Three items, and empty pockets
Sports shoes that lace up, comfortable clothes you can take a few running steps in, sunglasses, and pockets emptied of anything you would not want to drop from 700 metres. That is the operator's own list, and there is a reason it is so short: your pilot brings the wing, harness, helmet and insurance.
On our Alanya tandem paragliding flight, the items you are asked to bring are exactly three — sports shoes, comfortable clothing and sunglasses.
Why shoes matter more here than anywhere else
A tandem launch is not a jump. The minibus takes you up to a hill roughly 700 metres above Alanya, the pilot clips you in, and then you take a short run down the slope until the wing lifts and the ground simply stops being there. Those few steps are on a hillside, in a harness, with a pilot attached behind you.
You want shoes that stay on and grip: trainers, running shoes, light hiking shoes. Anything backless is a genuine problem — a flip-flop that comes off mid-run is a stumble on the one part of the flight that involves your legs. Landing is on the sand of Cleopatra Beach, which is forgiving, but the take-off is not the place to improvise.
Clothes: movement first, then temperature
The harness straps run around your thighs and across your chest, so trousers or shorts work far better than a dress or a long loose skirt. Leggings, joggers, hiking trousers or ordinary shorts are all fine. Avoid anything that flaps — a wide open shirt is noisy and annoying for the whole glide.
Take a light top layer. Air moving past you at altitude feels considerably cooler than standing still on the beach in the same clothes, and the flight is not a sixty-second drop; it is a glide down the coast.
Pockets, sunglasses and the drop test
Before you clip in, do a quick check of every pocket. Phone, keys, loose change, a hotel card — if it can slide out, it will end up in the Mediterranean or on a hillside. Zip pockets are fine; open ones are not. If you want to hold your phone in flight, ask your pilot first, and use a wrist strap.
Sunglasses are on the bring list and they are worth having — but secure them. A strap costs nothing and saves an expensive pair.
- Laced trainers — no sandals, no flip-flops, no heels
- Trousers, shorts or leggings you can move in
- A light layer for the air up there
- Sunglasses with a strap, and sunscreen applied before pickup
- Pockets zipped or empty
- Cash if you want the flight photos and video afterwards, or a female pilot on request (€20 per person, cash on the spot)
Don't wear your paragliding clothes on a quad safari the same day
It sounds obvious until someone books both. Our Alanya quad safari asks the opposite of you: old clothes and closed shoes you do not mind getting muddy, sunglasses, and a change of clothes, because the route runs through dusty tracks and water crossings and finishes with a water fight. Adults are €40 for a three-hour trip with a quad, fuel, helmet, dust mask and a driving lesson included. Drivers must be 18 or over and confident handling the bike; younger guests ride as passengers with an adult.
Both are three-hour excursions and they pair well in one day — but pack two outfits, and do the flight first, in clean shoes.
What is already covered
The flight includes all flight and safety equipment, the pre-flight briefing, insurance, a backup safety parachute carried on every flight, and hotel pickup in the Alanya area — with round-trip departures also available from Side, Belek and Antalya at a supplement. Adults are €75. No experience is needed at any point: the licensed pilot handles take-off, the glide and the landing while you sit in your own harness.
Who this flight is not for
It is not for anyone with a medical condition that makes flying unwise — you are responsible for declaring your own health status, and that is not a formality. It is not for guests who need a guaranteed slot on a fixed day: the wind decides, and if conditions are not safe your flight moves to the next day, is rescheduled, or is refunded. The pilot's call is final, and it should be.
Age and weight limits apply and are confirmed when you book, and anyone under 18 needs signed parental consent. If you are travelling with children and want a firm answer before you commit, ask us before booking rather than at the launch hill.
Related reading
Pairing your flight with something on the ground? What to wear on a quad safari is the dusty counterpart to this page, the best time of season for a quad safari covers when the trails are at their best, and what to wear on a jeep safari is the family-friendly alternative if not everyone wants to drive.