Hot Air Balloon or Paragliding in Pokhara? Which One Suits You in 2027

Updated 26 October 2026.

Short answer: Pick the balloon if you want to float quietly for about 30 minutes, if you travel with a child of 3 or older, or if you are nervous about heights and speed. Pick paragliding if you want to run off a ridge, see the Annapurna range from the air and do not mind some spinning. With us the balloon is USD 150 per person for foreign passports (USD 120 for SAARC and Chinese passports), and tandem paragliding is USD 105 per person, GoPro and pick-up included.

I am Shreejan. Guests in Pokhara ask me which of the two to book, and the question is usually really about who is coming along. A 3-year-old, a nervous mother and a 28-year-old who wants an adrenaline day do not need the same flight. Here is how I would choose. If you have already picked the balloon, my balloon guide covers the morning, the season and booking.

Hot air balloon or paragliding in Pokhara: the quick comparison

	Hot air balloon	Tandem paragliding
Time in the air	About 30 minutes, weather permitting	About 25 to 30 minutes on a standard flight, 45 to 60 minutes cross-country
Price with us	USD 150 per person (foreign passports), USD 120 (SAARC and Chinese passports)	USD 105 per person, USD 145 for cross-country
Where	Over the Lauruk and Pame valley	Take-off at Sarangkot (1,592 m), landing beside Phewa Lake (about 827 m)
Minimum age	Children under 3 are not allowed	No legal minimum in Nepal. Most operators take children from about 5, with a parent's consent
Feel	Slow and quiet. You stand in a basket and drift	You run a few steps, then sit in a harness and glide and circle
Time of day	Morning (two slots) or evening	Late morning is best, when the thermals have settled
Weather	The operator decides on the day	Pilots wait for clear air and steady wind
What you need to do	Send a passport copy before the flight	Run 5 to 10 steps downhill at take-off

The balloon price is from our hot air balloon flight in Pokhara page. The paragliding price is from my complete guide to paragliding in Pokhara, which also covers the pilots, the weight limit and what the flight is like in detail.

Which is better for children?

The balloon, at least for the youngest ones. It is open to children from age 3 (children under 3 are not allowed). Paragliding has no legal minimum age in Nepal, but most operators I know of only take children from about 5, and a child has to cope with a harness and a take-off run.

Our balloon page says a child pays the same as an adult, so a family of four pays four full tickets. Ask us about your children's ages before you book, and I will tell you what the operator needs.

For a child of 5 or 6 the choice is more personal. Some love the glide. Some cry at the take-off. If you are not sure, the balloon is the safer bet for a happy morning.

Which is better if I am nervous about flying?

The balloon again. There is no speed and no running, and the pace is slow. You look down at the valley at your own speed.

Paragliding is gentler than most people expect, but it has two things a nervous person should know about. The take-off is a short run towards a drop. And during thermal spirals, when the pilot circles to gain height, our paragliding guide notes that roughly 5 to 10 per cent of passengers feel sick. If you get motion sickness, tell the pilot. They can fly a straighter path.

Some people do prefer paragliding because the pilot does everything and you only sit. Others find that worse than standing in a basket. Only you know which feeling is easier to bear.

Which is better for older guests?

There is no upper age limit for paragliding that I know of in Nepal. What matters is your fitness, because you must be able to run 5 to 10 steps downhill at take-off. Pilots turn away people with heart conditions, severe vertigo or recent back surgery. The usual weight range is about 30 to 100 kg, and operators ask you to check before you book.

For the balloon, I do not have a published upper age or weight limit from the operator, and our page does not give one. If you or a parent have a knee, hip or back problem, message me and I will ask the operator how boarding works before you pay.

What do the views feel like?

Paragliding gives you the mountains and the lake together. You launch from Sarangkot at 1,592 m and land beside Phewa Lake at about 827 m, a drop of roughly 765 m. On a clear day you see Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre and Annapurna II on the way down. Nothing is between you and the view.

The balloon gives you the valley. You float over the Lauruk and Pame valley and look down on it. It is a view you can study, since you are not moving fast and you are not busy holding on. I cannot promise you a mountain backdrop, because that depends on the sky on the day.

On height, I will not give you a number for the balloon. Different websites quote different heights for the flight, and the operator does not publish one that I can check. If it matters to you, ask me and I will ask the operator.

When should I fly: morning or evening?

The balloon has two morning slots and an evening flight. Most people choose a morning slot. Tell us which you prefer when you book, and we will ask for it.

Paragliding runs best in late morning, once the thermals have settled. I tell guests to book it early in their stay, not on the last morning. If the wind is wrong, we move you to the next slot, and a spare day is worth more than a good plan.

If you want both, a balloon at first light and paragliding later in the morning is hard to arrange because of the different pick-ups and slots. Put them on different mornings.

How does weather affect each one?

Both are cancelled for weather. The balloon operator decides on the day. For paragliding, the pilots only go in clear air and steady wind, and I would rather lose a booking than send you up in bad air.

The best months for paragliding are September to November and March to May, according to our paragliding guide. The monsoon, June to mid-September, is the poor time: flights are often cancelled and the mountains are hidden. November and December can bring crosswinds, so build a spare day into your plan. Balloons do not fly in the monsoon months of June, July and August.

How much do they cost?

Activity	Price per person with us	What is included
Hot air balloon	USD 150 foreign passports, USD 120 SAARC and Chinese passports. Same on every option and the same for a group of one or twenty	Flight, Lakeside hotel pick-up and drop-off, flight certificate, CAAN passenger insurance
Paragliding, standard	USD 105	About 30 minutes, hotel pick-up, pilot, insurance, taxes, GoPro photos and video
Paragliding, cross-country	USD 145	45 to 60 minutes

Hotel nights in Pokhara, meals, tips and getting to Pokhara are not included in the balloon price. For paragliding, Pokhara hotel nights are also extra. You pay a 10 per cent deposit to book, and the balance before the flight or online. We take US dollars or euros, never Nepali rupees. We cover the card fee on the deposit. The balance by card carries 3.5 per cent, and cash carries none.

The balloon costs more, and you are in the air for about the same time as a standard paragliding flight. What you pay for is a slower, quieter flight with room for the whole family.

Can I do both?

Yes. If you have three days in Pokhara, I would put the balloon on the first morning, paragliding on the second and keep the third as a spare for weather. If you have not decided between those and the rest of the town, my comparison of Pokhara adventure activities covers bungee and the zipline too. The jump itself is in my bungee guide, and the rest of the lakeside town is in things to do in Pokhara.

Frequently asked questions

Is a hot air balloon or paragliding better in Pokhara?

Neither is better. The balloon is slower and quieter, and it suits families with young children and nervous flyers. Paragliding is faster and gives you the lake and the Annapurna range from open air. It also costs USD 105 with us against USD 150 for the balloon.

What is the minimum age for a hot air balloon in Pokhara?

Children under 3 are not allowed, so the minimum is 3. Our page says a child pays the same as an adult. Message us with the age before you book.

What is the minimum age for paragliding in Pokhara?

Nepal has no legal minimum. Most operators accept children from about 5 with parental consent, and the usual weight range is about 30 to 100 kg.

Is the balloon or paragliding safer?

I cannot give you a statistic for either, and I would not trust one that I could not check. What I can say is that both only fly when the weather allows, and the pilot or operator makes that decision. Ask to see a pilot's licence before paragliding.

How long is a hot air balloon flight in Pokhara?

About 30 minutes in the air, weather permitting. Allow more time for pick-up and drop-off. The take-off point is within about 2 km of Lakeside.

Which is better for someone afraid of heights?

I would book the balloon. There is no running and no speed. If you want paragliding anyway, tell the pilot, and book it early in your stay so you have spare days.

Can I fly with a camera?

Our paragliding price includes GoPro photos and video from the pilot. For the balloon, our page does not say, so ask when you book.

What if the weather stops my flight?

We move you to the next slot. For paragliding, if there is no slot left before you leave Pokhara, we refund what you paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and anything already spent for you. Rescheduling is free with at least 72 hours notice, to any date within one year. The 10 per cent deposit is not refunded if you cancel yourself.

What is the next step?

You can read the full balloon flight page or the paragliding page. Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, who is travelling and their ages, and I will tell you which flight I would book.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.