397accidents & incidents reported · Germany 2022
182 with serious injuries, 11 fatal, among more than 38,000 DHV paraglider pilots; 208 in Germany, 189 abroad.
Source: DHV, Unfallstatistik Gleitschirm 2022 (DHVmagazin 244, Karl Slezak)
Guide · 12 launch sites · 10 grounds · operators' own rules
Tandem paragliding: weight limit, age, cost and safety
Three steps and the ground lets go.
The wing was chosen for your weight.
Tandem paragliding is the most forgiving of the air sports for a passenger: no minimum age at some sites, passengers from 20 kg, no upper age as long as you can run a few steps. What decides everything is the wind – and the pilot's judgement. This guide lists the passenger rules at every launch on our grounds, what a flight costs, and the accident figures of the German association DHV, the most complete published count in the sport.
Who can go
Operators' own limits on 10 grounds
Weight bands are wide because tandem wings come in sizes: the pilot picks the glider for the combined weight, so passengers from 20–40 kg up to 100–140 kg are normal. Tirol's Seegrube takes 20–140 kg, Interlaken 25–100, Cape Town 20–120. The limit is the wing's certified load, and a heavy pilot narrows it – ask if you are near the top.
Age is set low: 4 at Kronplatz, 6 in Interlaken, none at all in Bovec, but children must be able to run a few steps on take-off and sit still in the harness. The real restriction is not printed anywhere: the wind. Ridge sites like Bali and Vík fly only when it blows onto the slope; thermal sites like Interlaken and Queenstown cancel in strong or gusty air. Book early in your stay so a cancelled morning can move to the next.
What it costs
Cheapest bookable offer per ground, as retrieved Sept 25, 2026
A tandem flight costs €50–85 in Morocco and Bali, €125–190 in the Alps (Tirol, Bovec, Interlaken) and €200–320 in Queenstown, Cape Town and Iceland. Jackson Hole's $495 flight from the top of the tram is the outlier – and sold direct only. Longer thermal flights and video are extras.
| Ground | Offer | From | Reviews | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bali | Nusa Dua: tandem paragliding with certified pilot (Riug) | $52.61 | ★ 4.7 · 160 | Book → |
| Morocco | Aguergour: tandem paragliding with GoPro video | €68.90 | ★ 4.9 · 74 | Book → |
| Cape Town | Cape Town: tandem paragliding adventure | $107.73 | ★ 4.7 · 1,968 | Book → |
| Tyrol & the Zugspitze | Neustift im Stubaital: tandem paragliding flight | €125 | ★ 5.0 · 273 | Book → |
| Soča Valley & Bled | Tandem flight over Lake Bohinj | €130 | ★ 4.9 · 16 | Book → |
| Lake Garda & the Dolomites | Kronplatz: tandem paragliding panorama flight over the Dolomites | €145 | ★ 5.0 · 13 | Book → |
| Interlaken | Interlaken: tandem paragliding flight with pilot | €191.21 | ★ 4.9 · 2,729 | Book → |
| Queenstown | Queenstown: tandem paragliding experience | $210.89 | ★ 4.8 · 231 | Book → |
| Iceland | From Reykjavík: tandem paragliding and south coast day | €308.60 | ★ 5.0 · 1 | Book → |
| Jackson Hole & Yellowstone | Tandem paragliding · Rendezvous Mountain | on site | – | Sold direct |
How dangerous is it
The best public count is the German DHV, which logs every accident reported by its members at home and abroad. For 2022: 397 accidents and incidents, 182 with serious injuries, 11 fatal – among more than 38,000 licensed paraglider pilots. More than half of the fatal accidents began with a turbulence-induced collapse, which the DHV reads as “a clear sign that the limits of flyable weather are exceeded too often”. Passenger flying is a small fraction of that: 19 reported incidents in 2022, six with seriously injured passengers. The lesson for a passenger is simple – the risk sits in the weather decision, and a licensed tandem pilot who cancels is doing their job.
19passenger-flight incidents · Germany 2022
Six of them with seriously injured passengers – out of the 397 reports. Tandem flying with licensed pilots is the small end of the statistic.
> ½of fatal accidents began with a collapse
“More than half of the fatal accidents originated in a turbulence-induced disturbance (collapse)” – the DHV's case for respecting the weather limit.
What to wear
- Hiking shoes or sturdy trainers with ankle support – you run on take-off and on landing, often on a slope. Flying Bear in Bovec calls them “most important”.
- Long trousers and a windproof jacket even in summer: at 1,500–2,000 m in the air it is 10 °C colder than in the valley, and the wind adds to it.
- Gloves in spring and autumn. Sunglasses with a strap; the pilot provides the helmet.
- Nothing in loose pockets – phones are lost on take-off, not in the air.
Source: Flying Bear Paragliding, FAQ; operator pages linked on each ground
First time
- The take-off is the only moment that needs you: three to six running steps into the wind until the wing takes your weight. The pilot says when; you keep running until your feet leave.
- Most flights last 10–25 minutes – Bovec promises “the minimum of 10”; thermal flights in Interlaken or Kronplatz can run 30–40.
- Motion sickness is the common complaint, not fear. Ask for a calm flight without spirals if you are prone to it, and don't eat a big breakfast.
- Landing is seated or a few steps; lift your legs when told.
- If it's cancelled, it's the right call. Ridge sites need the wind on the slope; thermal sites need it gentle. Book early in the trip.
Before you go
What is the weight limit for tandem paragliding?
Between 20–40 kg minimum and 100–140 kg maximum, depending on the site and the pilot: Tirol's Seegrube takes 20–140 kg, Interlaken 25–100 kg, Cape Town 20–120 kg, Kronplatz 30–110 kg, Bovec up to 130 kg. The pilot chooses the wing size for the combined weight.
How old do you have to be for a tandem flight?
Often very young: 4 at Kronplatz, 6 in Interlaken, no limit at all in Bovec, 12 in Iceland, 14 in Cape Town. Children must be able to run a few steps on take-off. There is no upper age limit anywhere on our grounds.
How much does tandem paragliding cost?
€50–85 in Morocco and Bali, €125–190 in the Alps, €200–320 in Queenstown, Cape Town and Iceland; Jackson Hole's flight from the tram summit is $495 direct. See the price table above.
How dangerous is paragliding?
The German DHV recorded 397 accidents and incidents among its 38,000-plus pilots in 2022, 182 with serious injury and 11 fatal – overwhelmingly solo pilots, and more than half of the deaths started with a collapse in turbulent air. Passenger flights accounted for 19 incidents, six with seriously injured passengers. The risk sits in the weather decision, which is why a tandem pilot cancelling is a good sign.
What should I wear for paragliding?
Hiking shoes or sturdy trainers, long trousers, a windproof layer even in summer, sunglasses on a strap; gloves outside high summer. The pilot supplies helmet and harness.
Will I feel sick?
Some passengers do, especially in spirals. Tell the pilot you want a calm flight, skip the large breakfast, and look at the horizon rather than straight down.