Icarus and Daedalus - Skydiving and other adventures: Skydiving and world exploration

In my years as a skydiver I have gone to a LOT of boogies, and hosted some too. I have also travelled around the world to some places that most people haven't been to. This article is not exactly about boogies or travelling, but has some connections to it. Because there is jumping, and there is travelling. It's the extreme way of combining these two, and get to skydive in some amazing places around the world.

Let me start of by saying that the price for these jumps might not be realistic for most skydivers. But with the right sponsorship or as part of a project of some sort, it could be.

This list is not ranked in order of awesomeness.

Everest Skydive

Imagine being at the top of the world. Literally. Everwhere you look lies the highest mountains in the world. It´s like standing in the halls of great gods, and feeling very little and insignificant, and very big and significant at the same time. This is Khumbu region of Nepal.

Photo by Paul-Heny de Beàre

This skydiving expedition usually takes place once a year in November, and starts at the arrival in Kathmandu - the capital of Nepal. The whole team travels together by plane to Lukla and then does a 4 day trek to Syangboche where the jumps are to take place. DZ altitude is 12.500 ft! It´s so high that an acclimatazation day is needed to adjust the body to this high altitude.

In the skydiving package you buy, two jumps are included. These jumps will be from a helicopter, and exit altitude will be around 23.000 ft. From this altitude fully specialized oxygen gear and a special rig with a larger canopy is provided (trust me! You want a super large canopy when landing at 12.500 ft)

Now what´s so special about skydiving here? The views and being part of something truly unique! You get to jump out of a helicopter and look not only at Mount Everest (8848m), but also Cho Oyu (8188m), Lhotse (8516m), Nuptse (7861m), Makalu (8485m), and my favorite Ama Dablam (6812m) and many other peaks and glaciers.
You get to jump in a truly rural and highly technical enviroment, and at the same time experience a country so full of exciting culture, and the most heartfelt and humble people, that you can not return from this expedition without being forever changed just a little bit.

Prices:
Solo:
Two jumps at Syangboche: 22.000 USD
Three jumps at Synagboche: 25.000 USD
Tandem:
Two jumps at Syangboche: 25.000 USD
One jump at Syangboche and one jump at Ama Dablam DZ (extended expedition) 30.000 USD

www.everest-skydive.com

Skydiving on the North Pole

The stats for this one pretty much sums it all up:
Jump plane: Russian jet powered strategic airlifter Ilyushin Il-76 (Russian C-17 counterpart)
Jump destination: Geographical North Pole - Top of the world - Home of Santa and so on.
Accomodation: Barneo Ice Base located on the ice cap.

Exit from probably the biggest jump plane you will ever get close to

This one is spicey! Tom Noonan who jumped here says "it´s the closest you can get to outer space, and its actually easy to get to".
Imagine the second the ramp of a humongous airlifter opens up and you look out, and all you can see is flat ice. Like a different world. Now jump out of this big bird at 140 knots into the cold. Deploy the parachute. You look down and the actual top of the world is marked with a smoke granade. That´s where you land. Not many people get to go here at all, and much much fewer get to arrive by parachute.
Now is the time for celebration. Dance around the world in a single minute, or if you dare, you can dive in to a hole in the ice and freshen up after the jump.

After this, the team will be transferred by helicopter to nearby Ice Base Barneo, a Russian build camp, where you stay over night (in 24h daylight) in cozy heated tents, and can enjoy food, drinks and good company. Every year the base is rebuild from the ground up due to the drifting ice.

Next day a russian transport plane will pick you and the team up and fly you back to Norway where it all started.

Canopy flight above the artic ice cap. Smoke marks the North Pole

For this one, time might be short. The ice cap is getting thinner and smaller every year, so if you want to do this skydive, now is the time. 5 to 10 years from now, it might turn in to a water jump.

Prices:
Solo: 37.000 USD
Tandem: 77.000 USD
Tandem: Add video jumper: 40.000 USD

https://skydivehigh.com/north-pole-jump/

Skydive Antarctica

Exit from Twin Otter above Union Glacier, Antarctica

You want to be part of a very exclutive club of people? Look no further! A fair amount of people have skydived on the North Pole by now, and, although much fewer, still a good amount of people have joined the Everest Skydive team on an expedition.
Few people have ever gone to Antarctica, much much fewer have skydived there. We are probably talking less than 20.

The way to go is by Chile. From here you will get on a plane from Punta Arenas to Union Glacier on the least explored and most remote continent on the eart: Antarctica. Here it isn´t a flat ice cap as on the North Pole, but a landscape of big mountains, glacier and ice.

Antarctica is the highest, driest, windiest, and most supposedly most beautiful continent on earth.
On your 7 day round trip you will get to do two skydives out of a Twin Otter as well as hike, ski, and bike around as you explore Union Glacier. Average mid-season temperatures at base camp range from 10°F to 25°F (-12°C to -4°C )

Prices:
Solo: 28.775 USD
Tandem: From 60.000 USD

Get in touch with me for more info on wanakakim@gmail.com

Sponsor feature


The Wiley X Omega with Kryptek camouflage pattern

Wiley X EMEA is headquartered in Denmark, and produces eyewear.
Unlike most eyewear brands skydivers tend to go for, Wiley X has the advantage that all their products are bullet proof. Literally! Since its establishment in 1987 Wiley X has been a global leader in the protective eyewear market supplying military forces and law enforcement personnel with top of the line ballistic eyewear.
Realizing the need to protect your eyes also during leisure and sports, Wiley X is the only premium eyewear brand who tests its entire sunglass collection to both ANSI Z87.1-2010 & EN.166 safety and optical standards. And with skydiving´s high speeds, both in freefall with other peoples bodies swooshing close by, and during landing, the last thing you need in an accident is glass in your eyes. Also, I dont know about the rest of you, but my ass tends to seek towards my sunglasses, meaning that I often sit on them by accident. And they will hold up to that too!
But not only do all their products live up to these safety standards, they look real good too!

I exclusively wear Wiley X products for all activities. And I am happy to know that whether I'm at work doing tandems or video, HALO jumps in cold climate, trekking in the mountains, or kayaking, my eyes and my glasses are always protected.