Paragliding over Cape Town
When we started travelling full time 16 months ago one of my goals was to do more things outside of my comfort zone. Paragliding was one of those things.
Cape Town is the perfect place for paragliding. I booked with a couple of days in advance and waited. Lissette kept asking me “Are you nervous? You don’t look nervous. Why aren’t you nervous?” I can’t explain it but I didn’t feel at all nervous in the days leading up to the flight.
In fact, the only time during the flight itself that I ever got nervous was when Sammi handed me the controls and let me fly. You can probably see me tighten up on the video. Overall however, it was a glorious experience with incredible views that I wish I could do again.
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I really liked Sammi. He was enthusiastic from the moment I met him. Great energy and I laugh looking at the video because you see a smile on his face the whole time. He’s from Iceland and if he’s any indication of the people of Iceland we’ll have to go there one of these days.
Some information
– Book your paragliding adventure here. Make sure to pre-book, it’s a popular activity and might have to wait a few days for an availability. The meeting point is either Lion’s Head or Signal Hill – it depends on the winds on a given day.
– The flight can take anywhere between 7 and 20 minutes depending on the winds. I think my flight was probably in the 7-8 minute range. It wasn’t cheap considering the length of the flight but it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you have to do.
– Meeting point: Either the Lion’s Head parking area or Signal Hill parking area. Both are on Signal Hill Drive.
Fantastic experience!
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Okay, we’re changing your name to flyboy. You were neither safe nor or sound mind but you lived to tell about it. Way to go; I’ll have to try it one day soon. When you return to Nong Khai I’ll send you scuba diving in the Mekong River while I safely watch from dry ground. That proves how daring I am.
I’m not a water person at all – I’d have to say no to the scuba diving…somehow I don’t think I would see more than a foot in front of me in the Mekong.
Phenomenal Frank ! Fantastic trip – and video production … video captures the sensations in no way that photos can… and goes especially well with the perfectly appropriate music. When you are up on the Garden Route there are several great paragliding sites and outfits, one of the ‘easiest’ (not nearly as spectacular as CT though…) being up above the Wilderness (believe they are somewhat cheaper too)
Thanks so much Tony. Actually our new Icelandic friend Sammi mentioned paragliding in Wilderness and said that if interested I could take a 2-day paragliding course and get a certificate of some sort. I don’t think I’d do that. But if cheaper I would for sure do it again now that I’ve lost my virginity…
That is so awesome! Cape Town is so beautiful! I really wanted to try it here in Brazil but I’m afraid of heights. Just when I had finally talked myself into trying it, we met a Brazilian couple in Rio that told us a horrible story about their friend that went paragliding. Long story short they survived and are fine, but the story really freaked me out! But your video makes it look really fun and not tha scary at all! I hope Lissette tries it! I may gather up the courage at some point.
“Horrible story” and “I hope Lissette tries it” isn’t really the greatest combination. Thank you so much Elizabeth. Yeah, thanks.
The difference is that here in Cape Town it’s professional A+ and from talking to many people there are no bad stories out there. In Brazil – based on our experience there – well, I’ll leave that unsaid….
Not in this lifetime. I don’t even like to fly inside of a plane!
That’s ok, for all her big talk Spanky ended up bailing out of the idea…