Paragliding and soaring above Costa Rica’s spectacular landscape is an experience you won’t ever forget.
Paragliding in Costa Rica is an exhilarating experience that allows you to glide through the color-saturated sky as you behold Costa Rica’s breathtaking views. As you skim the mountaintops, and dangle your feet near the perches of exotic birds, you’ll feel as if you’re becoming a part of the majestic scenery yourself. It’s an easy, practical, safe and economic way of flying around Costa Rica’s beautiful tropical paradise.
There are professional paragliding sites all over Costa Rica ready and willing to assist you in this freeing experience including Jaco, Herradura, Los Suenos and Manuel Antonio, which are all highly recommended locations for paragliding. Many companies will swift you off on your journey right from the beach or a small hill, leaving you with an unforgettable flying experience. For real thrill seekers there are sites in Pacayas, Santa Ana, and Bebedero that launch from higher points, reminiscent of launching from the Swiss Alps.
How it Works
A paraglide, or “foot-launched glider aircraft”, incorporates the use of a comfortable contoured harness, suspension lines and controls (to adjust speed and steering by pulling downward),
and a brightly colored wing or “parapente” (not a parachute) that measures anywhere from 8 to 12 meters in length. These wings are designed with a special fabric, which forms a series of interconnecting cells.
The parapente was born on the bases of a ram air parachute with a bigger wing. The nylon wings are made with cells that are open in the front and closed on the back. The air that
blows into the cells makes the wing raise up and jump to emptiness. This lends to the ease in liftoff, so with paragliding there is no need to jump from a plane.
The pilot sits in the harness and uses both hands to control the parpente. The parpente is lightweight, roughly 6 kg, and the pilot can be ready to take to the air in less than five minutes. Once in the air, one can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h, depending on the weather. Experienced paragliders are capable of traveling for well over an hour, covering hundreds of kilometers. With a good understanding of thermal air currents, pilots can leverage their crafts at ridge-lifts, reaching heights upwards of a few thousand meters.
So, it’s time to experience the beauty of Costa Rica from the sky. With a slight lift of the wing and an abrupt hoist upward, you’ll launch right off the ridge and into the beautiful Costa Rican sky. You’ll feel as light as a bird as your soar above the beach and lush tropical forests in tropical paradise.