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Not satisfied with just riding planes to capture the picturesque essence of nature? Want to have a thrilling and hands-on experience flying amongst the clouds and looking down on the glorious natural beauty of Nepal? Want to drift along with the winds and spread your arms to embrace the sky?
Paragliding is what you need!
Nepal is considered one of the world’s finest destinations for the optimum paragliding experience. Sarangkot, which is near Pokhara, is mainly the best Nepal has to offer. With more than 250 flights a day during peak season, Sarangkot is the ideal location for paragliding, as taken from the feedback of thousands of travellers who took the opportunity. The prime feature of paragliding in Sarangkot is the enthralling beauty of the mountain range, which can be seen from this 360-degree flight. Pokhara, having moderate thermal conditions and weather, offers the safest flights with extra protection from the expansive lake below. The neighbouring hills provide suitable take-off and landing ports as well. Generally, the flights take off from Sarangkot and hover around the area for about 30 minutes. After that, the flight moves onto Pokhara, where a series of acrobats can be done according to choice. The landing is done near the Phewa Tal next to the Lakeside. There are two ways you can enjoy paragliding in Nepal: solo and tandem flights;
Solo Flights
Solo flights are for skilled paragliders who want to explore the stretch of heaven on their own and explore the heights. Anyone wishing to take the solo lights must obtain a lying permit from civil aviation in Pokhara. Essential documents like a photocopy of the passport and visa, a picture of self, proof of insurance, and a paragliding license are required to apply for the permit. It usually takes an hour or so to complete the procedures. For 15 days, the ticket is about $45. It could be extended as well if it expired.
Tandem Flights
This is the usual flight all explorers take. It offers qualified and expert pilots with separate seating for the passenger in the front with a different harness. These flights can last 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the client’s needs. This flight charms anyone with its ability to let the passenger take time to breathe in the scenery and click pictures freely without the need to handle the gliding parachute. Through your own or a camera’s lens, the ethereal beauty of the mixture of greenery, mountains, and lakes captures the viewer’s soul, the positive energy of nature having calming and relaxing properties.
Best Time to Paraglide
Pokhara is famous for its stable climate; hence, paragliding occurs almost annually. The best time to enjoy nature’s full bloom is during the monsoon season of July when, if lucky enough, there are no rain clouds in the sky. For more definite and safer options, September to October is recommended. These are peak autumn times, so the chances of extreme weather are meagre. It is one of the seasons where the heights of flights can reach up to 3000m. March-April is also considered an ideal time since it is the spring months when the freshness of new floras can be seen, and the areas are starting to be exquisitely filled with green. Great shots can be taken at this point.
Commonly, Tandem paragliding can be done at three different timing 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm. These are the times when the thermal activity is on, and the flight can take off quickly. If you want less turbulence, 10 am is highly suggested considering the low thermal activity. It also makes the flight relatively shorter (only about 20 minutes). However, midnight is the ideal time to get the best motion and stunts. Active paragliding can be achieved during this time due to fluctuating thermal activities.
Safety and Insurance
Safety instructions will be given before taking off. It is done to prevent any errors and mishaps. The pilots are internationally certified with a minimum of 2 years of experience in the field. As an extreme adventure sport, there is the risk of changing winds suddenly.
The prices for a tandem flight range from 75 USD to 100 USD depending upon the flight duration. The additional features, such as photographs and videography, will be extra.
Make memories with nature and high-five the clouds! Don’t just listen to what others say, so try paragliding on your own today!
Nepal is considered one of the world’s finest destinations for the optimum experience of paragliding in Nepal, the beautiful city of Pokhara.
