Pokhara's adventure sports, and which ones we'd spend money on
Paragliding, zipline, bungee, ultralight and white water. What each one feels like, what it costs, and which of them are worth your money.
By the Lakeshore team · 7 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
Paraglider pilots rate Pokhara as one of the top places on earth to fly, and they prove it by moving here from Europe for the winter. The Sarangkot ridge sits 800 m above a lake and faces south, and it gives reliable thermals almost every day of the dry season.
Around the flying, a cluster of other adventure activities has grown up, and the quality varies. A few are as good as you'll find anywhere. Others are a fifteen-second novelty with a good photo. Below is what we think of each, after watching thousands of visitors do all of them.
You can book everything below the day before, and most of it on the same morning.
Tandem paragliding, the one to do
You fly for thirty minutes off Sarangkot with a pilot strapped in behind you, out over Phewa Lake, usually with the Himalaya along your right side. Take-off is a few running steps down a grass slope, and then the ground just isn't there any more. There's no jump and no drop, so it's the gentlest way there is to end up 1,000 m in the air.
Flying runs roughly from 10 am to 1 pm, while the thermals are working. Earlier flights are smoother, and late morning gives you more lift and more time in the air. If you get motion sick, ask for a gentle flight and skip the acrobatics at the end. Pilots only do them if you ask, and they're what makes people queasy.
No other adventure activity in Nepal gives you as much for your money. Nothing else here comes close.
Ultralight, for the mountain view without the ridge
This is a small open-cockpit aircraft flying from Pokhara airport, for fifteen to sixty minutes depending on what you book. The short flight circles the lake and the valley. The longer ones climb toward the Annapurna wall, and that's where the view gets big.
It costs more than paragliding and it's less of a thrill, because you're a passenger in an aircraft instead of hanging in the air. In exchange you get height, range, and a view of the high peaks that you can't get any other way in an hour.
For the feeling of flying, paraglide. For the mountains, take the longer ultralight. If you want both, do both, because they feel nothing alike.
ZipFlyer gives you a very good fifteen seconds
The Sarangkot zipline is one of the steepest and fastest in the world, around 1.8 km long with 600 m of vertical drop and speeds above 100 kph. It's over fast, and it's a big rush while it lasts.
Be ready for the time it takes. With transport and the queue, you're looking at a couple of hours for well under a minute on the wire. Most people come off grinning anyway. It suits people who want adrenaline but don't like the idea of being in the air for half an hour.
Bungee, and white water
The cliff bungee near Hemja is a tower jump over a gorge, and it's what you'd expect bungee to be: two minutes of dread and a few seconds of falling. Whether that's worth it depends entirely on how you feel about the trade.
The Upper Seti half-day raft is the easy way in. It's grade III, about two hours on the water and close to town, and good fun without being frightening. If you have a half day and want to be on a river, this is the trip to pick.
For a longer river trip, two days on the Kali Gandaki is in another league, with bigger water, a gorge with no road access, and a night camping on a sandy beach. If you have the time, that's the one we'd send you on.
What to do on a bad-weather day
Paragliding and ultralight flights both cancel in poor visibility or high wind, which happens a lot in the monsoon. Operators refund or reschedule instead of flying in bad conditions, and that's what you want them to do.
If your flight is cancelled, the zipline and rafting usually still run, as both mind the weather less. If flying is why you came, keep a spare day in Pokhara. Two clear windows are much better than one, so book the flight for early in your stay.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Is there a weight or age limit for paragliding?
Usually there's an upper limit of around 100 kg and a lower limit for small children, but it varies by operator and with the day's conditions. Tell us your weight and the children's ages when you ask, and we'll confirm it with the operator.
Can I paraglide if I'm scared of heights?
Surprisingly often, yes. There's no edge and no jump. You run a few steps and then you're flying. We regularly see people who can't look over a balcony come down loving it. It's people who dislike motion who struggle.
Do I get photos?
Pilots carry a GoPro on a pole, and most operators charge extra for the footage. Agree the price before take-off, not after you land.
Is white water rafting safe for non-swimmers?
On the Upper Seti, yes, with a lifejacket and a full safety briefing. Still, tell your guide before you get in the boat.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Sarangkot Tandem Paragliding is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830