Adventure Trips

Paragriding In Pokhara

Paragliding is a relatively new adventure sport in Nepal. Paragliding in this Himalayan country can be a truly wonderful and fulfilling experience for the adventure-seekers. You can experience unparalleled scenic grandeur as you share airspace with Himalayan griffin vultures, eagles, kites, while floating over villages, monasteries, temples, lakes and jungles, with a fantastic view of the majestic Himalayas.

Gliding is a weather dependent sport and the flying season in Nepal commences from November through February, the best months being November and December. By virtue of its latitude and monsoonal climate, the tree line in Nepal is at an incredible 3,900 m above sea level. With conditions milder than summer alpine, these are excellent and constant atmospherics.

The topography and climate of Nepal also make it an ideal destination for all levels of pilots- subtropical conditions provide plenty of thermals and combined with the long valleys common in Nepal, they produce perfect 'cloud streets' ideal for paragliders, inviting them to fly along this "sky highway". The local microclimate, controlled by the numerous lakes in the valley, is unique, which makes it even better for the glider. The main area for flying in Nepal is the Annapurna region, more specifically the Pokhara valley. This lakeside town is Nepal's second "city", nestled at the foot of the Annapurna Himal, the views commanded from here, of 3 of the worlds 8000m peaks, are unsurpassed. At an altitude of 800m ASL the subtropical climate means that, year round, it is short and T-shirt weather. The micro-climate of the valley makes it an ideal area for flying, with far more constant conditions than the Kathmandu valley 150 km east.

There are several sites around Phewa lake but the most accessible is Sarangkot (1500m ASL). A view point 700m above Pokhara, it is unique in that it has a road running to the top. A short walk brings you to the only purpose built take off in the country. Cut out of the slope is a 45m by 45m clearing. With regular cycles providing easy reverse launches, you could not ask for a more picturesque site. With the lake 2000 ft below, the mountains behind, and the unlimited potential for XC and out and returns, this has quickly become the main site for the area, and many pilots have based themselves in Pokhara for the season, flying from this mountain alone.

There are various deals for the paragliding enthusiast as well as those checking this sport out for the first time. There is a three-day introductory course for beginners, as well as tandem flights (where you fly with an instructor) for the inexperienced or less brave. At 6000 ft, you sit back in your seat as your qualified pilot takes you on an unforgettable journey. The take-off point for these flights is Sarankot (1592 m), which offers prime views of Phewa lake and the mountains at sunrise and sunset (provided the skies are clear); the landing is by the lake.

Bungee Jump - Bhotekoshi

Just imagination of jumping down from a bridge 160 meters above a tropical gorge with the Bhote Kosi, one of Nepal's wildest rivers raging below is enough to make your heartbeat run faster. And, it is the thrill of Bungee jumping as it there is no fun for real adventure lover if challenge is not so hard and difficult. It is located within a reach of 4 hours outside Kathmandu and just 19 km away from the Tibet Border. The Bungee bridge happens to be the only privately owned bridge in Nepal. It has been specially designed for Bungee jumping with a 4x-safety factor and has a loading factor of 41,500 kg or 4.5 tons according to Swiss measurements.

One would have to be totally insane or suicidal twisted to jump off the remarkable 500-ft (160 m) drop into the Bhote Kosi river gorge. As the Bungee Master nicknamed Rock advises the jumpers to ensure that pockets are empty and the girls have no loose jewelry coming in the way, nervous laughter erupts from the crowd when he strongly advises against taking intoxicants just before the jump. Jumpers weights are recorded before the jump to use different cords for different categories of weights. The Green, Red and Black cords are used for the lightest, the heavier and the heavyweights accordingly. It is a perfect way of wild adventure.

All adventures are truly unique experiences, they demand choosing a company with the right expertise, attitude and equipment, and above all respect for the natural forces we play with. Our extremely talented jump staff sets safety standards for others to follow, leaving you free to enjoy your adventure with the knowledge that you are in the most capable of hands.

The jump site in Nepal was designed in 1999 by one of New Zealand's leading Bungee consultants and has been staffed and operated by some of the most experienced Western and Nepalese Jump Masters in the business, working to exacting international standards to guarantee your safety.

The anchoring and cable structure of the Canyon Swing were designed by Nepalese Engineers with more than 15 years of experience in bridge construction, using Swiss Technology for design and manufactured by Radha Engineering (an ISO 9000 certified Engineering Company in Nepal). The design and construction was under direct Swiss expertise and supervision.

Bungee Nepal and Canyon Swing takes place on a 166 meter wide steel suspension bridge. Swiss designed specially for Bungee jumping with a 4x safety factor, the bridge has a loading factor of 250 kg per running meter.

This means that the bridge will hold 250 x 166 = 41500 kg or 41.5 tonnes. And... those are Swiss measurements! Over 6000 meters of steel wire was used to build the bridge that joins two sides of a beautiful valley.

Bungee Nepal is operated at The Last Resort and located 12 km from the Tibetan Border in Nepal. Bungee Nepal was set up by Kiwi David Allerdice and Nepali Bishnu Neopanae. Together they scouted the area for a long time to find the perfect location for the 166 meter long and 160 meter high suspension bridge. The bridge was finally built in three months and the first jump took place in 1999.

Two new partners have since joined the company, Australian Pat o’Keeffe and Dutch Sam Voolstra. The company has 50 staff members, the majority from the local area. They were trained by international experts and together run two offices, one resort, the Bungee and swing operation, canyoning and hiking. We work together with Ultimate Riversand HMB for rafting and mountain biking.

Before the construction the local villagers had to walk five hours to cross the river gorge. The building of the bridge has a positive impact on the development of the local economy and infrastructure.