Up in the air: Adventure sport enthusiasts have places to go

Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh or sailing in a hot air balloon in Rajasthan: The choices are many

Software professional Abhi Anand has done paragliding in Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh and sailed in a hot air balloon in Pushkar, Rajasthan. “The more you fly, the more you want to fly like a bird and embrace the thrill of the unknown,” said Anand, 27, who lives in Delhi.

Adventure sports options are expanding: You could go bungee jumping or paragliding as tourism picks up in the country. 

“The adventure sports sector has been observing rapid growth (in India). Bir Billing is the second-highest paragliding spot in the world. The paragliding experience at this location takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes from top to bottom. Billing is the starting point of the leap, while Bir is the landing spot," said a spokesperson from TechSci Research, a management consulting firm.

“Rajasthan is the most popular place for hot air ballooning in the country. Other popular locations for adventure sports include skydiving in Mysore (Karnataka) and Amby Valley (Maharashtra); zip lining in Neemrana (Rajasthan) and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand); paramotoring in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and Rishikesh,” said the spokesperson.

The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) is working to make Tehri a global centre for paragliding. “The Tehri Acro Festival, which will take place from November 24 to 28, will be India's first international aerial acrobatic show. Tehri's unparalleled topography, with the majestic Tehri Lake as its backdrop, sets the stage for a series of adventure sports,” said retired Colonel Ashwini Pundir, additional chief executive officer, adventure, UTDB.

The festival will have aerial acrobatics events and three competitions in paragliding. The take-off points from Pratap Nagar, (which is) at an impressive height of around 1,400 metres, stand as the second-highest in the world, rivaled only by OluDeniz in Turkey,” he said.

Safety first

Himanshu Talwar, a Chandigarh resident, has travelled to Dubai, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Pune and Jaipur for ballooning. “I have had the pleasure of enjoying my flight this year near Jaipur. A thorough briefing related to safety, security, flight etc was done and we boarded the balloon. It was a bit scary in the beginning but after reaching a decent altitude we felt comfortable and enjoyed every bit of it,” he said. 

To go paragliding or ballooning, it is important to be fit and do a medical check-up. Beginners should familiarise themselves with the equipment, and safety drill, says Talwar.

When choosing an adventure sport company or agent for your trip, ensure it is recognised by the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI)

All aspects of safety and precautions must be covered by the service provider, said Vinayak Koul, director of SnowLion Expeditions in Delhi. “When booking an adventure activity/holiday, the customer must do due diligence of checking whether the service provider has the required licenses.”

Adventure sports such as paragliding and skydiving are dangerous, needing strict safety measures. Service providers must have trained personnel for the adventure sport, clearly define the role of guide or pilot, and enlist equipment. They must regularly inspect and maintain equipment.

The ATOAI and the Tourism Ministry have developed guidelines for safety, training, insurance, medical assistance, and other requirements. They also established standard operating procedures for rescue, training, flying permits, equipment, signboard usage, skilled manpower risk management plans, inspections, and maintenance among other things. The standards also address insurance liabilities including disability and death. Extensive protocols are designed to inform tour operators and other relevant organisations about critical safety standards and lesser-known hazards.

Furthermore, additional factors which are expected to contribute to the growth of adventure sports in coming years include the increasing influence of social media and the popularity of trip and video blogging, both of which attract tourists. Additionally, travel and tourism have become more popular, especially since the pandemic. It is projected that these factors will strengthen the country's adventure sports industry.

Sport	Price range (in Rs)*
Paragliding	2,000-4,000
Skydiving	18,000-45,000
Hang gliding	2,500-4,200
Hot air balloon ride	8,000-12,000
Microlight flying	3,000-5,000
Para motoring	2,000-3,000
Ziplining	1,000-2,000

Source: TechSci Research

Depending on hours or minutes of equipment used.

Adventure sport destinations

Paragliding: Bir Billing, Manali (Himachal Pradesh) 

Hang Gliding: Bir Billing, Manali 

Skydiving: Mysore (Karnataka), Aamby Valley (Maharashtra)

Ballooning: Jaipur, Pushkar (Rajasthan)

Microlight flying: Bengaluru, Jakkur (Karnataka)

Paramotoring: Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), Rishikesh (Uttarakhand)

Ziplining: Neemrana (Rajasthan), Rishikesh (Uttarakhand)