La Palma blogger: Paragliding at it's best

Paragliding enthusiasts are considering La Palma one of the best flying areas of the world. Unique conditions delivered from the presence of volcanoes, made from trade winds, breezing gently and constantly from the northeast and spring-like temperatures, predominant the whole year round, producing ideal meteorological facts for both, thermal and dynamic flights.

On top of that, there is the magnificent scenery of landscape, which even surprises well traveled globetrotters and makes every flight a very enjoyable event. Gliding along volcanoes and over subtropical forests, circling over the ocean and going down at the beachside or going back into thermal conditions and rise again, makes paragliding a complete and exciting adventure and a challenge for every pilot.

Paragliding over the Atlantic Ocean

Since about 20 years the start base is just above the beach from Puerto Naos on La Palmas west side, where gliders starting from a plateau, 250 meters above sea level. Paragliding instructor Roger Frey from the paragliding school Puerto Naos, explained the unique conditions so: ”The usual facts look like that, the peak line of the volcanoes along mid island is falling from north to south and from Roque de los Muchachos (2406m) over Pico de la Nieve (2239m) to Reventon (1435m) to Pico de Birigoyo (1774m) to Crater de Hoyo Negro (1871m) to Deseada II (1875m) to the Volcan of San Antonio (657m) in the south of La Palma, before it slowly falls down to zero at the lighthouse of Fuencaliente.”

“Now”, Roger Frey explains ahead: “looking at the northeast trade winds, hitting the east side of La Palma, we would actually start leeward. But now it comes! Trade winds are splitting around the volcanoes and passing the island north and south, while developing two turbulences in leeward, which are hitting the back of the volcanoes just about in the middle of the islands west side, as windward, right where our starting base is. This phenomenal incident enables the pilots not only to have great starts but are also able, to rise with the turbulences unbelievably towards clouds, at slower trade winds.”

We figured out those condition years ago, Roger said, and we told all our paragliding friends. In the meantime exactly on our spot a couple of competitions have taken place and two years ago, they had an inquiry, that we host the 2008 world cup for paragliding at the Puerto Naos base, but unfortunately, sponsors could not be found to realize the world cup.

"desafio" Paragliders competition at La Palma 2008

It’s worldwide recognized now, what we have here, Roger said. We enjoy every single flight ourselves, provide the paragliding school for pilot certification, doing tandem flights and para-guide-services for pilots are coming for gliding here a week or two, but don’t know about the conditions. It’s very important to have that knowledge and we offering our help where we can.

There is a little office right on the promenade of Playa Morena in Puerto Naos, where also the landing area is and enough space to fold the paraglider to get up the hill, in Roger’s Jeep again.

If you have any question about paragliding La Palma, Rogers will be happy to answer as quick as possible. Just put your question into the comments-box.