Paragliding
in Nepal
Paragliding is a relatively new adventure
sport in Nepal, and little information is available in tourist
guidebooks. Paragliding in this Himalayan country can be a
truly wonderful and fulfilling experience for the adventure-seekers.
You can experience unparalleled scenic grandeur as you share
airspace with Himalayan griffin vultures, eagles, and kites,
while floating over villages, monasteries, temples, lakes
and jungles, with a fantastic view of the majestic Himalayas.
The last three years have seen the activity flourish in Pokhara,
and it now is an internationally recognized destination for
free-flight enthusiasts.
Best time to Fly
Gliding is a weather dependent sport and the flying season
in Nepal commences from November through February, the best
months being November and December. By virtue of its latitude
and monsoon climate, the tree line in Nepal is at an incredible
3,900 m above sea level. With conditions milder than summer
alpine, these are excellent and constant atmospherics. The
topography and climate of Nepal also make it an ideal destination
for all levels of pilots- subtropical conditions provide plenty
of thermals and combined with the long valleys common in Nepal,
they produce perfect 'cloud streets' ideal for paragliders,
inviting them to fly along this "sky highway". The
local microclimate, controlled by the numerous lakes in the
valley, is unique, which makes it even better for the glider.
The 98/99 season saw 88 out of 90 days flyable, while the
99/00 season went one better, when we were in the air 89 days
out of 90. It would be hard to find anywhere else with such
friendly and constant conditions.
The best months for flying are November,
December and January. Cloud base varies between 2000m and
2700m. Come February the extremely short and hardly noticeable
winter is over and the ground is very dry, the air hazy. Gone
are the mild conditions of the previous 3 months. By March
and April there is a mountain wind, coming off the big peaks
and some days causes strong valley winds. Indeed you can windsurf
in April on Phewa Tal, the biggest lake in the Pokhara valley.
The heavy air is just waiting for the monsoon and the intermittent
storms in April and May are only a forerunner for the spectacular
break in the weather comes early June.
