Paragliding operators doing brisk business

Pokhara:Another flying season is here and hoards of paragliders have crowded the airspace of the lake city. Sarangkot, Pame and Khapaudi in Pokhara see over 300 flyers daily.

Considered one of the top five paragliding destinations in the world, Sarangkot attracts hundreds of thrill seekers each year.

The September-January period is considered the best for paragliding in Pokhara, offering flyers clear weather and panoramic view of snow-capped mountains. It also provides them with thrills of sailing over Fewa Lake.

“It’s an exciting moment that I had never imagined,” said Rebecca, an American, expressing her delight.  Hundreds of colourful paragliders hovering overhead instantly attracted Rebecca, who is on her first visit to Nepal. “I will return next year and fly once again next year.”

The growing number of flyers, both international and domestic levels, means the operators could hardly hold back their smiles. “We have witnessed a significant growth in flyers this season,” said Bhupal Gurung, operator of Frontiers Paragliding, which operates more than 20 flights a day.

The paragliding companies charge Rs 7,500 per flight for foreigners, while it is Rs 5,000 for Nepalis. Those who want to take a photograph during their flight will have to pay additional Rs 1,700. There are around 100 paragliding pilots, including Nepalis, associated with 15 companies that operate the adventure sports business.

source: The kathmandu Post,31 Oct 2012