Who hasn’t dreamt of flying and exploring the world once in a life-time? We all have dreamt or imagined how it would feel if we could move freely like birds and explore the mysterious realms of this world. Well, it might not be totally and last long like a bird, but paragliding does give you a chance to explore the sky and sensation touching it with your bare hands.
Paragliding is one of the recreational sports where you can enjoy the on-air experience; the sport isn’t extreme like sky-diving whereas in this sport you can enjoy the free-flying from a foot-launched glider aircraft. You simply lay out the gliding wings on a hill or a mountain range; when you make a run for it then the wings are inflated and your feet take off the ground. The pilot can adjust the altitude accordingly and take you to further heights with the help of thermals and air currents--lifting the flight a few thousands of meters after taking off from the ground.
The landing in this sport also falls on the safe side, you can land quite easily; the pilot can steer it to the landing designation and gently land you back on your feet. This adventure sport is a safe and simple way of enjoying flights; you can savor the bird-like feelings to the content of your heart in this sport without having much to worry about.
In this simplest form of flying sport, the whole paragliding set--including safety harness, helmet, and wing weighs less than 20 kg. So, your own recreational sport package can fit in a backpack; with just simple tools the flight can last for several hours and cover long distances. The one of the secure and reliable adventure sports added with lots of thrills is certainly worth trying at least once in a life to witness the wonders of nature down below.
Among the places across the globe filled with wonder and best scenarios, Nepal has always been one of the favorite destinations to enjoy adventurous sports. The naturally rich country certainly is a wonderland for many adventure sports. There are a total of nine spots to enjoy the paragliding; let's discuss these major attractions of the country and you can have a best pick out them after you finish reading.
1. Paragliding in Pokhara
Pokhara paragliding is one of the most popular paragliding spots in Nepal. Among the astonishing mountain ranges view with a shining reflection on the water surface you will realize maybe heaven isn’t a far-sighted dream at all. The paragliding take-off point is located at Sarangkot Hill,the mountain range is located at just 20 min driving range from Pokhara. You can also enjoy the hypnotizing views in this beloved location from as an early sunrise to the sun kissing goodbye to the horizon-which are definitely magical moments of a day worth a glimpse.
You can have your pick at the different available packages, you can choose the tandem flight with a pilot if you are inexperienced or a solo flight if you are an experienced para glider. After taking off you will fly over Sarangkot for a while the head out to explore Pokhara from the sky. The pridefully standing mountains; three of the highest mountains in the world Annapurna, Manaslu, and Dhaulagiri which are above 8000 m height will taunt your adventurous spirit.
The best thing about the favorite paragliding spot is that you can enjoy paragliding experience in Pokhara throughout the years as long as the weather is favorable and the thermals are active. The convenient taking off and landing zones will fuel you to fly higher and have the best out of the adventure.
2. Godawari Paragliding
This destination is located at Lalitpur and approximately 10 km away from the heartbeat of Lalitpur-Patan. The location which has close ties with Mother Nature is the perfect destination for the nature love adventure enthusiast. Famous as Kathmandu Paragliding, in this location you can enjoy the variation of vegetarian terrain, green hills, and diverse breeds of bird life will make your moment magical. Furthermore, the high altitude paragliding spot makes it easy for the wind inflation and will deliver you one extraordinary ride of your lifetime.
The Godawari which is famous for its botanical garden and a cold fresh breeze is a pitch-perfect stop for trekking, hiking & simply just embracing the beauty of nature. Enjoy the majestic view, take in the fresh air and breathe it out with all the stress you have been carrying--this is living, you will realize how trivial our problems will appear when we are this close to the source of everything.
The paragliding zone in Godawari--Chapakharka is one of the high altitude locations that the country boasts which is situated 2100 m high from the sea level. The landing zone is located at Rachantar--a well maintained and renovated runway for safe landing.
This is one of the best destinations where you can experience the wilderness, thick forests and just simply breathtaking view--you are without a doubt going to treasure the blissful memory of flying over the glorious beauty Godawari holds for the rest of your life.
3. Shankarapur Paragliding
Shankarapur paragliding is one of the favorite spots to experience the thrilling adventure within the Kathmandu valley. The Shankarapur paragliding was established in 2014 A.D and has been registered under Nepal’s Company Registrar's Office as well as certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
The paragliding zone is located just 25 km away from the Tribhuvan International Airport. Shankarapur’s Deurali take-off point is located at 1900 m from the sea-level; along the sky adventure you can also enjoy the views of Melamchi and Indrawati river flowing--overall an awesome paragliding experience.
This paragliding was brought in action to promote the paragliding sports inside the valley so the adventure enthusiasts can enjoy the refreshing sports within the valley. So, come and take up the ride for the high green hill in Nepal if you want to take a few notches up in the refreshing sports. The one of the prominent mountain ranges that surrounds the Kathmandu valley will give you a heightened sense of thrill in the sky touching sports.
4. Suryachaur--(Gurje Bhanjyang,Nuwakot)Paragliding
After the popularity of paragliding and availability of only few paragliding zones; two new locations were added to meet the increasing number of para gliders. Among the two new paragliding zones approved by the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority (CANN), Surya Chaur is a new tourist attraction which is quite close to Kathmandu.
The newly set zone is set to cover paragliding in locations like Surychaur, Shivapuri and Nuwakot which are all located up to 6500 altitude. So, if you want to take a few notches up, Suryachaur paragliding is the best destination to soar the sky from higher altitude. You can also witness the fascinating greenery added with the colorful bird watching---maybe befriend few while you are at it.
5. Dharan Paragliding
Located above 1800 m sea level, Dharan paragliding is one of Nepal’s cherished destinations. The paragliding attraction in Dharan is located at Sunsari district which has become quite famous among the adventure sports enthusiast.
The para gliders can be seen covering the Dharan sky as well as close by areas like Bhedetar, Gorkha Park and Chinde Danda. The paragliding was tested on exotic Dharan’s destinations in 2067 B.S and as of now has been able to attract a great number of adventurers. Also, as of now, some of the sports lovers have already dubbed the beautiful location as an alternative choice for Pokhara paragliding.
Dharan paragliding is the only location where the para gliders can witness panorama views across the border of Nepal; you can see the China border and a few parts of India like Bihar. In addition to that, you can enjoy the astonishing Makalu range from the paragliding zone.
6. Syangja Paragliding
Syangja--the naturally, traditionally and culturally rich location is one of the major attractions for the paragliding enthusiast. The para gliders paradise comes as a second best location after Pokhara to enjoy paragliding to the full extent. Also, the local tourism authority has estimated the increase in the flow of para gliders after full construction of Pokhara International Airport that is ongoing.
The paragliding destination is located near Siddhartha Highway making it easily accessible to the visitors. Moreover, Syangja also proudly hosted the Paragliding World Cup Championship in November 2018 which took place at Bhirkot Municipality-5; the competition was the first paragliding world cup the country hosted.
7. Tistung Makwanpur Paragliding
Like Sulichaur paragliding, Tistung paragliding is a new paragliding destination which was approved by CAAN in January,2020. It is another exciting destination for the para gliders who want to take the refreshing sports to the next level. The paragliding spot is located at a high altitude of 5000 meters and has the potential to make ant thrill seekers yearn for more of it.
The highly awaited Tistung paragliding service is set to start from 27 February,2020. Make sure you enjoy the new exciting destination taking your thrill seeking heart to the next level of gratification.
8. Palpa Paragliding
Palpa paragliding is another most anticipated and awaited new paragliding zone which is expected to amuse the thrill seekers. The zone located at Rampur Municipality-7, Bahun danda has been prepared for amazing experiences to the para gliders. The paragliding service has been set to start on 7 March,2020.
The municipality had begun to prepare to feature commercial paragliding to attract tourists. They successfully managed to land six paragliding flights at Kisan Bari playground after flying from Bahun danda. Similarly, they also managed 16 successful test flights of the thrilling sports from Losdi of Siluwa in Purba Khola Rural Municipality-1. The test flights were carried out under the Guinness Book of record holder Mr.Sanububa Sunuwar’s leadership.
The introduction of the new exciting paragliding zone for tourist attractions is hoped to bring development to the region.
9. Bandipur Paragliding
Bandipur is another astonishing naturally gifted paragliding destination of Nepal, it is located at 1251 m altitude from the sea level. The paragliding paradise rests between Kathmandu and Pokhara; you can enjoy the accessible flight facing the Marsyangdi valley--catch the glimpse of the majestic view of Manasalu, Annapurna and Ganesh Himal from the paragliding spot.
The best thing about the Bandipur flying center besides the amazing flight is the warm welcome by the Newari village in the location and their rich traditional stay-in accommodations. The tandem flying package is available in Bandipur so even if it’s your first time lifting off the ground the certified pilot guide with you will make your trip leaving you without any worries---just an exploring heart.
Furthermore, to add more kick to it you can request for acrobatic tumbling flight. Likely, you can also enjoy the cross-country flying route to explore the paragliding to the depths----spread your wings and fly like the birds to kiss to sky.
# More To Come
The naturally rich country with lots of potential for adventure sports is not quite done yet exploring suitable new exciting locations for paragliding. Tons of other zones are being tested to bring out the best experience from the refreshing-thrilling sport. Therefore, look forward to the country adding new exciting locations to the paragliding list that you might fancy.
General Overview:
Paragliding is a sport which doesn’t require any special class for participation; the expert guide will brief you details on safety measures and techniques for gliding. In addition to that, the paragliding harness used for this sport is safe as well as comfortable, you can soar from the sky with the comfort like resting on your couch at home---pay attention to the safety details, then you are ready for the sky adventure of your life.
The instructors will also teach you about wind current and how to land safely. They are all professional license holders who have years of experience so, you can freely capture the moment to the contents of your heart
Among the different types of paragliding packages available, you can enjoy various packages of paragliding like a tandem, solo or acrobatic according to the location and the season of your visit. Generally, in tandem paragliding, you will be seated in front of the pilot who will take full control of the flight, you will have the opportunity to take pictures and videos as you don’t have to concentrate on the current of the winds. However, enjoying the flight on your own is also quite fun; you can attach GoPro or other small gadgets to capture the moment which won’t come in the way of you enjoying the adventurous sky-ride to the full extent. Apart from these two,there are also packages for acrobatic tumbling paragliding where you can show-off your acrobatic skills in mid-air.
If you are planning a visit to Nepal, the best season to enjoy refreshing adventure-sport in the country is from September to early June. There are more than 250 flights a day in Nepal during the peak season. Generally three flights practiced in the country; the first one is set for around 8:30 am in the morning followed by the second flight at 11:30 am and finally concluding the day with the third flight at 01:30 pm.
All you have to do is just be prepared for sports, wear light clothes and windshield as well as comfortable footwear suitable for sport activities. Besides that, other documents and the flying permit you require to be fully eligible to make the flight can be taken from the civil aviation office and your paragliding company quite effortlessly; so have a go with the easiest way of adventuring in the sky.
To make it easy for you, here are the lists of paragliding services provided by the goGlides, a renowned name in the industry. The site is frequently updated so you can choose on the on-going package available during your visit. Providing top-class services at a modest price is the specialty of the company so, choose the package you desire and fill your heart with life-long memories.