Too close to the Sun

Nepal is known all over the world for its mountaineering and trekking, and for damn good reason. Mt Everest as the tallest mountain in the world always draws a large crowd, as do the other seven mountains above 8000m such as Lhotse, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga and Dhaulagiri. There are also plenty of trekking trails all across the country. While these are adventure enough for most individuals, the daredevils out there yearn for rushes of adrenaline from more extreme, dangerous, intense activities. Nepal has quite a lot of options for this as well. In this article I will detail some of the newest and most innovative:

Parahawking  

Paragliding has long been an adventure tourism mainstay in Pokhara. Tourists make the drive up to a high place, like Sarangkot, and jump off the cliff, catching breezes that carry them gently through the air, down to a landing beside Phewa Lake. Parahawking is a variant on this theme. As the name suggests, Parahawking is paragliding alongside a trained bird friend, often a bird of prey. Bird trainer and paraglider Scott Mason started this venture in Pokhara, with rescued and trained Egyptian Vultures. These efficient avians can also guide the paraglider to the best thermal updrafts too, making for longer, more interesting flights.  During airtime, the birds land and perch on a passenger’s gloved hand. This unique adventure activity right up close with these magnificent birds also has a feel-good aspect, as all proceeds from such flights are used towards vulture conservation projects.

Hot Air Ballooning 

Another new aerial adventure activity is Hot Air Ballooning, also available in Pokhara. First launched in 2018, tourists can take gentle flights on these balloons that last up to an hour depending on if the weather plays along. Up in the air they can enjoy the classic views from Pokhara, of the Annapurna Range, Dhaulagiri, and Machhapuchhre from a different perspective. The best flight times are in the morning and the afternoon. The morning times are especially noted for gorgeous sunrise views. Just the balloons being up there is quite the spectacle itself, especially during a recent balloon festival that happened on the far side of Phewa Lake, at Pame.

Skydiving near Everest 

For yet another air-borne adventure, one option in Nepal is skydiving. Particularly from near Everest, at 23,000 feet. Packages include trekking and cultural components, and they cost from $25,000-$30,000. Free-falling that high, in the thin, cool air, against a Himalayan Backdrop, is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. And if you truly have a special drive for thrill-seeking behavior, you may want to look up Scotsman Andy Lewis, who jumped off Everest on a wingsuit in 2013! Due to the small number of people doing it, you’re going to have to tick a lot of boxes to even attempt such a feat, and a lot could go wrong - but what if you could?