Paragliding is one of the most popular leisure activities, so there’s no wonder so many companies offer it to tourists. There are many sites in the world where you can enjoy this kind of adventure, as the basic requirements are a sea or an ocean and a mountain in its neighborhood. The sea is beautiful, but it isn’t an absolute must. However, you do need the top of a mountain or an alternative artificial system to launch yourself in your flight.
South Africa is one of the countries where paragliding is quite common. Thanks to its natural shape and relief, the De Aar region is one of the best in this respect. There are at least 10 paragliding sites around De Aar, so you have plenty of options, should you be willing to try this kind of adventure. This site is rated very high by many users, as they’ve been impressed with their personal experience of flying over mountains, hills and fields. As a matter of fact, the mountain launch isn’t very used in De Aar, because of its very strong wind gradient. Most people prefer the artificial launch that uses a payout winch system. This is much better, as it is safer and easier to use. The site is know for its reliability, so there’s no wonder many pilots come here to get their first 100 km.
There are also other sites in this region, so you can choose another one, should you want a different type of experience. For instance, you can try the De Aar Airfield, featuring an elevation of 1314 m. However, this site doesn’t offer too many facilities, as no clubs and no professionals use it. Besides, you can’t buy gear and you can’t benefit from added services such as tandem flights.
If you need a paragliding school, you may be better off with the De Aar Renosterberg site, as it offers a good PG school, as well as a gear shop, tandem flights and repair facilities. There are some pilots who have used this site, their flight duration averaging between 2 hours and 4 and a half hours. Nonetheless, you have to keep in mind that these figures have been recorded by professional pilots, so you may not be able to obtain similar results.
De Aar is one of the most important regions of South Africa. Despite the fact that it is pretty arid, it is a primary commercial distribution center for a wider region. At the same time, it is popular for hunting. Besides, there are multiple tourist attractions in this region, so it is a good idea to visit some of them, should you decide to do some paragliding in this area.
Before choosing your adventure, you should take your time and research all paragliding sites in the area, as there are differences between them. If you are new to this sport, you may want to take a look at all available schools, so that you can find a good instructor to teach you the basics of flying like the birds. You may be able to find some good videos published by people who have been through this experience. Watch them, as this can be the best way to discover the area and to adjust your expectations to reality. South Africa is an amazing country anyway, hence the big number of tourists and adventurers who visit it every year. Paragliding is only one of the experiences you can have, so do yourself a favor and read about all other amazing things a visitor can take advantage of while here.
