My First Tandem Skydive: Freefall Over the Bavarian Alps
I’ve jumped off cliffs with a kite, thrown myself into waves, and tried every adrenaline sport I could find. But nothing prepared me for the moment the door of the Cessna opened at 4,000 metres and I looked straight down at the Alps. This is the story of my first tandem skydive – and why it won’t be my last.
The Decision
Honestly, skydiving had been on my list for years. What finally pushed me was a session at FlyStation Munich (more on that in another article). After flying in the wind tunnel, the instructor mentioned that the body position is almost identical to real freefall. I thought: if I can hold stable in the tunnel, I can handle the real thing. Two weeks later, I booked a tandem jump at Skydive Alpenregion near Bad Tölz.
The Jump Day
You arrive, sign waivers, get a 20-minute briefing, and meet your tandem master. Mine was Thomas – 3,000+ jumps, calm as a yoga teacher. The harness goes on, you walk to the plane, and then you’re climbing. At 1,500m the landscape starts looking like a map. At 3,000m you can see Munich. At 4,000m the door opens and the cold air hits.
The exit is the hardest part – not physically, but mentally. You’re sitting at the edge of an open door, legs dangling in the void. Thomas counts down. Three, two, one – and you’re tumbling into nothing.
Freefall
The first three seconds are pure chaos. Your brain hasn’t caught up with what’s happening. Then suddenly everything stabilises and you’re flying. Terminal velocity hits around 200 km/h – but it doesn’t feel like falling. It feels like floating on an incredibly powerful column of air. The noise is deafening, the wind tears at your face, and the Alps are spread out below like a 3D model. It lasts about 60 seconds. It feels like 10.
Under Canopy
The parachute opens and everything goes silent. You go from 200 km/h to gently drifting in about three seconds. Now you have 5-7 minutes of pure bliss – circling above green valleys, spotting lakes and villages, watching paragliders below you. Thomas let me steer the canopy, which felt surprisingly intuitive (similar to a power kite, actually). The landing was softer than I expected – a gentle slide onto grass.
Would I Do It Again?
I’ve already booked my AFF course (Accelerated Freefall). The tandem was incredible, but I want to fly solo. The combination of extreme sensory overload during freefall and meditative calm under canopy is unlike anything else I’ve experienced. If you’re even remotely curious – do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tandem skydive cost in Bavaria?
A tandem jump from 4,000 metres costs between 200 and 280 EUR depending on the drop zone and season. Video packages (highly recommended) add 80-120 EUR. Booking midweek is usually cheaper and less crowded than weekends.
Is skydiving safe?
Tandem skydiving has an excellent safety record. Modern equipment includes two parachutes (main + reserve) and an automatic activation device (AAD) that deploys the reserve if needed. Tandem masters are required to have hundreds of jumps and specific ratings. The statistical risk is comparable to a long motorcycle ride.
What should I wear for a skydive?
Comfortable, snug-fitting clothes – no loose scarves or open jackets. Trainers or sneakers work best (no sandals or boots). The drop zone provides jumpsuits, goggles, and helmets. At altitude, it’s about 20°C cooler than on the ground, but the jumpsuit handles most of that.
Image source: Pexels / Kamaji Ogino
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