Have you ever thought of what it would be like to have wings and to fly? Life could be so much easier if you were a bird. Unfortunately, we can’t turn you into a bird, but we can let you fly. If you dream of soaring through the sky with the wind brushing past you as the world unfolds below, a paragliding tandem flight sounds like an amazing idea. What exactly is tandem paragliding? What to expect?
What is tandem paragliding?
Tandem paragliding is simply performing the sport of paragliding with two people attached under one huge wing. Those two people are you and the tandem pilot. The latter, seated behind, is the highly skilled expert who performs the gentle take-off, the steering – including thermalling and spectacular action manoeuvres – and landing safely. All the while you are comfortably seated in front, fully immersed in the flying and the unhindered view ahead. Most pilots will provide you with photos and video of the experience at extra cost. When you choose tandem paragliding by VIP-paragliding, these media – copied to your mobile phone after the flight – are included and they also make sure you have a video of your start and landing.
Depending on the weather and flying conditions, flights can either have a normal duration of around 20 minutes or double that. You can choose the longer option 10 minutes into your flight. If you go for it the pilot will start circling like an eagle in rising air and pretty soon you will be looking down at the start site from several Eiffel towers higher up.
What to expect of a tandem flight?
From arriving at the meeting point, you will know you are in safe hands. There is a pilot for you and each of the others in your group who want to fly. Together you go to the cableway in order to get to the top of a mountain. The pilots are fully relaxed. They prefer to listen to your stories and are curious about life in your country. Only after reaching the launch site, the flying talk takes over. Depending on the wind you will get a specific instruction. It all goes quite quickly: starting from two large rucksacks within 10 minutes you and your pilot will be airborne. You will be surprised at how smooth the entire process is. And the risk? If the pilots are very experienced and fly in an area they know extremely well, then it’s just as safe as any other form of air travel.
Once you are airborne, you can expect a calm, floating sensation. The glide is quiet, relaxing and gives you so much time to take a look around. Actually you and your pilot will be happily chatting during most of the flight. If you are lucky the pilot will even give you the toggles in order to give you an instant little flying course. Then if you care to experience higher G-forces the pilot can take over and lead the gear into a fairly extreme rollercoaster ride! Of course this is completely optional.
Preparing for a flight
As you are not the pilot, you will not have much to prepare for this adventure. We can only advise you on your clothing: wear comfortable outdoor clothing and sturdy shoes, suitable for a little sprint. Of course, a pair of sunglasses and some sunscreen will come in handy. You will be exposed to direct sunlight, so there is a risk of sunburn. Bring an extra jacket, since temperatures on the mountain and especially after thermalling even higher will be a lot cooler than in the valley. In the winter season the “dress code” is simple: just wear regular ski gear including your own helmet, ski goggles and gloves.
When it comes to physique, you need to be able to run a few steps during take-off. But little children, very old people and even handicapped people can also fly if the pilot organizes some assistance for the start. Indeed, paragliding tandem flights are suitable for people of all ages ranging from 20 kilos to 130 kilos. Because of this tandem paragliding is a nice gift idea too.
Why is this considered safe?
Safety is everything when it comes to paragliding. Pilots are licensed, medically tested and have good insurance. The equipment is tested rigorously every year. The tandem setup also has a reserve parachute but those are almost never needed. Most tandem pilots have never used it even after decades of tandem flying. Yet the reserve wing must be and is repackaged every year! It’s really really safe! In the worst case you get yourself a little scratch or bruise like you could doing a ball game. But even that is very rare.
Are you ready to take the leap?
Tandem paragliding is not just a holiday activity. It will be the highlight of your trip and will give you a memory that stays with you for a lifetime. The combination of freedom, silence, nature, mountains and flying makes it a true bucket list experience. And you could get addicted and come back for more…. more tandem flights or even the leap into solo paragliding.
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect adventure, this is the moment to make it happen. Looking for a gift voucher for a magical experience to give to a friend or a family member? You now have your next gift idea!
About Peter C.
Peter is a digital nomad who largely writes from Asia, Europe, and South America. Always following the "vibe," he sets up shop in hostels and AirBNB's and continues to entertain us with wild stories from life abroad. Ask him anything in our community forum. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
