Visiting the Giza Pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and one of the greatest mysteries of history, can undoubtedly be an unparalleled experience.
However, jumping over this timeless archaeological landmark and watching it from above can be beyond description.
Every year, Egypt organizes a skydiving festival, called ‘Jump like a Pharaoh’, in the skies of the Giza Pyramids.
The fifth edition of the festival will be held this year between November 2 and 29, under the slogan ‘Message of Peace from Egypt to the World’.
The festival will be sponsored by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Egyptian Parachute Jumping and Air Sports Federation.
The Egyptian Armed Forces will provide the festival with two helicopters and a plane, which will be used in completing over 900 air jumps through 16 sorties that will be carried out by 100 international skydivers from around the world.
Festival Media Spokesman, Yahyael-Gaafari, said the event would seek to send a message to the world that Egypt, despite the events the world is going through, would always be ready to host the most important sports events.
He told the Egyptian Mail that the festival would start at a military base in Cairo.
A military plane, he said, would take the skydivers participating in the festival to the pyramids area where they would carry out their jumps.
He noted that jumpers would land at the foot of Chephren, the second-tallest of the three Giza Pyramids, in three cycles.
“Each cycle will include 20 participants,” el-Gaafari said.
A helicopter present on a helipad next to the pyramids will then take the other skydivers to the jumping site.
El-Gaafarinoted that the festival organizers decided to make the festival a bit longer this year to give skydivers the chance to have enough rest between different jumps.
Saudi skydiver, Omar Alhegelan, will participate in the festival this year for the fifth time in a row.
Alhegelan is expected to share his vast experience with other festival participants. He is apioneer of competitive freeflying, who won multiple national and international championships.
He is alsoa Fédération Aéronautique Internationale-sanctioned champion and a World Air Games and a world games gold medalist.
Also participating in the festival will be world champions, Greg Crozier and Karen Joly, from team AirWaxFreefly which participates in the festival for the fourth time.
El-Gaafari revealed that unprofessional skydivers will be allowed to participate in the festival under coaching from professional divers and trainers.
Festival Head, Mustafa Saeed, expressed hopes that skydiving would become a popular sport in Egypt.
“I hope sports club administrations will make this sport available to members at affordable prices,” Saeed told the Egyptian Mail.
Egypt’s climate, he added,makes it a competitive venue for skydiving festivals and competitions.
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