Taupo Tandem Skydive. Book Now And Freefall For Up To 60 Seconds Over Lake Taupo

How A Taupo Tandem Skydive Is Priced Across Four Exit Heights

The official skydive-only ladder at the drop zone on Anzac Memorial Drive runs NZ$279, NZ$329, NZ$379 and NZ$529 for 9,000, 12,000, 15,000 and 16,500 ft per person. The first three steps sit NZ$50 apart. The final step, to what the operator describes as its highest jump, costs NZ$150 more than the 15,000 ft option.

Freefall time is what each step buys. The 12,000 ft jump gives almost 40 seconds of freefall. The 15,000 ft jump gives almost 60 seconds, up to 60 at best. The 16,500 ft jump gives over 70 seconds. The drop zone does not publish a reliable freefall figure for the 9,000 ft jump, so this comparison starts at 12,000 ft.

Run the arithmetic and the value of each step becomes clear. Moving from 12,000 to 15,000 ft costs NZ$50 and adds about 20 seconds of freefall, roughly NZ$2.50 per additional second. Moving from 15,000 to 16,500 ft costs NZ$150 and takes freefall from up to 60 seconds to over 70, so somewhere near NZ$15 per extra second at the margin. The 12,000 to 15,000 ft step is by far the cheapest way to buy more freefall on this Taupo tandem skydive ladder.

For budget-focused jumpers, the 9,000 ft option at NZ$279 is the entry point, and its freefall duration is best confirmed directly with the office on 0800 826 336. The 12,000 ft tier at NZ$329 appears on this site's tour listing from US$194 per person, a separate currency from a separate source; the two figures are not conversions of each other. All NZD prices here are per person and cover the jump itself, with camera packages priced separately. The 15,000 ft tier at NZ$379 and the 16,500 ft tier at NZ$529 complete the official set, and the operator may adjust exit height slightly on the day.

Camera Packages For The Taupo Tandem Skydive: Ace, Pro, Guru And Legend

Every package total below includes the jump itself, so subtracting the skydive-only price shows the true media cost. At 9,000 ft, Ace is NZ$438 and Pro is NZ$478, which against the NZ$279 jump price means NZ$159 and NZ$199 for the media. At 12,000 ft, Ace totals NZ$488, Pro NZ$528 and Guru NZ$608; minus the NZ$329 jump that is NZ$159, NZ$199 and NZ$279 respectively. At 15,000 ft, Ace at NZ$538, Pro at NZ$569, Guru at NZ$658 and Legend at NZ$759 come to NZ$159, NZ$190, NZ$279 and NZ$380 on top of the NZ$379 jump. At 16,500 ft, Ace at NZ$688 and Pro at NZ$719 add NZ$159 and NZ$190 over the NZ$529 jump.

The tiers differ by who holds the camera. Ace delivers HD photos from a selfie cam, the wrist cameras worn by the tandem master. Pro adds HD video from the same wrist setup. Guru and Legend involve a freefall cam, a separate camera flyer who jumps alongside you and films HD video and photos; Legend layers on selfie video and photos plus an exit photo. The outside freefall camera is not available at 9,000 or 16,500 ft, though a handycam package is offered at both heights.

Booked as add-ons, cameras range from NZ$25 up to NZ$300, and booking a camera package online takes 10% off. Finished media is emailed as a link. If the photo or video equipment malfunctions, you pay nothing for the media or receive a NZ$50 refund on the jump price.

Surcharges, Currency And When Payment Happens

Three line items can move the final bill after the listed price. A 15% surcharge applies to the skydive on New Zealand public holidays, though not to photo and video packages. On the 15,000 ft jump, NZ$379 plus 15% comes to about NZ$436. A 1.5% surcharge applies to credit-card payments. No weight surcharge is stated anywhere in the official pricing.

Payment is taken after the jump, which pairs with the weather policy: if conditions stop flying, you rebook the same day or later, or cancel free if you cannot return. Cancel free up to 24 hours before; a later cancellation or no-show may be charged in full.

The reason this page shows two currencies is simple. The official ladder from the drop zone is in NZD: NZ$279, NZ$329, NZ$379 and NZ$529. The 12,000 ft tour listing on this site carries its own from-price of US$194 per person, quoted by the listing in US dollars. The two figures come from two different sources and this comparison does not convert between them. Where a listing figure exists it is shown alongside the official NZD price, as with the 12,000 ft listing's 5.0 average across 457 reviews.

For the 15,000 ft jump and the helicopter combo, only the official NZD figures apply: NZ$379 for the skydive alone and from NZ$599 per person for the combo with a minimum of two passengers. Gift vouchers are not refundable as cash, and prepaid weather cancellations may be refunded excluding booking and card fees.

The 12,000-Foot Taupo Tandem Skydive At NZ$329 And Almost 40 Seconds Of Freefall

NZ$329 is the official skydive-only price for the 12,000-foot jump at the Taupo drop zone, and it buys almost 40 seconds of freefall before the canopy opens over Lake Taupo. The listing on this site carries a 5.0 average across 457 reviews and shows a from price of US$194 per person, with the whole visit listed at 2 hours. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the booking, and transport within Taupo is included at no extra cost, collecting roughly 30 minutes before the booked time by stretch Hummer or minibus.

Of the four exit heights offered at 1227 Anzac Memorial Drive, Taupo Airport, the 12,000-foot option sits second from the bottom. It costs NZ$50 less than the 15,000-foot jump while giving up a little over 20 seconds of freefall. The drop zone is about a 10 minute drive from central Taupo, and trips run hourly from 9:00 to 16:00 in winter and 8:00 to 18:00 in summer, 362 days a year.

Camera packages available at this height are the Ace at NZ$488 total and the Pro at NZ$528 total, plus the Guru at NZ$608, which adds a separate camera flyer filming the freefall in HD. Booking a camera package online takes 10% off, and the finished media arrives as an emailed link. Every jump includes a certificate of completion, a free neck buff, and supplied jumpsuit, goggles and hat. Payment is taken after the jump, and if weather stops flying you can rebook the same day or later, or cancel free if you cannot return.

What 12,000 Feet Trades Against 15,000 Feet

The honest trade-off is time. A 12,000-foot Taupo tandem skydive delivers almost 40 seconds of freefall; the 15,000-foot jump reaches up to 60 seconds. The NZ$50 saving buys a shorter fall.

Three checks before booking. Weight: the operator assesses anyone up to and over 100 kg individually through its Safety Officer, so call the office on 0800 826 336 if that applies. Age: 8 is the minimum, under 18 needs written parental or guardian consent, and under 14 requires individual assessment plus a paying adult known to the child in the plane. Camera pick: at 12,000 ft all three packages exist, including the Guru with its outside camera flyer, an option the 9,000 and 16,500-foot jumps do not offer in that form. Closed-toe shoes and warm comfortable clothes are the dress code, and glasses fit under the goggles.

Helicopter Flight And 15,000-Foot Taupo Tandem Skydive Combo From NZ$599

NZ$599 per person is the from price for the combo, which needs a minimum of 2 passengers per booking and pairs a 12-minute helicopter flight with the 15,000-foot skydive. The flight comes first, lifting off from Huka Falls Heliport at 415 Huka Falls Road, Wairakei, with the helicopter company as the operator. The typical schedule runs 1pm for the helicopter and 2pm for the skydive, so the two parts sit back to back rather than spread across a day.

The jump itself is the standard 15,000-foot exit, up to 60 seconds of freefall, with a free exit photo folded into the combo price. After landing at the drop zone, transport runs back either to the helicopter base or to your accommodation. An upgrade to 16,500 ft is possible at the drop zone, the operator's highest jump, which stretches freefall past 70 seconds for those who want the ceiling; note that age rule of 14 and over with a high-altitude waiver applies at that height. Free cancellation on the combo runs to 24 hours before the booking.

Practical points carry over from the skydive side. Arrive 30 minutes before the booking time to sign in, bring government photo ID, and wear warm comfortable clothes with closed-toe shoes. The skydive portion lasts about 30 minutes and the whole visit finishes in around 2 hours, so allow 2 to 3 hours end to end. No drugs or alcohol, no scuba diving within 24 hours before, and a doctor's visit first if you are unsure about any medical question.

Combo Pricing Against Two Separate Bookings

Set the combo's NZ$599 per person beside the 15,000-foot skydive on its own at NZ$379 and the arithmetic is a NZ$220 difference for the 12-minute helicopter flight. That subtraction is ours, not a quoted price of the flight: the listing prices the package. Whether NZ$220 represents a saving depends entirely on what a separate Huka Falls-area flight would cost booked alone, which is a comparison this site cannot make from the listed figures.

Two structural points matter more than the math. First, the start points differ: you begin at Huka Falls Heliport, 415 Huka Falls Road, Wairakei, then move to the drop zone at 1227 Anzac Memorial Drive for the 1pm-and-2pm sequence, with transport back to the heliport base or accommodation afterwards. Free Taupo transport applies on the skydive listings but the combo's own flow starts at the heliport, so plan the day around that first departure. Second, flexibility is real on both ends: free cancellation runs to 24 hours before, the upgrade to 16,500 ft can be arranged at the drop zone itself, and the minimum of 2 passengers per booking means solo travellers need a partner for this one. Weather holds follow the standard policy, rebook same day or later, cancel free if you cannot return.

Confirm The Weather And Meet The Ride

The day starts with a phone call. The drop zone asks customers to call about 30 minutes before arrival or pickup. After that call, transport in town is free: a stretch Hummer or minibus collects passengers roughly 30 minutes before the booked jump time.

Trips leave hourly, 9:00 to 16:00 in winter and 8:00 to 18:00 in summer. Anyone making their own way to 1227 Anzac Memorial Drive at Taupo Airport should plan to arrive 30 minutes before the booking time to sign in, the same buffer the transport schedule assumes.

Check In At The Drop Zone

Sign-in happens at the drop zone office on Anzac Memorial Drive, about a 10 minute drive from central Taupo. Government photo ID is required, so a passport or driver licence needs to come along. Under 18s bring written parental or guardian consent, and jumpers aged under 14 are assessed individually; a child in that age group must be accompanied in the plane by a known adult who is also paying for a skydive.

The 16,500 ft option carries its own conditions. It is restricted to ages 14 and over, and a high-altitude waiver is signed at the drop zone before flying. Jumpers over 100 kg, or close to it, should contact the office on 0800 826 336 in advance, because equipment limits plus body shape and mobility all factor into the Safety Officer's individual assessment. There is no stated weight surcharge.

Gear Up And Brief

Once paperwork is done, the gear comes out. A jumpsuit, goggles, hat and buff are supplied with every jump, so nothing technical needs to be bought or brought. Glasses fit under the goggles.

Clothing guidance is simple: warm, comfortable layers and closed-toe shoes. Anyone with a medical question is advised to see a doctor first, and the operator can decline a person for safety reasons. No scuba diving is allowed within 24 hours before a jump, and drugs and alcohol are off the table. From there the day moves to the plane.

Ride Up Over Lake Taupo

The flight to altitude is short. Lake Taupo lies below the jump run, with Huka Falls among the nearby landmarks. The exit heights on offer are 9,000, 12,000, 15,000 and 16,500 ft, with the operator describing 16,500 ft as its highest jump. The operator may adjust exit height slightly on the day.

The whole skydive portion, from exit to landing, takes about 30 minutes.

Freefall At Your Chosen Height

Freefall length depends directly on the height chosen. The 12,000 ft exit gives almost 40 seconds of freefall. The 15,000 ft option gives almost 60 seconds, described as up to 60. The 16,500 ft exit stretches that to over 70 seconds, which is the longest the drop zone sells and the reason it carries the age floor of 14 and a high-altitude waiver.

For the 9,000 ft jump the operator publishes no reliable freefall time. What is certain is the ladder of prices: NZ$279 at 9,000 ft, NZ$329 at 12,000 ft, NZ$379 at 15,000 ft and NZ$529 at 16,500 ft per person, camera packages extra. Payment is taken after the jump.

Canopy, Landing And The Extras

After the parachute opens, the canopy flight carries the pair back toward the drop zone. No canopy duration is stated by the operator, so the honest answer to "how long under canopy" is that the overall skydive portion is about 30 minutes and the total visit finishes in about 2 hours; allowing 2 to 3 hours is the safe planning figure.

On the ground, the included items arrive: a certificate of completion and a free neck buff for every jumper, with 50% off a T-shirt on 15,000 ft and higher packages. Camera media, whether from wrist selfie cameras or a separate freefall camera flyer, is emailed as a link. If the photo or video gear malfunctions, there is no charge for the media or a NZ$50 refund on the jump price.

Hours, Days And What Is Actually Known

The operating rhythm is simple and published. Trips run hourly, from 9:00 to 16:00 in winter and 8:00 to 18:00 in summer, 362 days a year. No monthly weather statistics are quoted here because none exist in the operator's material; the only seasonal signal is that shift in hours, plus whatever the sky is doing on the day.

Taupo sits in the central North Island, and the weather-hold policy is built around exactly that variability. Payment is taken after the jump, not before, which means a weather cancellation costs a customer nothing on the spot.

What Happens When The Weather Holds

If weather stops flying, the choices are rebooking the same day at a later slot, rebooking for another day, or cancelling free if returning is not possible. Prepaid weather cancellations may be refunded, excluding booking and card fees, and gift vouchers are not refundable as cash. Where a refund comes from depends on how the booking was paid: through the operator if prepaid direct, otherwise through the booking agent.

The practical habit is the phone call. Ringing 0800 826 336 about 30 minutes before arrival or pickup confirms the weather and avoids a wasted trip.

Cancellation Rules In Plain Terms

Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before the booked jump. Cancel inside that window, or fail to show, and the booking may be charged in full. That rule applies across the listings compared here, including the 12,000 ft listing and the combo, both of which carry the 24 hour free cancellation window.

Weather is treated separately from change-of-mind cancellations. When flying is stopped by weather, the customer can rebook the same day or later, or cancel free if they cannot return. For prepaid bookings caught by weather, a refund may be issued, minus booking and card fees, and gift vouchers are never refunded as cash. The refund path depends on the payment: direct prepaid bookings are refunded by the operator, while bookings paid through an agent go back through that agent.

Public Holidays And Card Fees

Two surcharges sit on the pricing. A 15% surcharge on the skydive applies on New Zealand public holidays, though not on photo and video packages. Card payments carry a 1.5% surcharge. Neither affects the core ladder of NZ$279, NZ$329, NZ$379 and NZ$529 for the four exit heights on ordinary days.

One planning note ties back to transport: the Rotorua group pickup does not run on public holidays, so a holiday booking from Rotorua means arranging the drive to Anzac Memorial Drive independently. For a Taupo tandem skydive booked on a normal day, the free Hummer or minibus and the after-jump payment keep the money side straightforward.

The Four Camera Packages For A Taupo Tandem Skydive

Photos and video come in four tiers: Ace, Pro, Guru and Legend. Ace means HD photos taken on a selfie camera, the wrist cameras worn by the tandem master. Pro adds HD video and photos from the same selfie-cam setup. Guru steps up to a separate camera flyer who jumps with you and films the freefall in HD video and photos. Legend, the top tier, combines freefall video and photos with selfie video and photos plus an exit photo. Availability differs by exit height because the outside camera flyer is not offered at 9,000 or 16,500 ft.

Package prices are totals that include the jump itself. At 9,000 ft the Ace package comes to NZ$438 and the Pro to NZ$478. At 12,000 ft the Ace totals NZ$488, the Pro NZ$528 and the Guru NZ$608. At 15,000 ft, the fullest menu, the Ace is NZ$538, the Pro NZ$569, the Guru NZ$658 and the Legend NZ$759. At 16,500 ft, with no outside camera flyer, the Ace totals NZ$688 and the Pro NZ$719.

For most jumpers the choice comes down to whether they want footage of themselves in freefall or footage from their own perspective. The Guru and Legend tiers are the only ones with a second person in the air filming. Anyone booking a Taupo tandem skydive who mainly wants stills can save by stopping at Ace, while video-first jumpers should compare Pro against Guru at the 12,000 and 15,000 ft heights where both exist.

Camera Package Practicalities

Book a camera package online and 10% comes off. Media is delivered by email as a link rather than a physical card or USB handover at the drop zone. Cameras can also be bought as add-ons, priced from NZ$25 up to NZ$300 on top of the jump.

If the photo or video equipment malfunctions, the policy is clear: no charge for the media, or a NZ$50 refund on the jump price. That covers the practical edge cases for a Taupo tandem skydive photo order: book online for the discount, watch the inbox for the link, and know the refund position before you fly.

Staying Near The Drop Zone

The stay cards below list three Taupo options on Lake Terrace and Napier Road, spanning budget, mid-range and upper tiers. Each sits roughly a 5 to 10 minute drive from the drop zone at Taupo Airport, which is itself about a 10 minute drive from town. Proximity pays: check-in opens 30 minutes before the booked slot, and trips run hourly from 9:00 to 16:00 in winter and 8:00 to 18:00 in summer.

Free transport within Taupo, by stretch Hummer or minibus, collects about 30 minutes before the booked time, so a stay in town doubles as a pickup point for a Taupo tandem skydive morning. An early jump leaves the rest of the day for Lake Taupo or Huka Falls.