Paragliding to begin in Chitwan soon

POKHARA, March 3: Chitwan's Sauraha Jungle Safari is a popular tourist spot where visitors hope to catch glimpses of wild animals while on a jungle safari. The area is equipped with the necessary infrastructure to accommodate tourists. Tourists can now experience aerial activities in the Chitwan sky, as paragliding has been introduced to attract tourists.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAN) has granted permission to the Himalaya Frontiers Paragliding Company for commercial paragliding flights as a recreational activity in Chitwan. The company has received permission from the authority to fly from Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29 Chowki Danda in Chitwan. This is the first company to get permission to fly paragliding in Chitwan.

Starting from March 29, commercial paragliding flights will be available in Chitwan, according to Shailendra Rawat, the director of the Himalaya Frontiers.

“We have been granted permission for tandem flights, and the company is set to launch the new tourism product,” said Rawat. He mentioned that the tourism sector of Chitwan will no longer be limited to forest activities, as air adventure and recreational sports activities will also be available for visitors to enjoy.

According to Rawat, Chowki Danda is located near the Muglin-Narayangadh highway. Chowki Danda is a hill above Dasdhunga on the highway. The company has made arrangements for take-off from Chowki Danda, which is 1100 meters above the sea level, and Kabilas, which is situated at an altitude of 580 meters. The landing will be at a height of 250 meters on the bank of Trishuli river. The "Landing Zone" is on the bank of Trishuli River in Devghat Rural Municipality of Tanahun. Devghat can be reached after crossing a concrete bridge over Trishuli in Kabilas. Rawat said that one can fly from Chitwan and cross the Trishuli River to land in Tanahun.

The company has been granted permission to fly up to one nautical mile (1.85 km) round-trip after taking off from Chowki Danda and Kabilas. He also said that the paragliders can go up to 5000 feet in the sky. The take-off point of Chowki Danda is 14 km from the highway and Kabilas is 6 km away from the main road.

“Chowki Danda is a destination with great potential for paragliding. The Muglin-Narayangarh highway and the serpentine Trishuli River can be seen from the sky," Rawat said. "It is an attractive place because you can see the plains, hills and the mountains," he said. One can observe different scenes from the sky.

This company has got permission to keep up to 6 pilots in Pokhara and 10 pilots in Chitwan. Rawat said that the Himalayan Frontiers, which is already flying in Pokhara, has expanded its service to Chitwan as a new branch.

“A new product has been added to Chitwan’s tourism industry,” he said,adding, “Sauraha, another important tourist destination like Pokhara, will now be able to serve the guests with air activities.”

Rawat expects that many people traveling through the highway will be drawn to the scenic view of Trishuli. The company had conducted extensive research on paragliding in Chitwan for a long time. Rawat explained that the location of Chowki Danda, situated at the intersection of hills and plains, offers favorable weather conditions for paragliding. He noted that the thermal currents in Chowki Danda are better than those in Pokhara due to the hot air that blows in from the Terai, making it easier to fly. During the trial period, at least 100 flights were completed, according to Rawat.

He said that Kabilas also has a well-equipped resort, so it is easy for guests to eat and stay. "The place (Kabilas) from which we go up from the highway to board the flight, there are resorts with facilities, so there is no inconvenience to the guests," he said. He said that the same company is also preparing to run a motorboat in Narayani and an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) on the mountainous road to Chowki Danda soon after paragliding is launched.

"We are engaged in the expansion of adventure activities in the sky, land and water," he said, "We believe that this will add a new flavor to the tourists who come to Sauraha in Chitwan."