paragliding alanya turkey 2010 october

had a chance to fly the site while on vacation in turkey in october 2010 (not a pg trip, just had my wings along).
didn't have luck with timing and weather, but i'm sharing my experiences anyway.

the guys from the local club - who also fly tourists in tandem - were a great help (i contacted them in advance). they organize transport from and to hotels in the greater area of alanya, as well as rides to the launch from the lz (right by their hq) for a fee.

getting to the launch zone: it's a fairly long serpentine ride up the mountain, with the last mile or so being very rough track: think 4x4 with big wheels (like the one the local club operates)... even if you plan to get up on your own, you should ask the locals first (they are the ones doing the maintainance)!

launch: its pretty small, the ground being trampled dirt and small rocks. there's room to spread out exactly one
wing (though that on carpet - thanks to the local operators), and at max 10 meters of fairly flat (!) running ground to get your wing up before the drop-off. its a little easier than a hadr-core, leap-of-faith type cliff launch, but not the the place to learn/practice foot-launches. I WOULD NOT RECCOMEND THE LAUNCH TO BEGINNERS. also, there is high voltage line running across right behind the launch (you can hear it humming!), but i think it would take a seriously botched effort in extremly strong winds to get involved with it...




flight/terrain: there are plenty of contours to hug for lift, but (i can imagine) the whole hillside should be pumping thermals when the sun shines in, so you should be good for your fix :-) THE VIEW IS POSTCARD PERFECT! i did not ask about xc possibilies, but even if you stick around, exploring the area should keep you busy for a few hours...

landing: the designated lz is on the beach. again it's not too big. about 10x10 meters square with some room to err (as did i) along the strip of sand. you might end up dodging umbrellas and volley ball nets :-) seriously though, you will be constrained on your final (street, buildings, umbrellas, palm trees, cabins, and ultimately the sea), so again, I DON'T THINK IT'S BEGINNER FRIENDLY. there is bigger parking lot (behind a gas station) but the locals specifically asked me not to use it before take-off (but it could be a backup/emergency)...

overall: if you're going to turkey for pg, chances are you're aiming for oludeniz - and you're probably right. but if you're planning a vacation in the area of alanya, have the skills (see launch and lz comments), and you can fit your wings along with the family's luggage :-), contact the locals, and give it a go.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• paragliding
• pg
• gleitschirm
• alanya
• turkey

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