Breathtaking views from the Samba Capitol of the World
Rio de Janeiro is known for its beautiful beaches, Christ the Redeemer, and the eccentric Carnival festival. But one of the must do activities in Rio is definitely hand gliding. You get to experience the beautiful Brazilian landscape from an amazing new angle. And you also get a relaxing change of pace from all the partying. Hopefully my personal story alleviates any fears or questions you may have. Here’s why you shouldn’t leave Rio de Janeiro without going hand gliding.
My São Conrado Hand Gliding Adventure
The high-flying journey began with reserving tickets online for an unforgettable flight. Make sure to do this a few weeks in advance since there are a limited number of time slots available. Since it was during Carnival season, the prices were slightly higher(mistake number 1).
The day of Hand Gliding
The morning after a long night of partying for Carnival (mistake number 2), we ordered an Uber ride to the departure point at São Conrado. Once there we signed waivers basically saying they are not responsible if we die, our guide drove us up another insanely steep mountain.
The views from the top of the mountain were amazing. You could see all the green forests, terrain dotted with housing complexes, and the fluorescent beaches expanding into an endless ocean. It was a bit nerve wracking watching all the other hand gliders running off the platform and soaring into the distance. The fear really starts to set in once you put on the helmet and vest.
Taking the Jump
As my turn to run off the cliff approached, we hooked up the harnesses and practiced running in unison (much harder under the circumstances). The time has come! As we stood on the beginning of the ramp, only a few meters away from open air, panic really starts to set in. But as they stated, hesitating and failing to run in tandem will probably cause you to die. So I tried to focus on breathing (and wishing I was more sober).
My pilot yells GO and we start running toward the end of the ramp. We don’t stop until the floor beneath us disappears. The transition from running to being in flight was remarkably smooth. The second after our feet leave the ramp, all the anxious thoughts are replaced with pure euphoria.
What I thought would be an intense falling sensation was actually a calm breeze. It felt as if we were suspended in air, moving at a relaxing pace. Suddenly the entire city of Rio lights up and is fascinatingly beautiful. My face was in absolute awe at the breathtaking views I was experiencing.
The flight lasted about 10 minutes, ending with an exhilarating freefall on the beach. The landing was actually pretty smooth too. After that I collected the photos and video footage and ate some pastels at the local food stand. Overall it was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend to anyone trying to see Rio de Janeiro from a different perspective. The only thing that could of made it better was being less hungover.
I hope you get to visit Rio one day soon and try hand gliding for yourself. If you have no idea where to start planning a trip to Brazil, I got you all covered in this blog post. And for some expert tips from the awesome Carnival celebration, head here. And for even more breathtaking sights to see in Rio, check out his blog. Thanks for reading and keep leveling up!
Here’s a travel video from the entire sky high experience. Enjoy!
