Top Skydiving Destinations: Salt Flats to Jungles

In early 2025, skydiver Tim Parrant took on a series of extreme skydiving expeditions. From sending HALO jumps over Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats, to diving deep into the Amazon jungle, these weren’t standard jumps. They demanded high-altitude planning, specialised gear, and serious coordination in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

We caught up with Tim to get the juicy dets on how months of planning and hard work made it all happen.

“Skydive photography has been a lifelong passion of mine. It is what drives me to organise and manage remarkable skydiving events worldwide. Capturing jumpers with beautifully unique backgrounds is what truly appeals to me.”

As his friend Graham once said:

“If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

Key Takeaways:

• Tim Parrant completed HALO skydives over Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats and the Amazon jungle
• These jumps required high-altitude training, oxygen systems, and complex logistics
• Uyuni offers one of the most unique skydiving landing zones in the world
• Amazon skydives require coordination with local crews and unpredictable conditions

Behind the Jumps: Planning Extreme Skydives

Unsurprisingly, Tim’s found that each project or location comes with its own complications. From obtaining permission to dealing with specific weather conditions, to managing high logistical costs. The projects over Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats and into the Amazon checked all the boxes.

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HALO Jumps Over Uyuni Salt Flats

As one of the world’s most photogenic and unique top skydiving destinations, Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, South America, offers both beauty and high-stakes complexity:

“For those who don’t know, Uyuni is located 3,656 meters above sea level. In January, the perfect combination of rain and sunshine creates a thin layer of water over the salt flats. Suddenly, the salt flats become the world’s largest natural mirror. In my opinion, it is quite literally the most beautiful landing area in the world! However, it is also a complex location.”

So, to pull off this skydiving expedition, I completed civilian training and earned certification as a HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) operator.

HALO skydiving (High Altitude, Low Opening) is a type of jump where skydivers exit at high altitude and deploy their parachute at a lower altitude, often requiring oxygen systems and specialised training.

Since the landing zone already lies at 3,656 meters, we had to jump from 6,700 meters. Climbing to that altitude in aging Bolivian military aircraft took time – and made HALO gear absolutely critical.

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Building the Team

Once I’d earned my HALO qualification, I set out to build the team to execute the mission:

• Mathias Walde
• Jeannie & Curt Bartholomew (Alter Ego Adventures)
• Paul-Henry de Baère
• Nadia Solovyeva
• Myriam Tobollik.

Planning jumps in unique and remote locations is a meticulous process. It takes months—or, in this case, years. If we documented every detail, we’d end up with an in-depth operations manual, not a blog post.

>> Alter Ego’s Bolivia jump package 

Shoutout to our jumping sponsors – Reid Garton, Elliot Gunther, and Daniel Carvainis – who helped make it all happen! Additional appreciation to the Bolivian Military for their collaboration!

…If Uyuni was about altitude and precision, the Amazon was something else entirely.

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Skydiving Into the Amazon

Skydiving in the Amazon came with a whole new level of complexity and wild hurdles. We needed to find a suitable landing zone, organise safety boats and get ground crew together. Each step was a challenge and the support of the Indigenous people of the Amazon.

“Everyone stood for hours under the sun, waiting for the perfect (and safe) weather window. Without their patience and support, none of it would’ve been possible.”

No skydiving mission this big comes without bumps. Big expedition jumps like this sit alongside extreme missions like Greg Crozier’s Mount Everest Skydive

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The Reality of Expedition Skydiving

“It would be a lie to say there weren’t moments of frustration. But in the end, the shared smiles, the challenges overcome, and the memories we created made everything worth it.”

“The beautifully unique jumps we accomplished can’t be compared to anything else.”

Skydiving into the Amazon rainforest—one of the most remote drop zones on earth.

From salt to jungle, from mirror landings to river recovery, these jumps now stand among the top skydiving destinations – unforgettable for both their beauty and intensity.

“Above all, I’m deeply grateful for the incredible skydiving experiences I’ve had and the unique photographs I’ve worked tirelessly to capture. One day, when I grow old, I hope to look back with my children and their children and say – these were truly pure, wild moments!”

>> READ TOP SKYDIVING PHOTOGRAPHERS COMPOSITION PERSPECTIVE HERE  

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About Tim

Tim Parrant’s skydiving journey began in 2009, jumping with the Australian Army on T-10 round canopies. Around that same time, he completed AFF training in Sydney. He’s clocked over 8,500 skydives across the globe. His home drop zone? Wherever the adventure takes him. Tim actually holds a rare “World Wide” S&TA rating – this guy can’t be contained.

Tims current JYRO canopies of choice are his Petra 64, Leia 84 & Safire 129.

📸 Stay up to date with Tim’s next-level projects and jaw-dropping skydiving photography:
>> FOLLOW TIM ON INSTAGRAM

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KEEP READING: Discover More Top Skydiving Destinations

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Style and Light in Photography: Sharing Perspectives
Sharing Perspectives in Photography: Composition
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