Paragliding in Calarcá: Tandem Flight over the Coffee Region

From $135 USD per person

The ridge above Calarcá, at Buenavista, is one of the best flight corridors in Colombia, and from a tandem glider the Coffee Region stops being a view and becomes a map: the geometry of the farms, the rivers threading the valleys, a small Andean town folded into the hills.

Three hours in total, of which the flight is fifteen minutes and the rest is the road. A certified pilot flies the glider. You run a few steps and then you are off the ground.

Check live availability and prices — or read on for how it works.

How it works

• Pickup and the drive up (about 1.5 hours). A private vehicle collects you at your chosen departure point and takes you to meet your pilot. Tell us where you are staying when you book — Armenia, Calarcá, Salento, Filandia or Pereira all change the drive, and the three-hour total is built around it.
• The safety briefing. Your pilot walks you through the harness, the takeoff run and what to do with your legs on landing. It is short and it is the whole job.
• The flight (15 minutes). Off the Buenavista launch, out over the ridgelines, the coffee farms and the valley.
• Landing and the return (about 1.5 hours). You land near Calarcá. If you want it, there is time to walk the town centre before your driver takes you back.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in private transport
• The tandem flight with a certified pilot
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Guide service — there is no guide on this tour
• Breakfast and lunch
• Extra purchases, including photos and video of your flight

Good to know

• The flight is fifteen minutes. The three hours are mostly the drive there and back. Know that before you book so it is not a surprise.
• Weather decides. Paragliding is weather-dependent and your pilot makes the final call at the launch site on the day. That call is not negotiable and it is the right way round.
• No experience needed. You fly tandem. The pilot controls takeoff, flight and landing.
• Weight and age limits apply. They are set by the operator. Tell us the ages of everyone flying, and any concerns, when you book, and we will confirm before you travel rather than at the launch site.
• There is no guide. You have a private driver and your pilot. That is the tour.
• Closed-toe shoes and clothes you can move in. Nothing loose that can catch in the harness.
• Photos and video cost extra. Arranged with the pilot on the day, not included in the price.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need experience?

None. You fly in tandem with a certified pilot who handles everything. Your job is to follow the instructions at takeoff and enjoy the fifteen minutes.

What happens if the weather is wrong?

Your pilot makes the safety call at the launch site on the day. If conditions are not right, the flight does not go. Talk to us when you book about what that means for your dates.

Is there a weight or age limit?

Yes, set by the operator. We would rather confirm your party against them before you travel than have you find out at the launch. Send us the ages and any concerns when you book.

How long is the flight?

Fifteen minutes in the air. About three hours from pickup to drop-off.

Can I get photos?

Yes, as an extra purchase arranged with the pilot on the day. It is not in the tour price.

Where can you pick me up?

Anywhere in the region, and where you are staying changes the drive. We move people around the Coffee Region every day:

• Armenia
• Salento and the Valle de Cocora
• Filandia
• Pereira
• Bogotá to the Coffee Region
• Medellín to the Coffee Region
• Cali to the Coffee Region

Ready? Check your date and lock it in