“On the count of three, start running; do not jump or look back — just run!” With our harnesses in place, helmets on, GoPro in hand, and safely strapped to each other, we were ready to go. As soon as the chute was up, it caught the gust of wind passing over us, violently dragging us backwards. Though this wasn’t anything to worry about, business as usual, in fact, and as soon as I had recovered my balance, the pilot shouted “Go!”. Not knowing what to expect, with the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I put my left foot forward, then my right, and we began running as fast as we could towards the cliff. Don’t jump, just run! I thought to myself as we approached the abyss. 3 meters, 2 meters, 1 meter — my foot went over the edge and we were airborne!

A quick trip to Tbilisi Sea that was only supposed to include a short, five-minute flight, ended up including three. “Every cloud has a silver lining,” the old adage goes, and it certainly wasn’t any different this time. Alas, after the initial moment of euphoria that accompanied the take off — now officially being able to tick paragliding off my bucket-list— I realized that the GoPro they had given me wasn’t working. The pilot told me not to worry about it; after landing he would give me a new camera and we would go back up for a second flight. Thankfully for them, this happened on the short flight just next to the capital, and not in the close to half-hour flight in the mountains above Gudauri, though how I would have loved to get a free second flight on what must be an incredibly beautiful route! Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, upon landing after the second flight, I goy into a conversation with Giorgi, a senior member of the team with over two decades’ experience paragliding. He was lamenting the fact that the weather conditions were preventing the gusts of hot air necessary for ideal flight conditions. As if on queue, the wind suddenly picked up: “Oh! This is the kind of wind we need ! Come on, we’re going again!”

Breathtaking views and adrenaline-serotonin rushes aside, the beautiful thing about flying with the Georgian Paragliding Federation, is that it is a service available year-round. As long as there is wind and the required visibility and weather conditions to ensure a safe and enjoyable flight, you’re good to go any time of year. For the winter season, there will even be daily flights in Gudauri, with transport provided, where a ski lift takes you up 3000m and you spend close to half an hour floating in pure bliss as you soak in the beautiful, snow covered Caucasian countryside. Flights may also be able in the Svaneti region, depending on group size.

With the harness folding out to form the best armchair in the world, and a licensed pilot with years of flying under his belt strapped to you safely controlling the chute, you have nothing to do but to relax and enjoy the truly spectacular experience that is paragliding.

By Mate Foldi

For more information regarding flights, visit :

paragliding.ge, fb.com/GeorgianParaglidingFederation

TEL +995 593 667 670 (Alexander), or +995 595 424 298 (Irakli)

EMAIL info@paragliding.ge

INSTAGRAM @georgian_paragliding_fed.