We've got news. DZSpotter is now an official sponsor of Jump Like A Pharaoh Vol. 9 2026, the most iconic skydiving event on earth. If you've ever wanted to exit a Hercules C-130 at 15,000 feet and watch the Pyramids of Giza grow out of the desert beneath your canopy, this is the year to do it.
Jump Like A Pharaoh is run by Skydive Egypt in cooperation with the Egyptian Parachuting and Airsports Federation and the Egyptian Air Force. We're proud to back it. Below is everything you need to plan the trip, plus a breakdown of how DZSpotter's tools make the prep work easier and safer.
Event dates and packages for Vol. 9
Volume 9 runs as two separate weeks in October 2026, each capped at 100 jumpers. Slots usually go 65% gone by January, so if you're planning to come, register early.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 18 to 23 October 2026 |
| Week 2 | 23 to 28 October 2026 |
| Aircraft | Egyptian Air Force Hercules C-130 (tailgate exit) |
| Helicopter add-on | Mi-17 sunset jump (extra $350) |
| Drop altitude | 15,000 ft |
| 3-jump package | $2,200 USD |
| 6-jump package | $3,100 USD |
| Night jump add-on | $600 |
| Hotel | Hyatt Centric Cairo West (5-star, included) |
| Cap per week | 100 jumpers |
Packages cover five nights at the Hyatt Centric Cairo West, transportation between hotel, Pyramids, and the military airport, breakfast, the closing dinner, an event T-shirt, and sponsor vouchers. Single rooms cost $375 extra and non-jumper companions are $650. Tandems are available on request for first-timers.
Who can jump? The requirements
This is a serious event with serious gear rules. Here's what you'll need:
- USPA B-licence or a recognised international equivalent (British Skydiving CH2, APF B, CSPA B)
- Minimum 100 logged jumps (camera flyers need 200+)
- Your own rig. Rental gear is not available at this event. Jumpers are allowed to bring their own rental gear.
- Reserve repacked within 180 days of the event end date by a certified master rigger
- A working AAD with valid documentation
- Personal accident, medical, and third-party insurance
If you're short on jumps, short on currency, or shopping for your first rig before October, this is where DZSpotter comes in.
How DZSpotter helps you prep for the Pyramids
We built DZSpotter as a Wikipedia-style directory for skydivers, by skydivers. Every feature exists to solve a real problem we kept hitting ourselves.
Find Dropzones
Need to put 30 jumps on the board before October? Our global dropzone directory covers 250+ DZs across 30+ countries with full pricing, aircraft, drop altitude, hook turn rules, and rig hire info. Filter by country, GPS proximity, altitude, AFF, tandem, or hook turn policy.
Find Wind Tunnels
Tunnel time is the fastest way to clean up your body position before a 70-way C-130 load. Our wind tunnel directory lists 34 facilities globally, so you can train near home or near the boogie.
Skydiving Events
Jump Like A Pharaoh is not the only boogie on the calendar. Our events page tracks meets, world records, and seasonal openings worldwide. The dedicated Vol. 9 event page is your one-stop hub for the Pyramids trip.
Skydiving Jobs
Looking to instruct, pack, or fly camera in 2026? Our skydiving jobs board connects DZs with jumpers worldwide.
Gear Marketplace
The strict "your own gear" rule for the Pyramids has sent a lot of jumpers shopping. Our Gear Marketplace is built for skydivers, with anti-scam protections baked into every listing. More on that below.
Why our Gear Marketplace is built differently
Used skydiving gear is a £2,000 to £10,000 purchase decision that touches your life-saving reserve. Facebook groups and legacy classifieds have turned this market into a playground for scammers, stolen gear, and dodgy sellers. We've spent the last few months building a trust system designed specifically for our sport, because a stolen rig isn't just a stolen item. It's someone's life. Here's what's live on DZSpotter today:
Identity verification on listings £500+
Any seller listing gear at £500 or above goes through identity verification: passport or driving licence plus selfie, processed by Stripe (the same system Discord uses). It's a one-time check, and it filters out the throwaway accounts that scammers rely on.
Phone verification on every seller profile
No phone, no listing. Every seller is tied to a verified mobile number before they can post anything. If something goes wrong, there's a real person at the other end.
Mandatory serial numbers on containers and AADs
Every container and AAD listing requires a serial number. No exceptions. This is the single biggest deterrent to anyone trying to sell stolen gear, and it gives buyers the data they need to verify history independently.
Stolen gear registry cross-check
Every new listing is cross-referenced against our stolen gear registry at the point of submission. If a serial number matches a reported theft, the listing is blocked and flagged for review.
Auto-flags on expired and overdue gear
Listings are automatically flagged when an AAD is expired, a reserve repack is overdue, or any item is over 20 years old. The buyer sees a clear warning, and the listing is queued for admin review. The 180-day Pyramid event repack rule is easy to verify before purchase.
Community reporting
Every listing has a report button. Three reports automatically pull the listing for admin review. The community is part of the safety net.
Trusted Seller badges
Trusted Seller status is earned, not bought. Sellers build it through completed transactions, verified history, and a clean record on the platform. Buyers can see at a glance who has done this safely before.
If a Facebook seller is refusing to share a serial number, asking you to pay outside the platform, or pricing a Vector 3 at a third of market value, walk away. The reason DZSpotter exists is so you don't have to take that gamble.
Real sellers. Real gear. Real accountability.
Travel and gear transport tips
Flying internationally with a rig is the single most stressful part of any boogie. A few things that genuinely help:
- Carry your rig on. Never check it as cargo
- Print and laminate your AAD manufacturer's X-ray card and keep it in the top flap
- Cover your reserve and main deployment handles with a rig sleeve to avoid accidental snags during inspection
- Know that opening a sealed reserve at security requires a federally certified rigger, not a TSA agent. Stay polite, ask for a supervisor
- Bring $25 USD cash for the Egyptian visa on arrival. Cards are not accepted at the border
- Passport must be valid for 6+ months past your return date
See you at the Pyramids
Volume 9 is shaping up to be the biggest Jump Like A Pharaoh yet, and we're genuinely proud to be part of it. Register through the official event site, browse our dropzone directory to log the jumps you need, and shop our Gear Marketplace if you're building a rig. Whatever you do, get on it before the slots run out.
Blue skies, and we'll see you on the load.
