Amanda Hoff
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
NZ Skydive Queenstown
5.0/5
I am a sport jumper who has jumped at several drop zones in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand.
Originally, I had not intended to skydive in Queenstown, but went to NZ Skydive on the recommendation of another jumper with thousands of skydives all around the world - he described it as the most beautiful place he's ever jumped.
NZ Skydive Queenstown exceeded my already high expectations - friendly staff, comfortable facilities for such a small drop zone, and PHENOMENAL scenery. The experience of freefalling past mountains into the breathtaking valley below, and then savouring the spectacular sights under your parachute was beyond words!
This is a very small operation, so you will get a highly personal experience - you're not "just another paying customer" as you would be at many of the larger drop zones.
If you're only ever going to do one jump, do it at NZ Skydive Queenstown - you will not be disappointed!
If you've already done one, two, hundreds, or thousands of jumps... again, you will LOVE your experience in Glenorchy! (note for sport jumpers, due to a small landing area with very few outs, a B license is required to jump solo here - make sure you're comfortable flying and landing your canopy!)
Staff were very friendly and went out of their way to ensure that I was able to jump, a rare treat for a sport jumper in NZ as many drop zones there are highly commercialized "tandem factories".
Thanks for a great experience, guys!
(Whether you plan it as a one-time experience or want to do it again and again, get the video!!! I've seen a lot of jumpers decide against it, and far too many of them regretted their decision once they had done their jump, but I have NEVER heard someone say "I wish I hadn't bought the DVD..." It's a little bit of extra money to make your first skydive experience last a lifetime!)
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North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Rotorua ▷
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
5.0/5
Great self-guided walking tours with lots of information provided along the way.
Beautiful scenery, lots of variety throughout. You can walk as much or as little as you like (they have buses travelling back and forth with 3 or 4 stops along the path, included in the cost of admission). Lots of well-placed benches and seating areas along the way so you can take a break or just stop to take in key sights.
This was the highlight of NZ for my mom, and definitely one of my favourite parts of the trip as well!
Yes, you have to pay to see nature... but the money appears to be well-spent, as the trails are clean and kept up very well, and the services are both practical and well maintained.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
U Fly Extreme
5.0/5
Awesome experience!!!
Vincent and Alison were very friendly and welcoming, and they make sure that each person who walks into their facility (whether they fly or not) has a positive experience! They were fully accommodating with our tight travel schedule and short notice, and they even helped us plan our drive for when we left Motueka after the flight!
The experience itself was phenomenal, and I would recommend it to anyone with a passion for, or interest in, the skies. Definitely a highlight of my stay in New Zealand!
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
Skydive Abel Tasman
5.0/5
I'm a sport jumper and have jumped at several drop zones in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand.
Skydive Abel Tasman is a gorgeous drop zone, with great facilities and top-notch staff.
The staff at Skydive Abel Tasman are obviously passionate about skydiving and about sharing the experience and love of the sport, not just about taking your money (which I unfortunately can not say about every drop zone out there). They are large enough to accommodate customer demands and maintain great facilities, but small enough to still be very friendly and personable - a balance that is difficult for any drop zone to achieve!
Sure, you can go to any drop zone to do a tandem skydive and you will have fun, but I would definitely recommend Skydive Abel Tasman for a unique personal experience that goes beyond your average tandem jump.
Thanks, guys, for going out of your way to get me up in the sky again! I hope to return and jump with you again soon!
Blue Skies!
(Whether you plan it as a one-time experience or want to do it again and again, get the video!!! I've seen a lot of jumpers decide against it, and far too many of them regretted their decision once they had done their jump, but I have NEVER heard someone say "I wish I hadn't bought the DVD..." It's a little bit of extra money to make your first skydive experience last a lifetime!)
Amanda you are lovely. Thanks for this fantastic review. We are so pleased you enjoyed jumping at our DZ and yes Skydive Abel Tasman welcomes all sports jumpers. We are all very passionate about oour sport and love to share it with tandem customers and sports skydivers alike.
Once again thanks for the awesome review and please do come back to see us again, happy travels from all the team here at SAT! :)
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
Awol Canyoning Adventures Limited
5.0/5
Great first canyoning experience - Tony did a great job of keeping the pace good for everyone on the trip, and was very patient and encouraging with anyone who was struggling.
Gear was well-maintained and I felt very comfortable with its use.
Very personal experience - the same person who picked us up from the hotel took us through the canyon, and even took us to the beach after the trip!