Paragliding Rio de Janeiro

About this tour

When Em from our team took to the skies above Rio, she got a fundamentally different perspective on the city — one that reframes the whole landscape. This tandem paragliding flight launches from Pedra Bonita, one of Rio's established jump sites, and keeps you airborne for roughly two hours. You'll drift over the forest-clad ridges of Tijuca, past the Cristo statue, down toward the beaches and favelas that ring the city. The pack-in includes a GoPro, kit, and a van ride from your meeting point up to the launch. It's the sort of thing that rewires how you see a place.

Highlights

• Floating above Tijuca Forest canopy, suddenly tiny
• Cristo Redentor at eye level, not squinting from below
• Pedra da Gavea ridge dropping away beneath your feet
• Rocinha sprawled across the hillside in daylight perspective
• Praia de São Conrado's curve of sand and water
• GoPro footage captured during flight, no extra gear required
• Tandem setup means zero prior experience needed

What to expect

You'll meet at an agreed point, then drive up to Rampa da Pedra Bonita — the actual launch — where your pilot will brief you and fit the harness. The takeoff is sudden but oddly smooth; you're not climbing steeply but catching thermals that keep you aloft while the city rotates beneath you. Em found the two-hour flight ranged from serene to properly exhilarating, depending on the air currents that day. You're strapped in tandem-style, so you can relax into it or ask the pilot to bank closer to landmarks. Landing back at the launch site is controlled and straightforward.

The real kicker is the vantage: favela density, forest patches, urban sprawl, and ocean all readable at once. It's not a gentle scenic float — you're working air currents — but it's manageable for anyone reasonably comfortable with heights. Weather can dictate if the flight happens that day, and you'll want to arrive ready for wind.

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