Paragliding over the Chicamocha Canyon, from San Gil

From $182 USD per person

The Chicamocha canyon drops nearly 2,000 metres between San Gil and Bucaramanga, carved by the Chicamocha River. Rising thermals off those walls make it one of the most consistent paragliding sites in Colombia. This is a private trip built around a tandem flight from a hilltop launch above the gorge, with a certified pilot who handles takeoff, flight and landing while you do nothing but look at it.

Three to four hours in total. The flight itself is 15 to 20 minutes, calm and scenic by default, or with tighter turns and spirals if you ask for them. Most people are back at their hotel with the afternoon still ahead.

Check live availability and prices — or read on for how the day is built.

How the day works

• Pickup and the drive out (about 1.5 hours). From your hotel in San Gil, through green hills and dry river gorges toward the canyon.
• Gear, briefing and flight (about 1.5 hours). You meet your certified pilot at the launch site, get the safety briefing and the equipment check, strap into the tandem harness, take a short run off the hilltop, and fly.
• Landing and return (about 1.5 hours). A few minutes at the landing zone, then your driver takes you back.

What’s included

• A private English-speaking guide
• Private hotel pickup and drop-off
• The paragliding ticket
• A professional paragliding pilot
• All paragliding equipment
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Photos and video of the flight, available for an extra fee
• Breakfast and lunch
• Extra purchases

Good to know

• Paragliding is weather-dependent. Conditions are assessed at the launch site on the day, and the flight can be cancelled even after you arrive. If that happens you receive a 50% refund.
• Closed-toe shoes and clothes you can move in. No loose scarves or dangling accessories that could catch in the harness.
• Transfer time is inside the four-hour total and varies with where you are staying.
• Photos and video cost extra and are paid on site. If you want to film it yourself, bring a secure phone strap.
• No experience needed. It is a tandem flight. The pilot controls everything.
• It is a private tour, so the schedule bends around your comfort level rather than a group’s.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need experience?

None. It is a tandem flight, so you are strapped to a certified pilot who controls takeoff, the flight and the landing.

What if the weather is bad?

The flight depends entirely on wind and conditions. If it is unsafe, it is cancelled, sometimes after you have already arrived at the launch site. In that case you receive a 50% refund.

Can I get photos or video?

Yes, from the pilot, for an extra fee paid on site. If you would rather use your own phone, bring a secure strap or mount.

How long is the actual flight?

15 to 20 minutes, depending on wind. The four hours is the whole trip including private transport from your hotel.

What should I wear?

Closed-toe shoes with grip and clothes you can move in. Nothing loose that could catch in the harness.

How do we get to San Gil in the first place?

We drive it. Bogotá to San Gil and Barichara, or from the nearest airport Bucaramanga to San Gil and the Bucaramanga airport transfer.

Ready? Check your date and lock it in