Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Go Paragliding
Ticked off in March 2016
A few running steps off a mountainside and suddenly there's nothing under you but air and a valley.
The adventure
The launch is the only hard part, and it lasts about four seconds. The pilot shouts, you lean forward and run down the slope as the wing fills behind you, and then your legs are running on nothing. The harness takes your weight, the noise stops and you're sitting in a chair hundreds of metres above the ground.
Above Mérida, high in the Venezuelan Andes, the city lies in its valley like a model, with the mountains of the Sierra Nevada stacked behind. Thermals lift you in slow circles, the pilot hunts for the next rising pocket of warm air and the only sound is the wind in the lines. The landing is a gentle jog onto a field. Most people's first words after unclipping are about doing it again.
Why it’s epic
- No training needed for a tandem flight.
- Flights over Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes, one of South America's adventure-sport hubs.
- Thermal flights can climb hundreds of metres above take-off.
What it is
Tandem paragliding needs no experience: you're clipped to a qualified pilot who launches, steers and lands, and all you do is run a few steps and then sit back.
How to do it
Book a tandem flight with a licensed operator. Most include transport up to the launch site, the flight and the ride back.
Top tip
Ask if the pilot will let you take the controls for a minute once you're up; many will.
Need to know
- Flights depend on wind and thermals, so allow a spare day.
- Wear trainers or boots with ankle support and bring a layer, as it's colder up high.
- Check your travel insurance covers paragliding before you go.
Do it yourself
My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
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