Paragliding - A Fascinating Aerosport

Paragliding in Gangtok is becoming an increasingly popular adventure sports. And why not. Who would not love to see the magnificent Himalayan range and the snow peaks from the sky as you fly like a bird and the look below to see the stunning mountain landscape of Sikkim and Gangtok. Actually there is no experience or training required to enjoy paragliding in Gangtok. Because the operators here offer Tandem Flights. Which means that an experienced and certified pillot will accompany you. Both pilot and the passenger sit safely and comfortably in harness which is attached to the paraglider. The pilot takes care of the entire flight and its navigation. So after an easy take off, you will only enjoy the flight with breathtaking views. However you should be physically fit and within normal weight limits (90 kgs). While the pilot does the bulk of the job, you will need to participate in take off and landing. So wear sneakers, jeans/trousers etc. There are two typesof paragliding flights you can enjoy and both are offered with Tandem Flights which means there will be a certified pilot with you. The first type of Paragliding flight is known as Medium Fly. As the name suggests, you will fly at a medium altitude of about 1300 - 1400 meters and will get a lovely aerial view of Gangtok township as well as that of Himalayan snow peaks. The take off location for Medium Fly Paragliding is at Baliman Dara near Gangtok. The flying time is 5-10 minutes. Landing takes place at a stadium field at Reshithang Sports Village, The second type of paragliding flight is High Fly where you will fly at a higher altitude. The take off location is at Bulbuley Dara further up from Reshithang village in Ranka (near Gangtok). The take off location altitude is 2,200 meters. The landing zone (the stadium field) is at an altitude of 1,150 meters, about 4kms from the take off point. Among amazing views of the mountains, you will also see Taktse International School at Pangthang, Bojoghari village and Tashi View Point. The total flying time in high fly is 20-30 minutes. Note that Baliman Dara and Bulbuley Dara are the only two certified paragliding take off locations in east Sikkim (both are near Gangtok).