Overview
Chandragiri paragliding is a half-day adventure that puts you in the air over the Kathmandu Valley without leaving the city for long. After an early pickup from your hotel and a short drive to the launch, you take off on a tandem flight strapped to a licensed pilot who handles the wing while you take in the ridgelines, terraced hills and, on a clear day, the mountains beyond. Flights depend on the weather, so on a calm morning you fly soon after the paperwork is done, and on a gusty one you wait for a safe window. It is an easy, high-thrill outing that needs no experience and has you back in Thamel by early afternoon.
The itinerary
- Pickup from your hotel at around 07:00 (a 40 to 60 minute drive, depending on traffic)
- Complete the safety paperwork and briefing at the launch
- Fly on a calm morning, or wait for a safe weather window if it is windy
- Take a tandem flight over the valley with a licensed pilot
- Explore the nearby area, then drive back to your hotel in Thamel (usually by 12 to 1 pm)
Things to carry
- Comfortable clothes you can move in
- Closed, sturdy shoes such as trainers
- A light windproof jacket for the cooler air
- Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen
- A securely strapped camera or phone (no loose items in the air)
Good to know
Complete guide
You do not have to travel to Pokhara to fly in Nepal. The hills on the edge of the Kathmandu Valley give tandem paragliding pilots enough height and open air to launch, and the whole thing fits into a morning. Here is how a Chandragiri paragliding trip works and what to expect.
What Chandragiri paragliding involves
The outing is simple: an early pickup, a short drive up to the launch, a safety briefing, and a tandem flight when the wind allows, before heading back to the city by early afternoon. Because it is a tandem flight you bring nothing but yourself and a sense of adventure. If you would rather have your thrills on the rock than in the air, Hattiban rock climbing is another easy half-day near Kathmandu.
Why the weather decides everything
Paragliding lives and dies by the wind. Mornings are calmest, which is why the day starts early, and a clear, stable sky gives both a safe launch and the best views. On a gusty or cloudy day the pilots wait for a window, and if it never comes the flight is moved rather than forced. A little flexibility on timing is part of the deal, and it is what keeps the sport safe.
What the flight is like
After a short run at take-off the ground simply falls away and you are airborne, seated in a harness beside your pilot. The flight is quiet apart from the wind, with wide views over the valley’s ridges and villages and, on a clear day, the Himalaya on the horizon. It is over in minutes, but it is the kind of few minutes people remember for years.
Who it suits
This is for anyone who wants a big thrill without a big commitment: no experience, no training and only a half-day needed. It suits couples, friends, families with older children and solo travellers alike. If you catch the adventure bug, the multi-sport Nepal super adventure tour strings together bungee, canyoning and rafting over several days.
