We headed to Garmisch-Partenkirchen with the hopes of paragliding, but with back-up plans to hike or explore. The stars must have aligned because everything worked out and I’ll come right out and say it: Paragliding Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany was incredible. For the following couple days, my mom and I would have a derpy smile on our faces, commenting that we cannot believe we did it. It became a thrilling highlight of our trip and I am overjoyed we made an effort to make it happen.
“Booking” our Paraglide
Although I knew paragliding existed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, I was very unclear how to book or what the right weather conditions would be. We did not have reservations and I had trouble finding many companies online that had information in English. Even as we were approaching Garmisch, we were unsure of our plans. We tried calling a company but there was no answer. At a hotel’s recommendation, we headed to the field where they land.
This is where I have to give my mom, who I traveled with on this trip, all the kudos. While I was nervous to approach a group of German men putting gear into various backpacks, she marched right up and asked who to talk to about paragliding. They all pointed to one guy – Simon. Simon is a tandem paragliding pilot and paragliding enthusiast. He described the experience to us and a little about the company he worked for, Aerotaxi.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars – would definitely do it again
- Intensity: Athletic outfit, running shoes, warm jacket
- Location: Southern Germany, about 1 hour, 15 minutes south of Munich.
- Cost: 130 € for the paragliding, 25 € for pictures/video
- Timing: about 2 hours, roughly 20 minutes in the air
Highlights:
- Thrilling experience
- Floating through the air high above everything else
- Incredible views of Garmisch, the mountains with hiking trails, and Eibsee Lake
- Guide who to point out various points of interest
Simon offered to call Edith, the scheduler, for us as he thought it would be easier to speak in German. Within minutes we had a reservation for “2 Americans” the next morning at 10 am. I was happy it was not suuuper early. Simon let us know to wear a warm jacket and running shoes as it gets cold at the top. We walked away from the landing field in a daze – was it really going to happen? It was! We were both a little nervous that night and definitely nervous the next morning as we ate breakfast and packed up our hotel.
Just Before Lift-Off
In the morning, we made our way to the landing field and met Edith. Edith let us know that the first couple people were late, so we would have a delayed start time. Then she grabbed her gear and headed for the lift herself. Over her shoulder, she said she would be there when we finished. While waiting for our pilots, we ended up chatting with a couple who was also about to go paragliding. They were ridiculously kind and recommended we check out Eibsee, the beautiful lake just outside town. The couple also helped translate a few things that were happening around us.
We watched a few more tandem paragliders come in as we waited. One of the next few was Simon! Simon and his buddy Alex were going to be our tandem pilots. They packed their gear and with very little turnaround time, loaded us up with backpacks and told us to follow them toward the cable car. The cable car was already quite full, but we were able to squeeze on with the gear. The cable car glided up the mountain. If it sounds like everything was happening quickly, it was.
At the top, we headed straight toward this steep hill where other paragliding pilots were setting up gear. There we saw the friendly couple about to take-off. I wish we had a little more time at the top of the Alpspitz cable car to take in the views, but I suppose we were about to have much better views anyways. Our pilots strapped us into our seat-harnesses and helmets. The harnesses look a little like giant diapers, but were completely comfortable in the air. I was nervous.
Paragliding Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Simon laid out the paraglider and called me over to join him. He gave me a run-down of commands, double-checked all the harness straps, connected his harness-seat to mine, and attached both of us to the paraglider. He asked if I was ready and waited a moment for the wind. I could hear Alex giving my mom similar instructions. He told me to run and although I did, I had only taken a few steps before I was no longer touching the ground. Simon told me to stop and to slide into the seat. It was like sinking into a recliner.
Floating is the best way I could describe the sensation of paragliding. It was silent and effortless. Yet, I was moving quite quickly with the chilly breeze on my face. We made a few loops waiting for my mom to take-off and I was in pure amazement – the views were out of this world. I heard my mom squealing with delight before I saw her. We both headed toward a large, rocky, mountain. Simon pointed things out as we went and when we passed over a valley, it hit home how high we were in the sky. Yet, the experience was very calming and gentle. After rounding the mountain, we got beautiful views of Eibsee lake.
As we began to head toward the landing field, Simon and Alex had our gliders line up in the air for a bit. You can see my mom in the orange paraglider in the background of many of the pictures. Simon described different ways to descend – we could float or we could play. Playing involved doing turns and loops. Sure, I wanted to try it out. It was like I was suddenly on a rollercoaster with intense G-forces. I decided once was enough and we went back to gently making giant zig-zags toward the landing location.
Just After Landing
For landing, Simon had me stand back up in the harness and prepare to jog. The ground came up very quickly and I only jogged/walked a few steps before Simon said to stop (maybe I already stopped?). Thrilled at an amazing experience, I was also in a daze as he unharnessed me and took my helmet. I immediately began looking for my mom, who was coming in hot. She did great landing.
We paid Edith and decided to purchase the pictures and videos of what Simon took on our paraglide. I am so glad we did because it is hard to describe how beautiful the German-Austria Alps were from the air! After that, Simon and Alex said goodbye and were off to take another set of folks paragliding. Before they left, they said it was one of the easiest mornings for take-off. Apparently, the wind was perfect. They were excited because they only had one more set of tandem flights before they were free to fly on their own.
We watched a few other paragliders land and finally headed for the car. Luckily no one else was with us because it would have been annoying to hear about how much we talked about it. The actual time in the are was about 20 minutes, which was perfect for our first time. We absolutely loved the experience and would do it again in a heartbeat. We headed to Eibsee for a little walk and lunch before our drive to Fussen.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen as originally two separate towns that combined in 1935 in anticipation of the 1936 Winter Olympics. It is a well-known ski and hiking destination. We didn’t get to explore the town/s very much, but the area has a gorgeous background of the German Austrian Alps with vibrant green meadows. Although the downtown areas are busy, the overall feeling is very small-town. You can hear the cow bells jingling wherever you are.
For our trip, I thought it would be nice to break up the drive from Salzburg to Fussen and also to spend a little more time outdoors. We only stayed one night, but I would definitely go back to explore the hiking trails in the area or to ski. Now that I have seen many of the major sights, I would love to revisit this area and get amongst the nature.
Overall thoughts: Paragliding Garmisch
Because we only stayed one night in the area, paragliding Garmisch-Partenkirchen was practically a miracle. We were very lucky to run into Simon and that the weather was perfect for paragliding. Although I found it funny that we didn’t sign a single form before paragliding, Aerotaxi was a great company with great people. I would totally recommend paragliding Garmisch-Partenkirchen with them (with specifically Simon and Alex!). And now we know – call Edith’s mobile number listed on their website.
I also want to mention the fear of heights aspect of paragliding Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I am not afraid of heights, but my mom immediately gets nervous with any serious drop-off. She has gone skydiving, hikes, and does ski and does not have issues with chair lifts. Overall this paragliding experience did not scare her. Like me, she was nervous before and there were a few moments that were nerve-wracking. But because it we had confident pilots and the ride was so smooth, it was not as scary during the flight.
Would you try paragliding in the German-Austrian Alps? Where else do you recommend paragliding? Let me know in the comments, because now I’m hooked!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
