian and Military Tandem Equipment design and test jumping. Tom has made 4,000 skydives and is a USPA Tandem Instructor-Examiner, USPA AFF Instructor, and USPA Instructor Examiner Rating Course (IERC) Director. He also holds a FAA Senior Rigger certification and is a USPA Safety & Training Advisor (S&TA). Tom holds the world record (along with Wendy Smith and Jai Kishan) for the highest parachute landing at 17,192ft. He has been with Everest Skydive since its launch in 2008 and is in charge of the tandem skydiving programme of Everest Skydive as well as the tandem equipment rigging and maintenance. Andy Montriou :Tandem Master Andy is a current skydiving world record holder, being part of the team that took the record to 357 skydivers, linked in freefall in February 2004 and then on to 400 in February 2006. He has made over 7,000 skydives and 500 BASE jumps. In 1996, he was amongst the first to skydive onto the North Pole and has also BASE-jumped the Angel Falls. Andy started his professional skydiving career after winning a gold medal at the British National Skydiving Championships in 1995. His first BASE jump followed shortly afterwards. Andy provides specialist training to individuals, organisations and BASE jumpers. He has been responsible for stunt coordination and safety during location filming for a variety of TV BASE jumping and skydiving programmes and films. Holding all of the British Parachute Association (BPA) instructional qualifications, including Instructor Examiner and Rigger, Andy is also a Safety and Training Advisor to the United States Parachute Association and holds their instructional ratings. Additionally a Display Team Leader, registered with the UK Civil Aviation Authority, enables him to organise and arrange parachute displays at public events and other places that are not the usual skydiving venues. With over 3,500 tandem jumps to his credit we are pleased to have Andy as part of the team. Doctor Ryan Jackson :Tandem Master / Expedition Doctor Dr. Ryan Jackson from England is a tandem master and our expedition doctor. Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge in mountain climbing, skydiving and medicine to our crew. He has travelled and jumped in many places around the world. Antione Forestier :Director of Parachuting Antoine Forestier from France has worked as Technical Director at one of Europe’s largest drop zones in Gap –Tallard in France for 13 years. He was the Flight Director during the Granada World Air Ranges – Spain and the World Cup in 2003. His experience of mountain traverse and sports places him again as Director of Parachuting operations for Everest Skydive for the third time. Derek Thomas:Master Rigger/ Jump Master Derek Thomas from USA / UK is a manufacturer and designer of leading skydiving equipment, Master Rigger, tandem master, AFF Instructor and International competitor in sport skydiving. Derek holds five world records for skydiving and has spent his life in the design and development of exceptional equipment for our sport. He joins our team as Master Rigger and Jump Master. Dawie du Plessis : Tandem Master/ Camera flier Dawie du Plessis from South Africa is a tandem skydiving instructor and freelance photographer. He started skydiving in Klerksdorp in 1995 and has made almost 5,000 jumps. He has done specialised stunts for films and commercials, such as tracker commercial, Virgin Mobile advertisement, Telkom broadband advertisement and lots of BASE-jumping stunts in Bollywood movies. Heather Bisiker :Client Hostess and Equipment Heather Bisiker is an experienced skydiver, commercial pilot (multi engine fixed wing and fixed wing) and a member of Aspen Mountain Rescue in Aspen, Colorado, USA. She has to her credit 5000+ skydives and has competed at international skydiving competitions. She is an also aerial photographer. She is in charge of client relations on the mountain during the expedition and oversees the oxygen gear-up process for the team during the event. Omar Alhegelan :Skydiver, Jumpmaster & Videographer Omar helped pioneer what is now known as “free flying” and has received every single accolade related to Freestyle Skydiving. He was part of an international group of amateur and professional skydivers at the Everest Skydive 2008 programme. He’s highly sought after to perform. Mountain Crew :Nepal Along with our skydiving experts, the Nepalese Mountain Crew supports the Everest Skydive event. The crew is made up of Everest Summitteers, experienced mountain & trekking guides and event facilitators. All of them have been to the Khumbu (Everest Region) several times and have a vast knowledge of the area Clothing: The suits worn by the skydivers during the Everest Skydive was locally made by a young Thamel based Nepali entrepreneur, Rajen Dulal. The red, blue and black skydiving suits that were all tailored in a small workshop in Thamel made it to the top grade. The Everest Skydive 2010 down suits will be designed and tailored once again by Rajen Dulal and his team. FAQs : 1. What makes Everest Skydive different than regular tandem skydive operations? Everest Skydive is held at the world’s highest drop zone, Shyangboche (Everest Region, Nepal) at an elevation 12350 feet, where skydivers take the leap from above some of the tallest peaks in the world (including Mt. Everest). The skydivers are equipped with specialized suits and oxygen system to help them counter the effects of extreme cold and thin air. They also have to trek for a couple of days from the airstrip at Lukla to reach the drop zone. All these features make Everest Skydive a unique and a special experience. 2. What was the inspiration for the operation to be started? To place Nepal as one of the ultimate destinations for extreme sports and skydiving in particular and to make it easier for people to reach the top of Mount Everest (the highest point on Earth) without having to actually climb it! 3. What are the dangers of skydiving around Mt. Everest? To skydive around Mt. Everest, one has to take into account difficult & dangerous terrain, extreme cold, strong wind and thin air. All these make it very difficult to run a skydiving operation in a high altitude mountain environment like the Everest Region. A lot of preparation and planning by experts goes in to make this event success. 4. What altitude do you jump from the plane? How cold is it up there? What is the total amount of freefall time? The jump is made from about 29000 feet. It is extremely cold but the special ESD down suits helps one to maintain optimum body temperature. The skydivers freefall for about a minute or two before their canopy opens. The journey to skydive starts with a trek. 5. How far do the adventurers trek before reaching the drop zone? They trek for 4 days(including one rest day at Namche) from Lukla to Shyangboche drop zone. 6. What is Solo Skydiving? Skydivers who have experience & training in freefall do solo jumps. While making a solo jump, the skydivers leave the aircraft from a certain altitude & fly their bodies at approximately 120 MPH. The skydivers then open their own parachutes & fly to the landing zone at 12,350ft. Everest Skydive is open to FAI “C” and “D” license holders, or those who can demonstrate over 200 logged and witnessed jumps under the regulations of a recognised parachute association of any country. Documents, including FAI Licence, Logbook and relevant medical certification, have to be submitted. 7. What is Tandem Skydiving? Tandem jumping is the highest level possible we can introduce you to the incredible world of skydiving. A tandem jump allows you the opportunity to enjoy the full thrill of freefalling and a high performance parachute ride, while being harnessed to one of our highly skilled tandem instructors. You do not need to spend a whole day in a classroom to enjoy a freefall! At Everest Skydive you will exit the aircraft at an incredible 29 500ft above sea level. You will have the thrill of a wopping 10 000 foot long freefall, after which the tandem instructor will activate your parachute. Although the parachute is made for two, we are using the latest equipment technology in the form of high performance tandem parachutes. This means that when the freefall part of the jump is over, the fun is far from over! Our skilled cameramen can video your total experience - from being fitted with the harness, the briefing, plane ride, exit and freefall (the cameraman will be flying close to you) and your landing. You will receive a DVD edited with great music and your ride of a lifetime! This way you can show your friends and family that YOU DID IT!!! 8. What is the the jump procedure? The tandem instructor will brief you on the basics of the freefall body position and what you can expect to happen during your skydiving experience. (Screaming is often encouraged... even for the though guys). You'll be fitted with a jumpsuit and harness. As soon as it is time, you'll board the aircraft for a ride to 29 500ft. During the plane ride you will have the chance to enjoy the breathtaking mountain views as far as the eye can see . Your tandem instructor will verify that everything is ready for the jump with your four attachment points securing you to his equipment (each upper attachment has a breaking strain of 5,500 lbs!!). He will ask you if you are "ready to skydive?" and move you to the aircraft door for the exit! The next few seconds will be an extraordinary rush of adrenaline. The excitement of freefalling above the earth at up to 200 kilometres an hour is a feeling you have to experience yourself. After the 10 ,000ft freefall, the instructor will pull the ripcord to activate the parachute.. During the 3 - 5 minutes it takes to reach the ground, your instructor can either provide a gentle ride or a more thrilling roller coaster experience demonstrating spins and stalls as he skilfully takes you to the landing area. 9.What equipment is used for Tandem skydiving? Tandem skydiving requires equipment with some differences from sport skydiving rigs. All modern tandem skydiving systems use a drogue parachute, which is deployed shortly after leaving the plane in order to slow the freefall speed of two people down to that of a single skydiver. This is necessary for proper parachute deployment, lengthening the duration of the skydive and allowing the skydivers to fall at the same speed as the videographers. Tandem skydiving systems also use larger main parachutes (360 square feet and larger) to support the extra weight of two passengers. The three most common tandem skydiving systems in use are the Strong Dual Hawk, the Relative Workshop Vector Tandem, and the UPT Sigma Tandem. Everest Skydive is currently supported by the manufacturers of Sigma and believe it to be the best of the bunch. 10. Is the Instructor certified? Tandem instructors are required to pass an instructor certification course for the system they jump before skydiving with students. All Everest Skydive instructors have this certificate. Most countries have varying laws or regulations allowing who can skydive with a passenger or student. The United Kingdom requires potential instructors prior to their training and examination to have over 800 individual skydives and three years of skydiving experience. Individual manufacturers’ certification courses usually have additional requirements. All Everest Skydive tandem masters are qualified under British, American and Australian regulations and are subject to the manufacturers stringent requirements. 11. Where do the jumps take place? The skydive jumps and landings take place at the Syangboche drop zone in the Everest Region of Nepal. The landing area is next to a runway long enough to accommodate our Pilatus PC6 jumps aircraft and is at 12 350ft above sea level. 12. Do I need previous skydiving experience to complete a tandem jump? No. Your skilled tandem instructor ensures for your safety and provides all the training, fun and excitement. 13. Is it safe? Skydiving is an extreme sport, and therefore, like anything in life, has certain risks. However, your tandem instructor has all the skills and experience to make your tandem jump as safe as possible. The equipment is state-of-the-art and when used properly, skydiving can be as safe as or safer than any other extreme sport. 14. What kind of plane is used for the event? Pilatus Porter , PC-6 aircraft. It is ideal for short field take off and landings and strenuous high altitude mountain aviation. It is supplied by Tara air and piloted by only the best and most experienced mountain and skydiving aviators. 15. Can I skydive if I am disabled? Generally disability is not necessarily a barrier. Tandem skydiving has made it possible for many people to participate, who would otherwise be unsuitable for solo parachute training. It is worth noting that the final responsibility, and therefore the final decision as to a person's suitability, rests with the tandem instructor. However, if you have a disability and would like to skydive, do not hesitate to contact us. However, with an expedition as extreme as Everest Skydive, involving a few days of strenuous trekking, catering for non able bodied individuals may be tricky. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 16. I wear spectacles / contact lenses. Will this be a problem? No. Goggles to fit over spectacles will be provided, and these will securely retain your spectacles in place. Goggles will also protect contact lenses and prevent them from being displaced. Contact lenses would be preferable, so bring them along if you can. We believe it would be much more scary if you could not see what was going on! 17. What if the weather is bad on the day of my jump? All aviation activity is mostly dependent on suitable weather conditions. Historically we manage weather constraints by getting up early and being patient. The mountains have always been kind to us at some point. 18. What do I need to take with me to the drop zone? You're going to have fun so in order to do so, be comfortable. A comfortable pair of running shoes is recommended and clothing that suits the weather of the day. If you have long hair, bring something to tie it up for your jump! We provide you with a jump suit to cover your clothes, and look cool for the camera.