About Skydive New Zealand

Not all skydives are the same!

Skydive New Zealand is a company dedicated to providing an unparalleled skydiving experience with high standards of safety and a personal service. This combines a genuine scenic flight around the Westland national park over subtropical rainforests, rivers and lakes, including Lake Matheson (the most photographed lake in New Zealand ) and the Tasman sea, then beside New Zealand's highest mountains - Mt Tasman and (Aoraki) Mt Cook - and the largest glaciers and snow fields in the Southern Alps.

This is the premier area of New Zealand for scenic flight operators, fixed wing and helicopter. We include this flight with our Skydive. No other Skydive Company in New Zealand can offer these views, winter or summer.

Skydive New Zealand was relocated from Hokitika to the glaciers in 1997. The business is owned and operated by locals who have been involved in the skydiving and aviation industry for more than 25 years.

Our aircraft is a type operated by several scenic flight operators in the area, including ski planes, and is considered ideal for the mountain environment we operate in and also great for photo opportunities on the way to altitude. Our Parachute Systems are top of the line and maintained to the highest standards.

All our Tandem Instructors are internationally qualified with thousands of skydives and are associate members of the New Zealand Parachute Industry Association, NZPIA. They take care of everything and give you a comprehensive briefing on the ground before boarding the aircraft, so all you have to do is concentrate on the magnificent scenery and the ultimate freefall experience you will remember for ever.

Where are we?

We are based at Fox Glacier, 25 minutes south of Franz Josef Glacier. Our airport is just a two minute walk from the village and only 5 kilometres from the terminal face of Fox Glacier, the largest glacier on the West Coast (see the photo below). The glacier is 13 kilometres long and 300 metres deep. No other glaciers in the world are as easily accessible as the Fox and Franz Glaciers.

Near the base township is beautiful Lake Matheson, icon of the West Coast with its enchanting reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman. There is a range of other activities to do at Fox including Glacier Walks and Heli Hikes, as well as other bush walks. Gillespies Beach on the coast to the west has a large seal colony in the winter with smaller numbers to be seen in the summer. There is a wide range of accommodation available in both Fox and Franz Josef.