Medellin isn’t necessarily known for its adrenaline sports, but paragliding is one of the few exceptions. The most popular option is for tourists to ride tandem with trained professionals, who will take their passengers across the scenic hills surrounding Medellin. What makes the area so perfect for paragliding? The hills provide the perfect take-off and landing points, and strong winds ensure that each flight will be a thrill.
Most paragliding tours in Medellin take off from and land in the same spot, often a hilltop outside of Medellin. However, a few of them take tourists on a one-way trip from outside Medellin directly to the city.
How to make sure you’re choosing a top-notch paragliding company
If you’ll be flying tandem with a paraglider, the main thing to look for is certification. It’s one thing for a paragliding tour to say that their guides are all experienced; it’s another thing to be able to prove certification. This will help ensure a safer trip, and a more pleasant experience overall.
Another thing to look for would be online reviews. If the paragliding tours were conducted properly, the reviewers should mention things like feeling safe as well as how much fun they had. The top paragliding tours in Medellin have safety standards comparable to what you’d find in North America or Europe. They aren’t just aficionados; they’re true professionals. When you see this mentioned in online reviews, it’s a sign that you’ve found a solid option.
The best time to go paragliding in Medellin
Paragliding depends on factors like weather conditions, wind temperatures, and more. If the right conditions aren’t present, the trip can’t be completed. Even though Medellin is famous for its sunny weather and mild climate, it’s also known for frequent afternoon showers. This being the case, it’s best to take off within either the first three hours, or the last three hours of daylight. These times of day are when weather conditions will be most dependable, so you won’t be biting your nails beforehand in anticipation of clouds or rain.
Picking the right time of day is especially important if you’ll be paragliding to Medellin; this can only be done before 10:30 AM. Paragliding depends on the ability to ride wind currents, and after mid-morning in Medellin, warm drafts rise from the city and prevent a safe landing.
San Felix is a popular take-off and landing spot, both for locals and tourists. For this reason, it’s best to schedule during the week; the area tends to be more crowded during the weekends. This isn’t just because it’s preferable to avoid sharing the same space with so many people; this also reduces the risk of two paragliders running into each other.
Preparing for tandem paragliding
One thing that makes Medellin a dream spot for budding paragliders is that they don’t have to do it on their own – they can go tandem paragliding with an experienced professional.
- Don’t eat or drink shortly before the flight
If you’re paragliding in Medellin, you’ll be traveling to one of the many hills outside the city, getting essential safety training, taking the flight, and then returning to Medellin. The entire process can take a few hours, during which you probably won’t have access to bathroom facilities. Plus, some people experience nausea during their flights. For these reasons, it’s recommended to limit what you eat and drink for at least two hours before heading to the take-off point.
- Wear the right clothes
Even if temperatures are warm in Medellin, they’ll be considerably cooler in the hills. Add wind chill to the equation, and you’ll be glad you wore long pants and a jacket. Wind-proof clothes are recommended, as well as hiking boots and sunglasses.
- Take weight limits into account
Paragliding is a delicate endeavor, and the weight of the passengers plays a big part in the maneuverability of the paraglider. Typically, the maximum total weight for tandem paragliding is up to 529 pounds (240 kilograms). In many cases, paragliding tour guides will simply specify that the maximum weight for each passenger is around 264 pounds (120 kilograms).
There are established minimum weights as well. Without enough weight, there’s a much higher risk of wing collapse. Since some paragliding passengers are children, paragliding companies may establish a minimum passenger weight of around 88 pounds (40 kilograms).
- Take minimum age limits into account
Rather than setting a minimum weight limit, some paragliding tours establish a minimum age. In most cases, this is 14. The child must have their parent’s written permission; other than that, the requirements are the same as for an adult.
Is paragliding in Medellin safe?
Because paragliding is considered to be an extreme sport, many people are worried about the safety aspect. After all, it does seem pretty risky to glide through the air with nothing but a strip of fabric holding you up. Even so, statistics show that paragliding isn’t actually that dangerous. It’s about as risky as driving, which is something that most people don’t think twice about. The total number of paragliding accidents may seem high if you’re looking at them without context, but the truth is that 90% of them occur within a pilot’s first 10 flights. Since Medellin paragliding tours tend to put a strong emphasis on safety, you don’t have to worry about paragliding with a rookie pilot.
What about “acro tricks”, or in-air tricks performed by the pilots? These can certainly add to the excitement of a paragliding experience, but they also add to the risk. The most basic of these tricks usually involve controlled spinning through the air; this isn’t too dangerous, but it has been known to result in a collapsed paraglider wing.
Collisions with other pilots is also a risk, especially on days when there are multiple paragliding tours taking off and landing from the same area. Fortunately, Medellin’s paragliding hotspots are sizeable, providing plenty of room for experienced pilots to safely land.
Whether you’re new to paragliding, or you’re a lifelong fanatic of the sport, Medellin is a great place to satisfy your cravings for this airborne adventure.
