Colombia XC 2023 Paragliding Holiday

Colombia 2023

Say “No!” to January blues.
Say “Yes” to tropical XC paradise.

Take off from manicured grassy launches surrounded by coffee and banana plantations. Milk generous and bountiful thermals to climb high and travel far across tropical landscapes. Land next to papaya trees and sugar cane plantations, to be welcomed by friendly locals on horseback.

Your two week Colombian Safari is fully supported with two drivers and THREE top guides to help you get the very most from your adventure of a lifetime.

Watch this video to see what it’s all about:

Trip Highlights

Live and breathe paragliding
Expect to clock up plenty of airtime here. Fly XC every day in conditions that are generally smooth and easy. Two retrieve buses using the latest live-tracking technology means you’ll be back to launch (or the pool) faster than ever.
Exotic Adventure
This is XC flying at its best. With our trip you’ll also get to see plenty of tropical Colombia – staying in 5 different (and good quality!) hotels as we travel through Colombia visiting some absolutely fabulous XC sites. Bring your camera!
Most reliable flying weather
Very reliable! You can fully expect EVERYDAY to be flyable out here. It’s the best way to kick-start 2023

Trip Details

The Flying

Pilot Level
This trip is open to autonomous pilots qualified to at least CP level. Pilots should also have some previous thermalling experience and ideally have been XC before. Most of the launches we visit (about 8 different ones!) are really ideal – the perfect grassy slope. Conditions on launch are usually strong enough for reverse launching, but forward launches are also often required. With Passion you’ll ALWAYS have a guide on launch to help you.

Whilst the launches are some of the most accessible and manicured you’ll find anywhere, landings are often more challenging and not always so big. If you have any doubt about whether your flying abilities are sufficient, please get in touch.

The aim of this trip is to develop pilot XC skills by scoring as much quality airtime as possible and enhancing that experience with quality air-to-air guiding, group and individual feedback.

Whether you’re after a warm and sunny escape, or looking to break your personal best distance, this is the ideal winter adventure. In Colombia you can expect to fly day after day (whilst wearing shorts!!)

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Pilot Level for BIG XC Camp (last week of January and first week of February 2023)
The second trip is reserved for pilots who have already achieved a personal best distance of at least 50km. If in doubt about your suitability please contact us via email.
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Temperatures and flying conditions
Colombia is hot and humid. Climbing up to base is refreshing and you’ll be flying in shorts and T-shirt (maybe a jacket on high base days). Temperatures on landing can be very hot and humid. At most of the sites we visit winds are generally light and valley breezes are not a problem. The humid air means that thermals are well behaved, easy to understand and not too strong. It also means that thermals are usually marked by nice fluffy cumuli. Climb. Fly to fluffy white cloud. Repeat.

The guiding
Expect to considerably develop your XC skills on this trip.

No matter what your level we are there to help. One guide is always last to launch so always there to assist. We will be flying with you – most probably splitting into smaller groups so you can get the most out of the experience. This will mean less experienced pilots can expect to get feedback on their thermalling skills whilst more ambitious and experienced pilots will not be hindered from covering bigger distances or more ambitious flights.

As well as full weather and task briefings each morning, we’ll take time at the end of each day to give you feedback to help you improve your flying skills and XC decision making.

It’s all there for you but there’s no pressure. More than a paragliding course this is a lifetime adventure where flying and having fun in a tropical wonderland is what it’s all about.

The Flying Sites

Itinerary

XC Safaris (exploring Colombia from the air)

Colombia 1 (Medellin to Cali)

Day 1 (Saturday 7th January)

Arrival at Medellin airport and transfer to hotel (about 1 hour)

Day after day of XC flying

We’ll spend the first flying day at Sopetrán before moving south to fly the sites of Titiribí, Jericó, Pantanillo, Cordoncillo and La Merced. During the second week we’ll fly the Cauca valley sites of Ansermanuevo, Roldanillo, Apia and finally Piedechinche.

Day 15 (Saturday 21st January)

Transfer to Cali airport (c. 40mins)

Colombia 3 (Cali to Medellin)

Day 1 (Saturday 4th February)

Arrival at Cali airport and transfer to hotel (c 40mins)

Day after day of XC flying

We’ll spend three days in Piedechinche – the ideal warm-up site no matter what your level – plentiful land-out options and lots of flat land XC potential. For the second half of the first week we’ll head north to fly the other Cauca valley sites of Ansermanuevo, Roldanillo and Apia. In the second week we’ll meander our way deeper into the Andes Mountains to fly the other-worldly XC sites of Cordoncillo, Pantanillo and Jericó, before finally arriving in the stunning Andean city of Medellin.

Day 15 (Saturday 18th February)

Transfer to Medellin airport (about 1 hour)

Colombia 4 (Medellin to Cali)

Day 1 (Saturday 18th February)

Arrival at Medellin airport and transfer to hotel (about 1 hour)

Day after day of XC flying

Day 15 (Saturday 4th March)

Transfer to Cali airport (c. 40mins)

Non flying adventures

We usually stay very close to launches so with the odd free morning we’ll visit coffee plantations (and a few other secret surprises!) We use local guides so you get an unparalleled insight into the local culture.

BIG XC Camp (for pilots with PB of at least 50km)
Colombia 2 (flights to Cali)

Day 1 (Saturday 21st January)

Arrival at Cali airport and transfer to hotel (about 1 hour)

Day after day of XC flying

We’ll spend a couple of days in Piedechinche to warm up. For the majority of the fortnight we’ll be flying the other big sites of the Cauca valley including Ansermanuevo, Roldanillo and Apia. On this trip we move around less, and whilst we won’t see so much of Colombia we’ll have more time to debrief flights at the end of each day. On this trip we’re going big everyday! We’ll finish up our final day in Piedechinche (hopefully having flown there from Roldanillo)

Day 15 (Saturday 4th February)

Transfer to Cali airport (c. 40mins)

Food and Accommodation

Accommodation

We use a variety of accommodations along route. All places we stay are a notch-up from other operators. You’ll even have a pool for all but a couple of days from your trip.

Prices for the fortnight are based on twin rooms (two people sharing) (double rooms for couples). If you’d prefer a single room for the week, these are sometimes available for a supplement. Please get in touch early to reserve a single room.

Food

Breakfast is included in the price. We’ll usually pick up flying snacks (lunch) en route to our flying site each morning. In the evenings we usually organise ourselves to eat at a local restaurant – making everything easy for you!

What to Bring

You will need to bring the following:

Passport (with at least 6 months validity)
Paragliding insurance (essential if you want to fly!) Bring insurance documents with you!!
Certified wing
Certified harness with fitted and recently re-packed reserve parachute
Paragliding helmet
Sturdy flying shoes/boots
Summer flying gloves
Flying clothing (except on the high base days you might find shorts and T-shirts sufficient)
Integrated GPS vario
Radio (or get in touch early if you want to rent one)
Mobile telephone. Please bring an “open” phone (smart phone!). We will provide you with an Colombian SIM card on arrival

We also recommend you bring the following:

Sunscreen and sunglasses – It will hot and sunny !
Hat – It will hot and sunny !
Summer clothing – Colombia is tropical
Warm clothing – you won’t need much of this and nothing too fluffy, but occasionally we stay quite high in the Andes Mountains, so a fleece or light jacket could be useful.
Camera – Great photos are assured!
Waterproof jacket – Colombia is tropical and the odd down-burst is to be expected.

Getting there

Flights
Most international flights arrive at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota. You will therefore usually need to organise short domestic flights to and from Medellín and Cali.

If you’d like to arrive a day or two early, please let us know if you need help with accommodation.

Please wait for your booking to be accepted before booking flights.

Airport Transfers
Airport transfers are all included. We’ll meet you at the airport at the beginning of your trip and drop you back there at the end.

Colombia: Visas, Vaccinations, Money

Colombia
This is the perfect time to visit Colombia. Her sometimes violent past contrasts strongly with the bright and happy present. The stability that Colombia enjoys is expressed clearly in the smiley faces, the relaxed and friendly conversations. Whether travelling through the air or along roads less travelled, you’ll feel very welcome here

Visa for Colombia
Citizens of most European countries and the US do not normally require a visa for visits to Colombia for stays of up to 90 days. You might need to provide proof of onwards travel (e.g. return flight ticket). Please check visa requirements well in advance.

Health and Vaccinations
Your routine vaccinations should be up-to-date. These usually include diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Travel clinics will also usually recommend Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Whilst we will be travelling in an area that is low risk for many diseases compared to many parts of the country, please be sure to consult your doctor several months BEFORE your trip for professional medical advice. Sun-cream and a hat are recommended!

Travel Money
The local currency is the Peso. The easiest (and probably cheapest) way to get cash is by using the ATMs in all the small towns we wander through.

Additional Flying Information

Paragliding Skills Preparation
Ground handle, ground handle, ground handle! The top pilots in the world spend hours every month playing with their wings…on the ground! The happier you are with your ground handling, the better you will understand your wing (e.g. pitch, roll, yaw and pressure control), the safer will be your launches, the safer will be your landings and the safer you will be in the air. Those good at ground handling also tend to spend less time “stuffing up” their launches and so tend to spend more time in the air. They also tend to be the more confident on launch and can therefore concentrate on the flying!! To maximise your safety and the safety of those in your proximity (!), to maximise your enjoyment – ground handle ground handle and then ground handle!!!

Paragliding Insurance
We require you to have insurance that covers repatriation. Please make sure that your insurance is valid for Colombia and of course that paragliding is covered! We recommend you research your insurance options thoroughly and read the small print carefully. Please bring insurance documents with you. You will not be allowed to fly without proof of insurance!!

Flying documents for Colombia
You must bring all you flying documents with you, including your flying licence and your paragliding insurance documents. Most sites in Colombia incur fees. These fees are covered by Passion Paragliding and included in the cost of this trip.

Safety and Medical Facilities
Safety is our absolute priority. We continually assess flying conditions in our passionate endeavour to keep you as safe as possible. However, please understand that although we will do all we can to ensure your safety, you should know your own level of ability and as a qualified pilot when it comes to flying understand that it is your decision to fly, and yours alone!

Taking a break and non-flying activities
If ever it’s not flyable here, there’s plenty to do. We’ll be there to help where we can. There’s a very high chance of it being flyable every day. If you feel tired from all the flying why not take a break? Flying is always safer when well rested.

Live Tracking
As with all our cross country trips, we’ll be using live-trackers for your safety. These are included in the cost of the trip and they’ll also help with some optional post-flight analysis, so if you want to learn and improve your XC skills and decision making you’ve got the perfect set-up.

Maps and waypoints
Shortly before your trip we’ll send you an updated set of way-points and on arrival you’ll receive a flying map.

Price

What’s Included?

The following is all included on this trip:

Hotel accommodation with hearty breakfast.
Full guiding service with top guides: THREE top guides to fly with you including world record pilot Toby Colombé.
Airport Transfers (Medellin / Cali).
All transport for the 15 days.
Retrieve transport no matter how far you fly.
Drinking water is always available in the vehicles
Live tracking – you’ll be provided with a tracker for each flight.
All site fees for the duration of the trip.
On arrival, a Colombian SIM card with plenty of data

When comparing trips, please recognise what’s included. We include a lot more than other operators! We look after all the small details so you get to concentrate on what’s important: flying and having fun.

Not included are return flights to Colombia; insurance and vaccinations; drinks and meals.

Price for 15 day XC Safari (Colombia 1 and Colombia 3): £1,950

Price for 15 day Big XC Camp (Colombia 2): £1,950

What they said about last year

The previous 3 trips [to Colombia] with [another operator] have always been rather trying with an odd mix of very competitive pilots which lead to a disjointed group with little harmony. I would always recommend Passion Paragliding.

I have been on many flying trips to many flying sites in many countries over the years and none have been as well thought out, efficiently organised, planned and coordinated as this recent trip to Colombia with Passion Paragliding.

C.I.

Everything was extremely well organised – the flying, retrieve system, accommodation, food. There wasn’t a thing for us to worry about except flying well. It was just a fabulous flying holiday!

G.R.

To apply for a place on this trip, just click the button below and select your preferred week. Please also write a line or two about your XC experience in the comments box.

Book this trip now

Go to booking page to check availability

Colombia 2023

Say “No!” to January blues.
Say “Yes” to tropical XC paradise.

Watch this video to see what it’s all about:

Trip Highlights

Live and breathe paragliding

Exotic Adventure

Most reliable flying weather

Trip Details

XC Safaris (exploring Colombia from the air)

Colombia 1 (Medellin to Cali)

Colombia 3 (Cali to Medellin)

Colombia 4 (Medellin to Cali)

Non flying adventures

BIG XC Camp (for pilots with PB of at least 50km)
Colombia 2 (flights to Cali)

What they said about last year

BEGINNER?

HELPFUL NEWS & INFO

Colombia 2023

Say “No!” to January blues. Say “Yes” to tropical XC paradise.

Watch this video to see what it’s all about:

Trip Highlights

Trip Details

What they said about last year

BEGINNER?

HELPFUL NEWS & INFO

Say “No!” to January blues.
Say “Yes” to tropical XC paradise.