Pokhara Skydive 2023: Triumphant Jumps Amidst Himalayan Beauty

Skydiving in Nepal makes one of an adventure of a lifetime, due to its fabulous mountainous landscapes. And in Nepal also, Pokhara is one of the key places for that. Maintaining its legacy of extraordinary and unparalleled escapades, Pokhara Skydive 2023, orchestrated by Everest Skydive Pvt. Ltd, concluded securely and triumphantly on Friday, 24 Nov 2023. As stated by Anuj Pandey, Managing Director of Pokhara Skydive, this year's event entailed jumps from a B3/B2 AS 350 helicopter belonging to Fishtail Air at an elevation of 12,500-13,000 feet, adeptly piloted by Captain Francois Favart, Rabin Prajapati, and Sujal Shrestha. 

"The tranquil valleys and magnificent Himalayas surrounding Pokhara offer a visual delight and create a stunning setting for skydiving. With such awe-inspiring vistas and intrepid individuals gathering in Pokhara for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Pokhara Skydive certainly lived up to its reputation. The exuberance on the jumpers' faces spoke volumes - it surpassed their wildest expectations!" The week-long event welcomed solo and tandem jumpers from across the globe. 

It was supported by a team of seasoned international crew members - Paul Henry Alexandre De Baere, Wendy Smith, Nadezhda Solovyeva, Omar Alhegelan, Leandro Gioia, Alberto Avalis, Joao Paulo Netto, Christian Stoevring, Peter Savaloe, Jean Philippe and Christopher Whitley, Dylan Pruett, and Tyler Steele, Pandey shared.

"In summary, this year's program witnessed a total of 159 triumphant jumps made by skydiving aficionados. The 2023 skydive also featured Indian celebrities - Telugu actress Tejaswi Madivada and Telugu actor Navdeep - who expressed exultation after their jumps." The event has emerged as a much-anticipated finale for the autumn season in Pokhara. Encouraging local participation was evidenced this year as the event's duration was extended to accommodate additional jumpers, Pandey informed. 

The logistics for Pokhara Skydive were managed by the ground crew comprising Bharat Puri and Manoj Thapa, with ground photography and videos captured by Durlav Roy Chowdhury and Sujan Bhadel - all representing Pokhara Skydive. This year, over the course of one week, a total of 159 tandem and solo jumps were executed successfully. The event culminated on November 24th, with a pledge to return for more exhilarating adventures in the autumn of 2024.

History of Skydiving in Pokhara

The commercial operations of the skydiving event commenced in 2013, and it has been held annually every autumn at the Pame dropzone, situated to the west of Phewa Lake.

In 2010, initial test jumps took place at the under-construction Pokhara International Airport located at Chhine Dada. These jumps were conducted using Tara Air's Pilatus Porter aircraft, from which participants leaped from an altitude of 14,000 feet and accomplished remarkable landings. Following these test jumps, Pokhara Skydive went through a brief hiatus for several years. Nonetheless, in 2013, the first promotional event was launched amid considerable excitement, taking place in Lauruk, a location 11 km north of Pokhara Lakeside. During this two-day event (on November 11th and 12th), a total of ten jumpers from various countries, including the USA, France, Ecuador, India, and Nepal performed exhilarating dives while embracing the Annapurnas.

In 2019, Pokhara Skydive was held between November 19th to 24th at Pame with an impressive count of 147 adventure enthusiasts participating in the adrenaline-filled skydiving experience over Pokhara.

In 2021, the event occurred from November 16th to the 21st at its customary dropzone in Pame, situated 11 km west of Phewa Lakeside. Organized by the expert crew team from Everest Skydive, it registered a record number of 178 jumpers hailing from India and Nepal.