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Karma Flights Experience - 1 Day Package

 

Where:
Maya Devi Village, Lakeside, Pokhara, Nepal
When:
From Mid October through to early April
Available to:
Anyone (Age and weight restrictions may apply) Minimum 2 people.
Price:
$275 USD per person includes breakfast and lunch

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF: REBUILD NEPAL

Book 2 people for Karma Flights Experience Day and we will donate 5000 nprs (approx $50) to Karma Flights to help with their ongoing Earthquake relief effort.

 

On 25 April 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Nepal, killing over 8000 people, and injuring thousands more. Entire villages were completely wiped out and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.

Karma Flights, a local NGO, were the first on the scene in Gorkha district, the epicentre of the quake bringing much needed relief including food, shelter and medical supplies. In the weeks following the quake, international aid agencies had still not reached the hard hit rural areas, Karma flights team were on the ground helping those who so desperately needed it the most.

The country is now in the process of rebuilding their shattered lives, villages, communities and Karma Flights are at the very forefront of this rebuilding process. Teams of Karma Flights volunteers are scattered around the remote regions of the Gorkha district distributing aid, providing temporary shelters, setting up medical camps and now rebuilding schools. They are able to do this with money raised through donations but also through partnering with paragliding companies in Pokhara.

As a proud partner of Karma Flights, The Parahawking Project will be assisting in the relief effort where possible by donating 5000 rupees (approx $50) for every Karma Flights Experience Day package booked with us.

 

What is a Karma Flights Experience Day package?

A Karma Flights Experience Day package includes our increasingly popular BIRD OF PREY EXPERIENCE plus the PARAHAWKING EXPERIENCE in 1 action packed day.

Here's whats includes:

  • 08.45: Arrive at Maya Devi Village, the Parahawking HQ
  • 09.00: BIRD OF PREY EXPERIENCE - learn about raptor training with hands on experience.
  • 12.00: Lunch at Maya Devi Village
  • 13.00: PARAHAWKING EXPERIENCE - Paraglide with a trained Egyptian Vultures, the ultimate flying experience
  • 15.30: Transport back to Lakeside
  • 15.45: KARMA FLIGHTS BRIEFING - Get the low down on the Karma Flights Earthquake Relief and how the money is being spent.

The Karma Flights Experience Day package is available to a minimum of 2 people.
We will donate 5000 rupees (approx $50) to Karma Flights to help rebuild schools in earthquake affected areas.
We will donate 2000 rupees to our ongoing vulture conservation program at the Gachowk Village. 

 

PLEASE NOTE: We can only do a limited number of Karma Flights Experiences per day. Please book in advance to secure a place.

Book direcrly with us or at the Karma Flights offices in Lakeside to qualify for this offer. Bookings made via third party agents do not qualify.

 

Booking Form

Please use the form below to make a booking, if you experience problems with the booking form, please send an email to - info@skywingsfalconry.com.com

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions

PLEASE NOTE: We are no longer operating in Nepal. We are now only operating in Spain
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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is Parahawking?
Parahawking is paragliding with a trained bird of prey. It was pioneered in Pokhara, Nepal by renowned bird trainer and paraglider, Scott Mason. Now basd in Algodonales, southern Spain, birds of prey such as American Black Vultures are trained as part of an award winning enrichment program, to fly with paragliders and, by using their incredible ability to conserve energy, can guide the paragliders to the best thermals. They will then land on the passengers gloved hand for an inflight reward. Parahawking is a perfect mix of adventure, eco-tourism and conservation. A Parahawking Tandem Experience is more than just a paragliding flight with a trained bird, it's an education into vultures and the problems they face in the wild.

How does it work?
Birds of prey have a natural instinct to conserve energy wherever and whenever possible. During a flight, a bird will burn more energy than it would if it was just sitting in a tree, this means it has to eat to replace the used energy. Sometimes birds will travel long distances to find food. To conserve energy whilst flying, birds of prey use thermals. Thermals are rising currents of warm air that are created by the sun heating the ground. Birds can gain height and travel long distances without flapping their wings by using thermals. Paragliders also use thermals when they are flying and will often use wild birds to guide them to where the thermals are. Our trained birds are no different, they will find the thermals in order to stay aloft and conserve energy whilst flying. We as paragliders harness their ability to conserve energy by following them as we fly.

Our birds need to be rewarded for guiding us into the thermals. During the flight the passenger will place small morsels of meat onto his gloved hand, the birds will come and gently land on the hand to take the food, and then gracefully fly away to find the next thermal. A perfect symbiotic relationship.

Is there a weight and age limit?
All Paraglider wings have an upper and lower weight range, when the upper weight range is exceeded, it can make the glider difficult to fly in some situatons and conditions. Parahawking tandem flights are different from regular tandem flights, our weight limit for passengers is 100 kg/220 lb. The only other requirement is that you are able to run a few steps for the take off and landing. You do not have to be a qualified pilot, you will be a passenger attached to a qualified tandem pilot. We reserve the right to refuse to fly any passenger that does not meet our requirements.

When can I do it?
The Parahawking season runs all year round.

Where can I do it?
You can do Parahawking in Algodonales, Spain only.

How does it help Vulture Conservation?
Vultures are in serious decline, in the last 15 years the numbers have dropped by a staggering 99.9% in some parts of Asia whilst vultures in Europe and African are experiencing similar declines. This catastrophic decline is due to a veterinary drug called Diclofenac. This anti inflammatory drug is routinely administered to sick and dying livestock including cows and buffalo and has proven to be very effective in reducing pain and suffering. However, when the animal dies with Diclofenac still in it's system, the vultures that feed from the animal carcass will ingest remnants of the drug which is poisonous to them and kills them within 24 hours.

Vultures are important in our society, they play a vital role in our ecosystem by cleaning up all of the dead animals that would otherwise be left to rot. Millions of tonnes of animal carcasses are disposed of each year across Asia, which if not cleaned up, would pose a real risk to human health. Asia's vultures are declining faster than the Dodo and could be extinct in the next 5-10 years, unfortunately not enough people know about the problem. Vultures are considered to be quite unsavory creatures because of this, these prehistoric looking birds are difficult to empathize with. We want to change that!

Parahawking provides a unique opportunity to see vultures in a different light, to understand about the importance of them in our society and to learn about their behavior in the wild. Parahawking is our mission to raise more public awareness to the plight of Asia's vultures and in doing so halt the decline and prevent their extinction.

We support vital Vulture conservation projects, proceeds from Parahawking go to Vulture conservations projects.

How is this different from normal paragliding?
Parahawking gives you the unique opportunity to interact with these birds and see the world through their eyes while you share the sky with them. Paragliding is an exciting adventure activity on own but this takes Paragliding to a whole different dimension.

How do I book?
Book your Parahawking activity directly with us via this website to gaurantee the best chance of a spot.

How much does it cost?
A Parahawking Tandem Experience costs: €170

How long does the flight last?
Parahawking flights are not based on time in the air but the overall experience of sharing the sky with a trained bird of prey. The weather can determine the length of the flight as can many other factors, especially when working with birds. We make no guarantees about flight times however we always try our best to stay in the air for around 20 to 30 minutes.

Can I take a Parahawking course?
We do not currently offer Parahawking courses. If you're not already a pilot and you want to learn to paraglide then there is no better place to learn to fly than here in Algodonales. Fly Spain - http://www.flyspain.com - offer beginner courses. If you want to learn more about the birds then you can take a Bird of Prey Experience or Falconry Course with us. You can do a 2-3 hour session or 2-5 days courses.

What birds do you use?
We use a variety of Vultures and hawks for Parahawking.

Where do the birds come from?
All of our birds are bred in captivity. Parahawking is an award winning project, it was voted Best Enrichment Behaviour by the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE) in 2011.

Is it dangerous?
Paragliding and Parahawking is an adventure activity but it is not dangerous. We use only the best pilots for Parahawking. All of our pilots are internationally licensed and insured. 

What do I need to bring?
All you need to bring are a pair of training shoes or boots and a sweatshirt or jacket depending on the time of year. 

Can I take a camera?
Yes, you can bring your own camera or we can take inflight pictures and movie from our onboard cameras, at a small additional cost. 

Do you provide accommodation?
Yes, we have accommodation right on site at the Skywings Falconry Farmhouse.

OUR SPONSORS

Gin Gliders, Marshall Radio, Ben Long Falconry, UK Airsports, The Identity Store, Vortex Optics, Fly Spain
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