No matter if you are an experienced paraglider or just beginning, the feeling of flying through the air and admiring its beautiful landscapes cannot be beat! Check out our list of top destinations for paragliding and hang gliding!
Sun Valley in Idaho is an ideal location for both hang gliding and paragliding enthusiasts, offering great updrafts that enable long flights. Surrounded by mountains, it provides ideal updrafts for hours-long flights.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil offers beaches, tropical rainforests and coastal mountains that make for ideal paragliding and hang gliding sites. Home to iconic landmarks such as Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Hilltop – Rio is among the world’s premier paragliding destinations.
Fear-seekers looking to experience tandem flying can do so from Pedra Bonita in Sao Conrado with experienced pilots at an affordable cost, taking in breathtaking views of the city from this peak located near Sao Conrado. Club fees, mandatory insurance coverage and transportation to and from Pedra Bonita ramp are included as part of this experience as well as full HD photo and video recording of the flight experience.
To fly, guests must meet at the ramp at an agreed upon time, travel to Tijuca National Park and launch from Pedra Bonita Hill (510 meters high), taking off from there depending on wind conditions and preflight safety briefing being provided to all participants prior to flying.
Pokhara
Pokhara, Nepal is a top tourist destination, known for its spectacular natural scenery and cultural experiences. Pokhara also holds great paragliding potential; situated alongside Phewa Lake it provides the ideal conditions for this adventurous sport while providing scenic views of Annapurna Mountain Range.
Flight is an exhilarating experience – the anticipation leading up to take-off, the sense of weightlessness as you soar upward, and taking in breathtaking vistas of mountains below combining into an unforgettable memory.
Experience even more extreme flying by joining Parahawking Project of Egypt. This unique activity involves paragliders flying alongside trained Egyptian Vultures that lead them towards pockets of thermal air; when in return they reward these birds with raw meat. Parahawking should be on every paraglider’s itinerary!
Dolomites
The Dolomites in Italy are an elegant mountain range recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for their snow-capped summits that make them home for skiing in winter but also an incredible spot for mountain climbing and hiking during summer and late spring/early autumn months.
Paragliding over the Dolomites is the best way to experience its breathtaking landscapes, taking off from a mountain meadow and flying along jagged cliffs for an unparalleled perspective of these mountains.
An ideal location for experiencing the Dolomites by flight is near Semonzo in Italy’s village of Semonzo. Your pilot will let you know when conditions are optimal and provide all of the equipment. Your flight should last approximately 30 minutes from here; from which, you’ll see Schlern and Langkofel peaks as well as Plattkofel and Rosengarten massifs plus Idro’s picturesque lake can be seen.
Oludeniz
Oludeniz, located in Fethiye in southwest Turkey, has become one of the premier paragliding destinations worldwide due to its beautiful turquoise water and towering mountains that serve as an impressive setting for paragliding enthusiasts.
There are various locations offering tandem flights in Hisaronu or Oludeniz (two major tourist villages). Prices generally include shuttle transportation to Babadag Mountain, photos and videos as well as full insurance – however it is always advisable to get several quotes as prices can differ dramatically between companies.
As soon as you leap off of a summit, nerves turn into wonder as you glide through the air with breathtaking views below. After about 25-30 minutes of flying, you will land gently on a beach and remember this bucket list experience for years. Just be sure that your travel insurance covers extreme sports like paragliding – as most standard policies don’t offer such coverage.
