Pokhara Tandem Paragliding Flight
- Duration
- 1 day
- Max altitude
- 1,600 m
- Difficulty
-
Easy
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $125.00
Overview
Pokhara is one of the better paragliding sites in the world for a simple reason: a 1,600 m launch ridge, a lake to land beside, reliable thermals and an eight thousand metre range as the backdrop. You take off by walking a few steps down a slope with a pilot strapped behind you, and the wing does the rest.
Tandem means you are a passenger. You do not steer, you do not jump, and you can talk to the pilot the whole way. Most flights find thermals over the ridge and circle up, often alongside the Himalayan griffon vultures that use the same lift.
Trip highlights
- Launch from Sarangkot at 1,600 m, land beside Phewa Lake
- Twenty five to thirty minutes in the air on a standard flight
- The Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre across the northern horizon
- Often flying alongside griffon vultures working the same thermals
- Tandem with a commercial pilot, so nothing is asked of you but walking a few steps
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Sarangkot launch, flight over Phewa Lake, landing at Khapaudi 1,600 m 3 to 4 hours door to door, 25 to 30 minutes flying hrs Noneincluded
Pick up from your Pokhara hotel mid morning. Flying happens when the thermals are working, usually from about 10am to 3pm, and the exact time is set by the conditions rather than the clock.
The drive up
Forty minutes of switchbacks to the launch site on the Sarangkot ridge.
The briefing and kit
Harness, helmet, and about ten minutes with your pilot on what happens: you walk forward, the wing lifts, you sit back into the harness. That is the whole of your job.
The flight
Twenty five to thirty minutes. The pilot will work the thermals over the ridge to gain height, then run along the face with the lake below and the Annapurna wall to the north. If you want it smooth and gentle, say so. If you want a few spirals on the way down, say that instead. It is your flight.
Landing is beside the lake at Khapaudi, on your feet, and a vehicle brings you back to your hotel.
On a day when the wind is wrong or a front is coming through, flying is cancelled. Pilots do not negotiate with weather. We will either move you to the next day or refund the flight in full.
What's included
Included
- Included: Return transfer between your Pokhara hotel and the Sarangkot launch site
- Included: Tandem flight of 25 to 30 minutes with a commercial tandem pilot
- Included: All flying equipment: wing, tandem harness, helmet
- Included: Pre flight briefing
- Included: Transfer from the landing site back to your hotel
- Included: Nepal Airsports Association fee and all government taxes
Not included
- Not included: Photo and video of your flight, about USD 25 if you want the pilot's GoPro footage
- Not included: Meals and beverages
- Not included: Tips for your pilot and driver
- Not included: Travel insurance. Check that your policy covers tandem paragliding, since many exclude it as an extreme sport
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
- ⚠ Prakash: confirm the paragliding company and their pilot licensing here, and the exact weight limits they work to, before this page goes public.
Weight limits apply, usually about 35 kg minimum and 100 kg maximum, and the upper figure varies with the wing and the conditions. Tell us your weight when you book so the right pilot and wing are assigned.
Flying is not suitable during pregnancy, or with a recent fracture, a heart condition, epilepsy, or recent ear or sinus surgery. Please tell us rather than find out in the air.
Flights are weather dependent and the monsoon months, June to August, are mostly unflyable. If we cannot fly, you are refunded in full.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 trekker | $150.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $125.00 | $25.00 |
| 4 to 6 trekkers | $118.00 | $32.00 |
| 7 or more | $110.00 | $40.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
Traveller reviews
What trekkers say
Why book with us
