One of the best activities a visitor or local can do in Cape Town on a calm day is to paraglide off Signal Hill or Lion’s Head. There are a ton of paragliding operators and you can constantly see their shuttle vehicles dropping off and picking up their guests and instructors. Check in with them to see who suits your timing with their availability.
Where you launch from depends on the wind direction of the day. If you launch from Lion’s Head you get to enjoy the beautiful Camps Bay below you and you will land on a safe grassy field just to the right of the beach. If the wind is more northerly, you may launch from Signal Hill which will take you over the homes of Sea Point and Fresnaye. The gorgeous Table Bay will stretch out before you filled with all the ships coming into the harbor. If you launch from Signal Hill you will land on the popular Sea Point Promenade. It is a beautiful free use space filled with walkers, runners, cyclists, skateboarders, roller bladders, artists, families and groups of people playing soccer or frisbee.
The Promenade has become a focal point in Cape Town, with lots of artistic sculptures dotting the grassy sidewalks which have sometimes caused controversy as good art can. Sometimes it was the protesters defacing the art which caused more discussion than the actual art pieces themselves, so you have to ask yourself who are the actual artists here.
When paragliding for the first time you will be taken by an instructor on a tandem paraglider. You will just be able to sit back and relax, even though you may be terrified, and enjoy the view and the feeling of flight. If you have a brave heart ask the pilot to take you on some steep turns. This will definitely get the blood pumping and the butterflies in your stomach swirling.
Paragliding companies make their money from running multiple flights while to conditions are good, so do not expect a very long flight. Good companies will give you your monies worth, although everyone will tell you that the conditions were just too light to have a longer flight.
If you are visiting Cape Town, definitely make sure you take some time to fly off one of her beautiful mountain and land next to the ocean.
