TOIP

Ever had the desire to fly? Stretching those arms and experiencing the gush of air as you free fall and enjoy a birds eye view. If you are game for it, sky dive. Sky diving is most popular adventure sport which is the closest experience humans can have to flying.

A typical sky diving experience involves exiting a aircraft at an altitude of 1000 to 4000 feet and enjoying a free fall for about a minute depending upon the altitude of drop and then activating the parachute to reduce the speed, control the directions and land slowly in about 5 to 7 minutes. If you are not a professional sky diver, you can still do a tandem sky dive attached at strong points to a master sky divers. All modern tandem sky diving system uses a drogue parachute shortly after exiting the plane which reduces the skydiver's terminal velocity and then deploy a large parachute to support the additional weight and guide to landing. 

Though anyone can sky dive, age, weight and other health restrictions depend on the operating company and the area of operation. A custom fit harness is a mandate before boarding the aircraft for the jump. Videographers or photographers will also dive along with you to capture those unforgettable moments. The price depends on the altitude of the jump, type of photography and the company operating it. For at-most safety always choose authorized operating company, experienced tandem master and quality equipments. Listening to the operator and clarifying all the doubts will make the experience more exhilarating.

Here is the list of World's Best Sky Dives:

1. Guam, Hawaii, USA - The small pacific island of Guam is one the best destination for sky diving. In addition to the adrenaline experience, the drop promises an unparalleled coast to coast view and blue sky.

2. Interlaken, Switzerland - Diving into a world of glaciers and snow capped mountains, the Swiss Alps sky diving in Switzerland is a must for all sky diving lovers

3. Australia and New Zealand - The adventure sports lover's haven, Australia and New Zealand has many best sites for sky diving. The aerial view of the Great barrier reef, World heritage rain forest, Golden sand beaches or Sky scrappers, one has many options to choose from.

4. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia - If you looking for diving into a active volcano, then Kamchatka sky dive over the Mutnovsky is where you should head to.

5. India - Sports authority of Gujarat is the only sky diving operator in India.

The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is one of the iconic national park in Australian island of Tasmania. Covering an area of 1280 sq. km., the national park contains some of the spectacular scenery and it is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Area. The Park actually is two, Lake St. Clair on the south-east side is the main attraction and starting point for Tasmania's most famous walks including the famous The Overland Track. While Cradle Mountain on the northern end has some of the incredible scenery.

The jagged contours of Cradle Mountain epitomize the feel of a wild landscape, while ancient rain forest and alpine heath-lands, button-grass and stands of colorful deciduous beech provide a range of environments to explore. Icy streams cascading out of rugged mountains, stands of ancient pines mirrored in the still waters of glacial lakes and a wealth of wildlife ensure there is always something to captivate you. 

 Hiking is one of the major activity in the Park. Overland Track, a 80 km walk between Cradle Mountains and lake St Clair, is the most beautiful walking trail of the Park. There are guided tours for the walk, including stays at catered huts on the way and can be done in 6 days. If you are short of time, there are several small tracks.

Visit:

1. Avoid Winter months of June, July and August

2. During April, you can see the spectacular changing colors of the deciduous beech

1.Climb Mt Ossa, Tasmania’s highest mountain and visit the fairytale D'Alton, Fergusson and Hartnett waterfalls

2. Cruise along Lake St Clair, Tasmania’s deepest lake and a walk past highland lakes and rivers

3.  Explore magical myrtle forests and see a species of beech tree more than 60 million years old

4. Trek to the top of Cradle Mountain through button grass plains and herb meadows.  From the 1,545 meter summit, you can look out over Dove and Crater Lakes Crater Lake and see valleys, plateaus, heaths and forests stretching for around 80 kilometers

5. Watch out for Padmelons, Bennett's wallabies, wombats and possums

6. If you are interested in the natural history of the park, you can enjoy the displays and interpretation at the Visitor Center, which you will pass as you travel towards Dove Lake

Cradle Mountains (Northern End): Devonport, Deloraine or Launceston

Lake St. Clair (Southern End): Derwent Bridge on the Lyell Highways between Queenstown and Hobart.

Accommodation:  

Plenty of accommodations are available for the tourists of this park

1. Walkers are limited for environmental reasons so you’ll need to book with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service in advance.

2. Feeding animals is strictly prohibited in the park and a large fine amount is imposed if caught feeding animals.

3. Climate in the region is unpredictable and wet weather is very common. Hence suitable gears is recommended.