Tandem Paragliding in Alanya – from Yassı Tepe to Cleopatra Beach

Most people expect paragliding to feel like a rollercoaster. In fact the strongest memory is the silence: after a few quick steps on the hillside the wing lifts you off, the wind noise fades and Alanya spreads out below – the castle on its rock, the harbour, the long curve of Cleopatra Beach and, behind you, the Taurus Mountains.

Up the mountain by jeep

You choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 16:30. After registering at the paragliding station, a 4×4 drives you up the winding track to the launch site on Yassı Tepe, about 700 metres above the sea – the ride takes roughly 20 minutes. There your pilot straps you into the harness, checks every buckle and explains the take-off, which usually takes no more than a few running steps.

Twenty minutes of quiet

Your pilot holds an international licence and steers the glider the whole way, so all you need to do is look around. Around 20 minutes of gentle turns follow, high above the old town and the bay; if you are in the mood, ask for a couple of livelier manoeuvres. A camera on the wing records the flight, and you can watch the footage after landing and buy it if you like it.

Landing on Cleopatra Beach

The flight finishes with a soft touchdown on the sand of Cleopatra Beach, close to the town centre – if you would rather stay for a swim than go straight back, just tell the driver. Late-afternoon flights catch the warmest light. Allow three to four hours in total with transfers and waiting time.

Before you book

The price is €65 per person, including hotel transfer from the Alanya area, Side or Manavgat, the jeep ride, all equipment and insurance. Please give us each passenger’s weight so we can match the right pilot and wing. There is no fixed minimum age; under-18s need a parent’s consent. Flights only take place when wind and weather are safe – if yours is called off, you can move to another time or get your money back in full. Wear trousers or knee-length shorts, closed trainers and sunglasses, and bring water and a light jacket for early or late flights. For more of the coast at sea level, try the pirate boat cruise, or go beneath the waves with scuba diving in Alanya.