Medellin, Colombia, the second largest city in the country sits at an altitude of 4,905 feet above sea level high in the Andes mountains. Because of its close proximity to the equator, it has a year round good temperature and is known as the “city of eternal spring”. With such great weather, mountains, and gorgeous views, the city is a perfect location for paragliding!
I won’t say I wasn’t nervous when the thought first crossed my mind to jump off a mountain and fly above the city but this was something I’d told myself I was going to do for a long time. Besides, you only live once right? So I called up my friends at Medellin City Services to make this happen.
Medellin City Services has more than 25 years of experience providing this service so I felt like I was in good hands. I sent them a whatsapp message, scheduled a day and time and that was it – simple, just like I like.
On the day of my adventure I woke up anxious, but excited about what lied ahead. Julio from Medellin City Services picked me up on time and whisked me away to San Felix, the place where I would be flying from. San Felix sits above the neighborhood of Bello, high above the city. There’s a lookout point where you can see beautiful views of the city below in the valley.
When we arrived, I checked in, signed my life away on a waiver, and was given a memory card to record my flight. I then watched a video on safety and other important concepts when paragliding. For those that don’t speak Spanish, the videos are in both English and Spanish. Julio then told me I had to trek up to the top of the mountain where the flight would take place.
You certainly need to be in a decent shape to make it up those steps to the top of the mountain. Once I arrived, out of breath, I presented them my ticket and memory card and we suited up for flight. Finally we were ready for the moment I’d been waiting for.
I felt the wind pushing us around a bit as we prepared to take off. But no sooner than I felt the wind, the workers asked me if I was ready and, just like that, we began our running start and off we went. Our ascent was smooth. We cruised around for about 25 minutes, taking in breathtaking views of Medellin. We cruised over towns and farmland and the valley below.
It kind of eerie but also calming to be so high in the air but hear literally no noise but the wind. No sounds of nature or honking horns and motorcycles from the city below. As we made our way back to our starting point mountain, the guide told me to put my feet up when we land and boy did we land…butt first – ouch!
Overall, the experience was well worth it. You can enjoy breathtaking views from certified instructors and have an awesome time. All the footage you capture on their camera is stored on your memory card which you get to keep. And because the weather is great year round, paragliding is possible nearly year round!
What You Need To Bring
There are a few things that you should bring with you on the day of your flight.
- Sun Block – The sun can be very strong in the mountains above the city.
- Sweater or light jacket – It can be windy and sometimes chilly when flying in the mountains
- Wear long pants – Comfortable pants while being strapped in is a necessity
- No Sandals – You don’t want your shoes falling off during your flight
The Best Times to Go Paragliding in Medellin
With regards to weather, the best times to go paragliding are in the first hours of daylight and in the last three hours of daylight. Additionally, you want the skies clear and free of thick clouds or thunderstorms. San Felix can become crowded on the weekends with adventure seeking paragliders and afficionados so if possible, schedule your paragliding session during the week.
How to Book Your Own Medellin Paragliding Experience
I ultimately chose Medellin City Services because they offered hotel pick up and drop off with a bilingual driver and AC, a certified instructor, all necessary gear, and all taxes included. To fly with Medellin City Services you can book and pay a deposit directly on their website at http://medellincityservices.com or you can send them an email at info@medellincityservices.com.
Geron is an avid traveler, entreprenuer and mens style aficionado. He love’s mac and cheese, getting discounts, his momma, and a good whiskey, not particularly in that order. It’s alleged he lives in Miami, but no one really knows anymore.
Follow him on instagram at @geronp
