Hang Gliding

Looking down on them from the air, they look a bit like a giant boomerang. Looking up at them from the ground, they look like a human moth-machine. Riding the thermal updrafts and ridge lifts of Australia suspended underneath a hang glider will take you places you never dreamed of.

Feeling the wind pick up your wings is a miraculous sensation as you run down a hill for take off. Once you’re up, the nature and length of your flight will depend on where you are. Some air currents are great for peacefully hanging around the air, while others will push you along at world record speeds, or give you a turbulent adventure. Make sure to check local weather so you know what you’re getting yourself in for!

Apart from the standard hang glider, you’ll find several variations to take to into the skies. Paragliding is the fastest growing adventure sport around, and relies on a single flexible wing that is often mistaken for a parachute. While it looks totally different to a ‘hangie’, both crafts need the same atmospheric conditions to stay aloft. You can also get powered hang gliders, otherwise called trikes or microlights. Take off is easy with these engine-toting aircraft!

Learn to read the landscape, interpret clouds or watch for birds to find the clues that will tell you about the next air current to take you high into the sky. Even if you’ve never been hang gliding before you can take an instructional course that will teach you all you need to know. Your first flight will be a tandem, and take you to the only classroom in the clouds!