Is Skydiving in Interlaken Safe — and What to Expect

Jumping out of a plane at 4,000 metres sounds like the riskiest thing you could possibly do on holiday. In practice, a tandem skydive with a certified instructor is one of the most controlled ways to experience freefall — you do none of the technical work, you’re attached to a professional the whole time, and jumps simply don’t run unless the conditions are right. This guide explains why it’s safe, who’s flying you, and exactly what happens on the day.

The Short Answer

Tandem skydiving in Interlaken is very safe by adventure-sport standards, because the two biggest risk factors — instructor skill and weather — are tightly controlled. Your instructor is a licensed professional with a packed main and reserve parachute, and skydives are postponed the moment conditions turn marginal. No prior experience is required of you at all.

Why It’s Safe

You’re attached to a professional the entire time. On a tandem skydive you’re securely harnessed to the front of a certified tandem instructor who controls the exit, the freefall, the parachute deployment and the landing. Your only job is to arch, relax and take in the view.

The equipment has a built-in backup. Every tandem rig carries a main parachute and a reserve, and modern systems include an automatic activation device designed to deploy the reserve if needed. The gear is inspected and maintained to strict standards, and the dropzone operation is regulated.

Jumps only run in safe conditions. Skydiving is entirely weather-dependent — instructors won’t jump in marginal wind, cloud or visibility. If your slot can’t go ahead you’re normally offered a reschedule or a refund. A cancelled jump isn’t bad luck; it’s the safety system doing its job. (More on timing in the best time of year to skydive in Interlaken.)

What to Expect, Step by Step

1. Check in and weigh in. You arrive at the operator’s meeting point near Interlaken, get weighed (it sets the right gear), meet your instructor, and sign in.
2. Briefing and kitting up. A friendly ground briefing covers the body position — head back, hips forward, legs tucked — then you’re fitted with a harness, jumpsuit, helmet and goggles.
3. The scenic flight. You board a small aircraft and spend about 15 minutes climbing to roughly 4,000 m (≈13,000 ft), watching the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and the two lakes drop away — a flightseeing tour before the jump even begins.
4. The exit. Strapped to your instructor, you move to the door and leave the aircraft together. There’s a brief, exhilarating drop, then the freefall settles.
5. Freefall. About 45 seconds falling toward the Alps at up to roughly 200 km/h (about 120 mph) — the most intense part, and over far too quickly.
6. Canopy ride. The instructor deploys the parachute at around 1,500 m, the roar drops to silence, and you get a calm 5–7 minute glide over the peaks and Lakes Thun and Brienz.
7. The landing. A smooth, guided touchdown back on the ground near Interlaken — feet up, slide in, adrenaline high.

What If I Get Nervous?

That’s completely normal. Tell your instructor — they jump with first-timers all day and will talk you through every stage. Morning slots tend to have the calmest, clearest air, so they’re the best choice if you’re anxious or prone to motion sickness. You don’t have to do anything technical: once you’ve exited, the instructor handles it all.

A Word on “Official” Operators

There’s no single official authority running these jumps — they’re flown by independent, top-rated companies with certified tandem instructors. The trust signals that actually matter are high review counts, certified crews, clearly stated weight and age limits, dual-parachute rigs, and free cancellation. The featured airplane skydive on this site — rated 4.9/5 across hundreds of reviews — is chosen on exactly those terms.

Ready to Book?

A top-rated Interlaken airplane tandem skydive pairs a certified instructor with free cancellation up to 24 hours before — so you can book with confidence and rebook freely if the weather turns. Check availability, and see how much it costs and what’s included before you go.