
In 2015, a total of 8,999 paragliders took to the skies (including 5,692 foreign tourists), a huge jump from just 2,135 flyers in 2012. But with the sport reaching a saturation point in the Lake City, congesting airspace, there has been a concerted bid to encourage the sport to spread out over other equally conducive regions around the country. And the seeds are already taking root. Not many people know about Dharan Sky Adventure Paragliding yet, but the robust strides taken by the only government-licensed paragliding operator in eastern Nepal has left many locals visibly excited. Satyam Limbu, a final year Law student in Kathmandu, learnt about paragliding in his hometown of Itahari only recently.
After finally jumping off the hills of Bhedetar, he shared his excitement, “I could see everything from a bird’s eye view.” Paragliding in this region offers a spectacular view of Makalu and Kanchenjunga peaks, the Koshi River, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, and famous Hindu shrines like Dantakali, Pindeshwar, Barahakshetra and Bishnupaduka, among others.