Skydive Egypt operates the only licensed tandem skydiving programme above the Giza Plateau, launching jumpers from 13,000 feet over the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure.
Founded in 2016, the operator introduced freefall tourism to Egypt's monuments after a three-year licensing process involving civil aviation authorities and the Ministry of Antiquities. Each tandem jump delivers 60 seconds of freefall at 200 kilometres per hour before the parachute deploys at 5,000 feet, granting seven minutes of canopy descent across desert dunes and limestone escarpments.
The Giza Plateau sits 60 metres above sea level, creating stable atmospheric conditions for skydiving between October and May. Morning winds typically measure below 15 knots, essential for safe landings on the sand drop zone west of the Great Pyramid. All instructors hold tandem ratings from the United States Parachute Association and complete annual recertification flights. Equipment rotates on a 500-jump cycle, with reserve parachutes inspected every 180 days by certified riggers.
Skydive Egypt also offers paramotor and microlight flights for visitors who prefer powered ascent over freefall. Paramotors — foot-launched parachutes with rear-mounted propellers — circle the Pyramids at 1,500 feet for 20-minute flights, while microlights climb to 3,000 feet for 30-minute panoramic loops over Saqqara and the Nile Valley. Both options require calm winds and operate exclusively during the early-morning window when thermal activity remains minimal.
The operator maintains a private hangar at the Giza airstrip, 2.5 kilometres from the Sphinx. Aircraft include a Cessna 208 Caravan configured for tandem drops and two Rotax-powered microlights certified for Egyptian airspace. Ground crew coordinate with Cairo Approach Control for each flight, ensuring separation from commercial traffic into Cairo International Airport 15 kilometres northeast. Desert thermals intensify after 10:00, restricting all aerial operations to sunrise through mid-morning slots. Skydive Egypt's safety record spans eight years without incident across 12,000 tandem jumps, a statistic audited annually by the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority.
1 hr 30 min
