Fly like a bird – Paraglide in Kamshet

We grew up reading about super heroes , demons and spirits , ghosts and fairies who all had one thing in common – the ability to fly . We even waved to the airplanes that flew above our houses . Many of us have even clicked pictures on our first plane flight!!      The idea of flying have always enticed us .

But how do we fly without wings ? We are not endowed with superpowers , neither do we have wings !!  How will it feel to actually fly like a bird ?

The answer to this is Paragliding. Yes you can experience the adrenaline gush , the freedom and freshness by paragliding.

Who can paraglide ?

EVERYBODY and you should . You are never too old , never too young nor overweight for paragliding. During my first trip we were a group of 10-12 people . I had a lighter frame and got to flew in the end . Heavier weights have an upper hand when it comes to paragliding !! They are sturdier in the fast blowing wind. Even older people can paraglide . After the initial adrenaline gush , rest of the flight is very smooth . You can ask your pilot for lesser inclinations if you are scared.

Places in India where Paragliding is offered

Bir Billing , Manali( Himachal Pradesh ) , Kamshet ( Maharashtra ) , Mussoorie , Bangalore , Nainital , Yelagiri ( Chennai )

PARAGLIDING IN KAMSHET – SHINDE WADI HILL

How to reach ?

Kamshet is located in Pune district and is 110 km from Mumbai and 45km from Pune. You can take a private cab or reach Lonavala from Mumbai by train . It takes nearly 2 hours by train. Kamshet is only 16km from Lonavala railway station. Travelling by train will be preferable if you want to save your time and money. You can hire a private cab or can join a travelling group if you are apprehensive about taking the journey on your own. There are local groups that take a weekend trip to Kamshet. Though they are convenient but then they are a little expensive and predictable.

What to carry ?

• Don’t forget to charge your mobile phone or carry your camera so that you can relive the moment again and again .
• Carry something to eat . There are local restaurants below the flying site in case you don’t have time to pack stuff.
• Shinde Wadi Hill is the actual take off point. You have to take a short trek to it .It is preferable to wear sport shoes. Travel groups usually take the cab till the top of the hill .  Kamshet offers beautiful sites which can be best enjoyed by taking a short trek of 15- 20 minutes.                                          Views from Shinde Wadi Hill

• Contact a paragliding company before going . There are several companies that offer tandem paragliding like Kamshet paragliding club,  Indus paragliding , flynirvana which can be easily contacted before going. The flight is of 30 minutes duration.

 

Take the flight … savour the fun !!!

If you feel that a one day flight is not enough for you then you can take a short paragliding course!! These companies also offer short courses to learn paragliding. Take one in your vacations. Maybe you were destined to be a paragliding pilot but you never knew it ! So its now time to realise your talent and to give wings to your dreams…. Paraglide!!!

 

Did you know?

Bir Billing is the paragliding capital of India . Every year it hosts the World Paragliding Championship. The best month to paraglide is in October.