There's a strange moment, three running steps in, when the ground simply runs out. The harness sits you down, the wing fills, and there's the Chicamocha: a dry, ochre canyon with cacti on its slopes and the river glinting at the bottom like a thread.
The Guane name for it is usually translated as 'son of silver on a full-moon night'. From up there, it makes sense. You fly tandem with a pilot, so your only job is to look, breathe and maybe yell a little.
The front desk can book you in with local operators. Flights depend on wind and weather, so bring patience and a backup plan in case the day has to move.
What it feels like
Far calmer than you'd expect once you're airborne; the nerves live in the seconds before take-off.
Ideal for
- First-time flyers
- Landscape photographers
- Anyone who wants to grasp the canyon's scale
- Travellers with a flexible day
Facts with sources
- The canyon
- Carved by the Chicamocha River across Santander and into Boyacá; often ranked among the world's largest canyons.Source 3
- The name
- From the Guane language, usually rendered as 'son of silver on a full-moon night in the mountains'.Source 3
- Another launch site
- Some local operators also fly from the Las Vueltas launch site in Curití.Source 4
- How to book
- The hostel front desk books Chicamocha paragliding with local operators.Source 1
What we don't know yet
We'd rather say so than make it up. The team confirms these with the operator:
- Which operator flies that day and from which launch site
- Total time including transport
- Minimum/maximum age and weight
- Whether hostel pick-up is included
Ask the front desk
- Are we flying over the Chicamocha or at Curití, and what's the difference?
- What happens if the wind grounds us: reschedule or refund?
- Are photos and video extra?
- What time do we leave and when are we back?
Safety & season
Only fly tandem with pilots from a certified operator, and accept their call if the weather isn't right. Tell them about any medical condition before launch.
Sources
- This is Colombia Hostel, San Gil (property description, events, reviews) (opens in a new tab) — Hostelworld, retrieved 22 Oct 2026
- @thisiscolombiahostel – weekly schedule highlight & creator collabs (per Peashoot intake notes 2026-10-21, not re-opened) (opens in a new tab) — Instagram, retrieved 22 Oct 2026
- Cañón del Chicamocha (opens in a new tab) — Wikipedia (es), retrieved 22 Oct 2026
- Parapente en San Gil (opens in a new tab) — Xplorer Colombia (parapentesangil.com), retrieved 22 Oct 2026
