Tandem paragliding in Cape Town : Extreme adventures, sporting holiday / vacation. Enjoy wild outdoor recreation with expert tour operators in South Africa.
Since the late eighties, paragliding in South Africa has seen a tremendous growth. Presently the industry boasts more than 900 registered pilots and a staggering 1200 flying sites around South Africa.
The sport is normally considered to be “Extreme” and has a degree of danger appended to it. Most people have a small degree of vertigo and could never imagine themselves dangling alone thousands of feet in the air under a “parachute”. Many paraglider pilots are even slightly scared of heights!
Tandem Paragliding is the solution – with an over-sized, specially designed tandem glider and two harnesses, the sport now invites all who wish to explore the skies and soar the mountain tops, but don't want to learn to paraglide on their own.
All pilots hold officially (CAA and SAHPA) recognized Tandem licenses and operate on a commercial level on a daily basis.
Some pilots even have international qualifications. We have over 7 years experience and more than 2800 flights to our credit.
During the winter months here in Cape Town, some of our pilots travel to Europe and fly tandems professionally in Austria, Switzerland, France and the Czech Republic.
All Paragliding equipment conforms with AFNOR, DHV & SHV international standards and is regularly checked before and after each flight.
Our paragliding harnesses are fitted with impact protection and the pilots harness is equipped with a reserve parachute for emergencies.
Both pilot and passenger are required by SAHPA (South African Hang-gliding Paragliding Association.) to wear helmets. The use of a full flying suit for cooler days and winter flying is an option.
We are able to fly almost anywhere where the wind direction and wind speed fall within our safety requirements.
However, we only use SAHPA recognized flying sites, some of which have been tailor made for safe paragliding and hang-gliding take off.
We have erected camouflage shade net on the take off area to prevent erosion and lessen the environmental impact.
Sites: - Lion's Head, Signal Hill, Sir Lowries Pass, Hermanus, Franschhoek Pass, Dassklip Pass (Porterville), Noordhoek and the Garden Route from Wilderness to Port Elizabeth.
Weather: - Paragliding is weather reliant, but we can fly almost 200 days a year, throughout summer and winter. We do not specifically need any wind to get airborne but most suitable conditions range from 10kms per hour to a max of 30kms per hour to launch safely.
The direction of the wind is also a deciding factor, the wind should be blowing directly up the slope or launching site, with a tolerance of 15 degrees off center being acceptable.
Days where the weather is beautiful and clear with no clouds and good temperatures are not necessarily the most suitable conditions for paragliding, but mostly they are.
With Tandem Paragliding, as a passenger you require no previous knowledge of the sport at all.
The pilot will brief you on take off and landing shortly before the flight.
The only important thing to remember is to listen to the instructions of the pilot and to have total confidence in his experience.
Take offs are easy and Landings are soft and most often we land on large fields with no obstacles or dangers.
Each and every flight even for us pilots is different every time, but the feeling and exhilaration is just as overwhelming. The one thing you won't feel is the feeling of falling just after take off.
This is generally the misconception of most who fly with us. Once you are securely strapped into the passenger harness in front of the pilot, the paraglider is laid out on the take off site facing into the wind, with a gentle tug the glider is pulled upward into the wind and begins inflating, only once fully inflated and a quick line check has been done, will the pilot instruct the passenger to begin running forward, in a few seconds both pilot and passenger will be lifted from the ground and swept off your feet be the flying paraglider. From behind the pilot will help you get comfortable in your harness and the flight is under way. In flight – the passenger has the benefit of being in front with a fantastic view of the mountains and earth below.
Passengers are more than welcome to take along their own cameras and video.
We use a unique concept of “In-Flight Photography”.
Our pilots fly with a specially made 35mm camera mounted on a telescoping pole. Whilst in flight our pilots will use an entire 12 exposure film, capturing the most outrageous images of the passengers in the paragliding harness and the landscapes below.
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo da Vinci
The following is provided:
What you need to bring with:
Duration:
Varies
Cost: On Request
All prices are subject to change
To pre-book this amazing, one in a lifetime experience, please contact us on our enquiries page , and we will arrange everything before your arrival.
