Paragliding in Pokhara
Soar Above the Himalayas
An Unforgettable Paragliding Adventure in Pokhara
The Paragliding in Pokhara is a one-day day tour starting and finishing in Pokhara. We run it as a private trip on your own dates, or as a small group departure.
Gurung heritage, the International Mountain Museum, Bindhyabasini and Tal Barahi temples. Lakeside has the best range outside Kathmandu.
This is a cultural trip, not a trek. Expect vehicle transfers, guided site visits and short walks of an hour or two, with the option to add a longer hike where the itinerary allows. Nothing beyond ordinary travel. The lake sits at 820 m, so altitude is not a factor.
Best time to go. Year round, with the clearest Annapurna views from October to March.
Permits and getting there. Entry fees for the sites visited, all included. 25-minute flight or 6 to 8 hour drive from Kathmandu. Pokhara International Airport now takes some direct international flights.
Where you sleep. This is a day trip, so you keep your own hotel. We can book Kathmandu or Pokhara accommodation for you separately if you want it handled in one place.
Why book with us. Trekking Team is a family company in Gongabu, Kathmandu, running trips since 1991 under TAAN licence 1106. About ten thousand people have travelled with us and we hold more than 630 TripAdvisor reviews. Every departure runs with a government-licensed guide, permits arranged before you arrive, insured and equipped staff, and a fixed price. If the dates or the route do not suit you, write to us and we will rebuild the itinerary around what you want.
Trip Summary
Duration
Difficulty
Max Elevation
Start point
End point
Daily Activity
Group Size
Best Season
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in a private vehicle
- Government-licensed guide for the day
- All entry fees and permits required for the activity
- Lunch and drinking water during the activity
- All safety equipment and instruction where the activity requires it
- All government taxes and service charges
Not Included
- Travel insurance, which we require you to hold
- Hotel accommodation and meals outside the activity
- Drinks, souvenirs and items of a personal nature
- Photographs and video of the activity, where sold on site
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Anything not listed under what is included
Get started on your journey
Detailed itinerary
Paragliding in Pokhara
Pokhara is one of the best places in the world to fly, and it is not a local claim. The combination of a reliable thermal cycle off the Sarangkot ridge, a lake to land beside, and an 8,000 m mountain range as the backdrop puts it on the short list with Interlaken and Ölüdeniz.
You are collected from your hotel in Lakeside mid-morning and driven up to the launch site on the Sarangkot ridge, about 1,600 m and roughly 800 m above the lake. The drive takes half an hour on a winding road and the view opens up as you climb.
At launch your pilot fits and checks your harness and walks you through the take-off, which is the only part you actively do: a few steps forward down the slope while the wing comes up behind you, and then the ground simply stops being there. Pilots here are commercially licensed and fly this site every day of the season.
The flight. A standard tandem is 25 to 35 minutes. You climb in thermals over the ridge, often alongside Himalayan griffon vultures and steppe eagles who use the same lift, with Phewa Lake below and the whole Annapurna wall to the north: Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and Manaslu on a clear day. Landing is on the flat by the lakeshore.
Longer options. A cross-country flight of an hour or more can be arranged for those who want it, and the acrobatic flight, with wingovers and spirals, is available if you have a strong stomach and say so in advance. Parahawking, flying with trained raptors that come to your glove in the air, operates in season and is worth asking about.
Best conditions. The flying season runs from October to April, with November and December giving the cleanest air and the best mountain visibility. Flights go in the late morning and early afternoon when the thermals are working. Monsoon months are unreliable and we do not book them.
Who can fly. No experience is needed and nothing is required of you beyond being able to walk a few steps. Pilots fly passengers from about 5 to 90 years old. There is an upper weight limit, and we ask about heart conditions, recent surgery and pregnancy in advance. If the wind is wrong on the day the flight does not go, and you will be offered another slot or a refund rather than a marginal launch.
What to bring. Trainers or walking shoes with ankle support, long trousers, a light windproof layer, and sunglasses. Cameras are best left with the pilot's GoPro rather than held in your hand. Photographs and video are available at the landing site.
Altitude: 827 m
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Getting ready
No special training is needed. Comfortable shoes for uneven cobbles and stone steps at the heritage sites, and a light layer for early mornings, will cover it.
Permits and paperwork
Entry fees for the sites visited, all included.
Nepal issues visas on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport: 15, 30 or 90 days, payable in cash in most major currencies or by card. Bring two passport photographs and make sure your passport has at least six months validity.
Money, tipping and costs on the ground
Nepali rupees are the only currency accepted on the trail. Draw cash in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you leave; ATMs have a per-transaction limit of around NPR 35,000 and charge a fee, and above the roadhead there are no machines and no card terminals.
Budget for drinks, souvenirs and any meals not listed in the itinerary.
Tipping is customary and genuinely matters to the crew, but it is not compulsory and never demanded. As a guide to the guide: around USD 8 to 12 per day for your trekking guide and USD 6 to 8 for each porter, pooled by the group and handed over at the end.
Staying in touch
Excellent throughout.
Ncell and Nepal Telecom tourist SIM cards are sold at Kathmandu airport and take about ten minutes. Bring your passport.
Health and safety
No vaccinations are legally required for Nepal, but hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are sensible and a rabies course is worth discussing if you are travelling for a long time. Check with a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you fly.
Drink bottled or treated water and be sensible about street food in the first few days.
Our guides carry a comprehensive first aid kit. We hold a 24-hour operations line in Kathmandu throughout your trip, and we run rescue coordination ourselves rather than handing it to a third party.
Booking and cancellation
A deposit confirms your dates and the balance is due before departure. If your plans change we will move your booking to another date rather than treat it as a cancellation wherever the ground operators allow it.
Written quotes are fixed. We do not add fuel or permit surcharges after you have booked, and if a government fee rises between your booking and your departure we absorb it.
Questions before you commit are welcome and never rushed. Write to us with what you actually want and we will tell you plainly whether this trip is the right one, including when the answer is that a different route would suit you better.
Ready to start your journey?
Start planning your dream trip today. Enquire now for more information or customize this trip to tailor it to your needs and make it truly unforgettable.