Tirol (Tyrol) is a region in the western part of Austria with beautiful green mountains, steep drop-offs into valleys and lots of friendly mountain towns to visit. Tirol and it’s mountains are known not just as the best place to paraglide in Austria, this region is globally admired. Paragliding pilots travel from throughout Europe and all over the world to experience the stunning views, the easily accessible thermals and join in the atmosphere with like-minded pilots.
Whether your a local paragliding pilot in Austria, a paragliding enthusiast looking to glide somewhere new, or a tourist who’s keen to try tandem paragliding, you’ll be impressed by what’s on offer in Austria.
The weather and geography creates excellent thermals. There are many lakes surrounded by steep, high, cliffs which create excellent thermals holding pilots up in the air for long periods. Even in January and February there are locations with consistent conditions suitable for paragliding.
Experienced pilots will also enjoy the freedom which the Tirol region provides, as paragliding is permitted within the entire Tirol region. However common sense and courtesy should still be used, or there will be ‘no fly zones’ popping up like in other countries.
Stubai Valley
The Stubai Valley has numerous mountains, many of which are over 3,000 metres in height. There are places to take off and catch excellent thermals throughout the warmer and cooler seasons. It’s probably one of the most reliable places in Austria for great paragliding conditions for thermalling, soaring and distance paragliding.
The ski resorts make accessing the mountains easier with plenty of ski lifts, cable cars and facilities to make your day more comfortable. It’s also only a 20 minute drive from the large town of Innsbruck with plenty of great hotels, restaurants and bars.
Purpose-built paragliding launch sites include:
Papillon Alpen-Paragliding-Center Stubai
This launch site is situated at the Neustift im Stubaital village, which has many hotels, camping sites and cable cars. There is a large clear area which is great for beginners, and if you go about 50 metres higher, the thermals are even better.
Kreuzjoch (Schlick 2000)
If you want to do XC paragliding in Austria, the Kreuzjoch (Schlick 2000) is a great place to launch. Even in January (which is the middle of winter) there are still great thermals to glide on. The launch area is easily accessible near the cable car station; there’s also a large car park if you choose to drive here.
There’s no particular flight route which is specified here, take your time and enjoy the easy take off and landing available. However it is asked that you don’t soar directly in front of the launch area (blocking other pilots from a clean launch) and don’t paraglide less than 50 metres above the ski lifts.
There are a number of operators which provide tandem paragliding for tourists: https://www.stubai.at/skigebiete/schlick2000/aktivitaeten/paragleiten/.
Practice Slopes at Milders and Fulpmes
If you’re still learning how to paraglide or maybe you want to test some new equipment, Milders is a nice, obstacle-free slope with clear visibility. It’s a great place for beginners to learn how to launch on a gradual slope, instead of jumping off a cliff and hoping for the best. The landing area is also very clear of obstacles. Conditions here are suitable almost all year round.
Tandem Paragliding and Paragliding Courses in the Stubai Valley: https://www.parafly.at/
Lake Hallstatt
Lake Hallstatt might remind those who’ve spent time in Europe of the Fjords in Norway. There are high, steep mountains covered in greenery. The mountain next to Lake Hallstatt which you’ll want to paraglide from is Dachstein Krippenstein. Even the journey to the launch sites is memorable, starting with a cable car ride, then a 20 minute walk past the 5fingers viewing platforms. There are launching areas of up to 2100 metres.
There are other launching areas further away such as Zwieselalm, Russberg and Kalmberg which provide some great soaring opportunities for those who would like to paraglide to Lake Hallstatt.
Tourists can enjoy a tandem paragliding experience through providers such as www.skyclub-austria.at,
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
This is another great paragliding location where you could really stay for a while and spend a bit of time exploring. There are some great ski resorts to stay at and enjoy while you’re not up in the air. The Schönjoch Ridge is regarded as the best launch area, with some excellent thermals in both north and south directions. You can even get the cable car pretty close to the launching area. Even in winter, there are often suitable conditions to enjoy the snowy views and if you’re feeling adventurous, you can paraglide with skis or a snowboard, and land in style (don’t try this if you’re new to either paragliding or skiing/snowboarding!).
Tandem paragliding in the Serfaus Fiss Ladis area can be arranged through http://www.tandemfliegen-tirol.com/.
Achen Lake, Achensee
This is another one of Austria’s most scenic paragliding destinations, nestled in like a Fjord, between the Rofan and Karwendel Mountains. The scenery here is truly amazing; the accommodation and other attractions beside paragliding make it a worthwhile place to base yourself and spend a bit of time while in paragliding in Austria.
The starting point is 1861 metres high and situated next to the Mauritzalm mountain hut. This is only a ten minute walk from the Rofan cable car. Paragliders can take off in a south to north-west direction, dropping 861 metres in altitude. The steep mountains help send the thermals off the water, helping to keep paragliding pilots up high for longer.
