Similar to our Post-CP trip, our Guided XC trip will also begin in the friendly tropical paradise of Piedechinche, where you will enjoy large grassy take offs and relaxed, easy thermals. Here, we will warm up in smooth thermic conditions with the option of boating around near take off, or flying XC together as a team.
After spending a relaxed 4 days racking up airtime and sipping on fresh lemonades, we will travel north to the vibrant and energetic town of Roldanillo. This epic flying arena is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, with its consistent, slightly stronger conditions providing a great opportunity to beat your PB.
Throughout your trip you will be looked after the entire time, including weather and site briefings, a flight plan you are happy with, in-air guidance post-flight debriefs and plenty of recommendations for lovely places to dine and relax.
We are passionate about getting to know you as people and as pilots, and pride ourselves on small group sizes which ensures you get lots of one-on-one time with your guides. Each pilot flies for their own reasons and progresses at their own rate. We aim to nurture each individual in their flying journey in the way that works best for them, whilst enjoy themselves along the way… after all, that’s what it’s all about!
(Read more about Piedechinche and Roldanillo in the sections below.)
TRIP DETAILS
what’s included?
Pre-trip consultation to tailor your experience
9 days of guided flying with the most passionate and enthusiastic guides
Small group sizes for an intimate experience
Flying theory discussions and in flight instruction
Accommodation
Launch fees
Transport to launch
Airport transfer (from Cali airport)
Colombian SIM card
2L drinking water each day
A certified paraglider, harness, reserve parachute and helmet
A working radio and vario
Comprehensive travel insurance that covers you for paragliding, including full repatriation cover, helicopter search & rescue and medical treatment.
A smart phone with either flyskyhy (iPhone) or xctrack (android) downloaded. We will provide you with a Colombian SIM card on arrival.
It is very warm so you will only need a thin jacket and thin gloves to fly in. The UV is very strong so make sure you have good sun protection for your face in flight and a sun hat for landing out.
what you will need
Located in the famous Valle Del Cauca, in southwestern Colombia, the tropical paradise of Piedechinche has become a world renowned Mecca for relaxed thermic flying.
This site has an easy launch and landing field with speedy shuttles running up to take off all day. The thermals here are smooth and delicious, making it the perfect site to warm up at the start of your trip, and providing an ideal playground to hone your skills and saturate yourself on airtime.
Once airborne, we will guide you to a number of wonderfully smooth house thermals before heading off on an adventure through the skies taking in the lush green vegetated valley and hills below.
From take off, you will always be within an easy glide from the enormous grassy fields of the landing zone, so if you like to start your holiday by warming up slowly with a few easy top to bottoms, or you have simply had your fill of flying for the day, it will always be easy to make your way back to base.
No more than 100 yards from the landing field you will find two lovely restaurants surrounded by a welcoming hive of paragliding related activity, serving all the refreshments you could need for a full day of flying.
about piedechinche
Further North, also in the Valle de Cauca, Roldanillo is the go-to spot for paragliding pilots around the world looking for consistent XC mileage in the winter months. The conditions here are slightly stronger than Piedechinche and the days start working earlier. This makes it the perfect location to move on to after a good warm up in the champagne skies of Piedechinche, with incredible potential for flying long distances.
There are a number of east facing take offs on the mountain above Roldanillo. These are big and grassy with plenty of space to lay out your kit before you fly. Taking off from here, we will work our way along the mountain ridge and then out into the flatlands together. Our XC adventures will promise gorgeous views of jungle covered mountains contrasting with the pan flat valley below, packed with small towns and sugar cane plantations.
The Pacifico wind typically comes in late in the afternoon here. This is a strong sea breeze that flows in from the West and can be dangerous if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will make sure you are safely on the ground each day long before this becomes a potential hazard.
The town of Roldanillo is vibrant with a lively, energetic feel. The people are extremely welcoming to pilots and there are a huge variety of restaurants, bars and swimming pools to spend your time while you are not flying.
about roldanillo
retrieves
Retrieves tend to be very simple in Colombia - the local people are incredibly kind and generous, and will always help you make your way back to base. Hitch hiking is therefore a great option here if you are comfortable doing so.
In Roldanillo in particular, you will never be far from a local on a scooter, waiting to drive you back to town for a very small fee. This is usually the quickest way back, but a regular bus service also runs along the main highway.
We will also give you the phone numbers of a few local taxi drivers who will come and find you in case you are struggling to get back.
To reach Piedechinche, you will need to book flights to Cali airport, arriving on the first date of the trip.
Let us know your flight details once you have booked and we will meet you at Cali and drive you to your accommodation in Piedechinche.
We recommend booking flights that arrive early on day 1 so that you have time to settle in and recover before your first day of flying.
On the final day of the trip, we will organise a taxi to take you from Roldanillo back to Cali airport for your return flights.
IMPORTANT:
DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT YOU ARE BOOKED ONTO THE TRIP!
airport transfer
check out our other trips
8th - 18th January 2027
A Post-CP Guided trip aimed at beginner pilots with less than 50hrs of airtime who are looking to catch their first thermals and start XC flying.
10th - 20th February 2027
An XC guiding trip aimed at pilots with basic thermalling skills who have flown a minimum of 20km XC.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about our XC Guiding trip to Colombia, please don’t hesitate to get in touch using the form. We will get back to you as soon as possible!