Paragliding : Spain: Lanzarote

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Lanzarote is one of the canary islands west of Africa. The climate is mild when the weather in the rest of
Europe is getting cold and ugly. The island has a number of interesting flying areas for hangglider or paragliders.

Key for choosing the right site on a given day is the direction and the strength of the wind:

  • Wind-direction: The majority of the flights are thermo-dynamic, meaning you are soaring with the help
    of the wind and use the thermals that are coming and going with it - therefore you need a place where
    the wind meets the topography at the right angle.
  • Strength: The wind is too strong for paragliders most of the year, but from Nov.-March you can find many
    flyable days, if you know the right spot at the right moment. I joined a group of flyers with a true expert on
    flying on the island who planned every day in detail. There are no flying schools on the island itself so it is
    not easy to find experts if you're there on your own.

That's why I made this page, and listed the best flying spots here, so at least you have a starting point where
to find other flyers. Note that I went there with a Paraglider and not a Hangglider, therefore you might not find
the info suited to Hanggliding (e.g. Start & Landings, see also notes in section). Please note that this is no
cookbook: Lanzarote is not the ideal terrain for beginners to visit on their own: The winds are usually very strong
and can produce traps that the beginner will hardly discover before its too late.  

The Famara ridge is certainly the most impressive flight on the island, but the other areas also have their qualities.
Click on the area-names on the map below to jump to the details-section below.  Bringing a GPS can help you
to find the places, I have listed the waypoints in an extra file: Ozi-waypoint-file
Here are some more Links

Have fun in the sun!
                               Ulli

 

Lanzarote Overview Map

 
 

 


   ____ Mirador    

 

 Famara Ridge ____



 		  
 

 

 Training sandhill __________


                   El Cuchillo ______  

 

_________ Mala     




 		  
 

 

 

  

 

 

 

________ Macher     


Femes _
                               _______ Playa Quemada

\

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Famara Ridge Map




______ Caleta del Sebo 

 

     Farion de Afuera __


______  Salinas del Rio 
 Mirador del Rio ______




___ Pargue Tropical
Villa Near Torecilla __


______Fuente de Gayo 
Typical beach along      
Risco de Famara __




____Antennas on
  Galeria Famara




Galeria Famara ______

 

___Barranco de la      
 Poceta (difficult!) 







     ______ Start for Hanggliders 

______ Start for Paragliders

 

    

 

Lanzarote Areas Details (North to South)


Mirador

Desc:    

Soaring on a wind-compression of the (in this area prevailing) NE passat winds
Wind: NE-N
Start: Easy: flat then getting steeper, Wind is calmer at the starting point than at the cliff.
Landing: The football field near the center of the town Orzola is the best place to land.
Never land in the black fields (at none of the sites!), as they take a lot of effort in preparation!
Access:    Drive right on gravel road just before the Mirador del Rio parking for ~500m
Photos:  

 

Famara

Desc:    

The higlight of Lanzarote! Soaring NW winds with smaller thermics along a breath-taking 20km volcanic cliff
See Map directly beneath overview-map for more details
Wind: NW-W
Access:    Drive small dirt roads going NW from the center of Teguise
Start: There is 4 different places, depending on the wind. The stronger the wind gets the further South you must go.
1) HangGliders starting place (often difficult, because wind is strong & the cliff steep -> Rotor!) (see Waypoint S-HANG)
    There is also a better chance to start 200m  to the north-east of the Hanggliders in the first depression on the rim.
2) Water Reservoir   (med) inbetween 1) and 2) little concrete platforms mark the water reservoirs.
3) Hill south of that  (easy) Typical place where you see many Paragliders starting (somewhere around Waypoint S-EJOS)
    Usually almost the same strength as 1) but completely laminar
4) The bottom of that hill (often used for landing!): pull up glider and walk up the hill until you are lifted away!
    usually 10km/h less wind then at 3)
Landing: Toplanding is usually dangerous at 1) and sometimes at 2). Better to topland at 3) and best to use 4) as most people do
Photos:

 

Mala

Desc:    

Soaring and strong thermic. With good thermic you can fly W around the corner and continue.
Wind: E-NE  (usually +10km/h compared to Mirador)
Access:    Drive up from Mala where you see the Dam of the water reservoir
Start: Easy: walk across the dam to the wind-indicator
Landing: There is a good landing place north-east of the start in the lower plain.
Photos:

 

Training Sandhill near Soo

Desc:    

Soaring on a little hill, if the wind is too strong at the Famara ridge. The name 'sandhill' should not be confused with a dune, you will only find the sand at the bottom, the starting place. Not very useful for HGs
Wind: W-NW (usually ~10km/h less wind than Famara 4))
Access:    Drive NW on sandy road right after the last fence leaving Soo towards La Caleta
See Waypoint SANDHL  to find the exact place.
Start &
Landing:		 Start at the bottom: Put the wing on the cleared sandy area, then pull up in a calm moment and continue to walk up the hill until you are lifted away! That landing place is the only place cleared from the evil hooking plants: Tear some more out if you have some time!
Photos:  

 

El Cuchillo

Desc:    

Soaring and sometimes strong thermic  (Black fields below) The site looks like a half-circle
Wind: N like in Mirador, strength is approx the same as there.
Access:    Directly north of El Cuchillo, see Waypoint CUCHIL in List
Start: Easy, there is a start at the top and another one a little ways west and ~20m down (black field)
Landing: Easy to find: at the center of this half-circle
Photos:

 

 

Macher (also called 'Tinasoria')

Desc:    

Soaring and thermic. With a paraglider you can jump to the next 2 hills north, the next one is more difficult. Great for training Toplandings! Look out for the many power-lines in the valley below. If you sink below a certain altitude, proceed to land instead of fighting too long.
Wind: E-NE
Access:    Drive up from Macher to a ridge where you can see the ruins of some buildings
Use the waypoint MACHRS
Start: Easy
Landing: There is 2 places: One better suited for Paragliders (Waypoint MACHLP) the other better for Hanggliders
You can orientate at the traffic circle.
Photos:

 

 

Playa Quemada

Desc:    

Soaring on a rather low ridge (~70m high) nice, because you are so close to the water and can wath the costline in detail. if the wind comes directly from the front, you can do many Not well suited for HGs
Wind: E : if it is just too strong in Macher (35km/h) it is just starting to get right in Quemada!
Access:    P. Quemada is on the SE-coast  just south of the largest Tourist town on the island: Puerto del Carmen.
Start: Tricky: Walk from the little town up the hill and start on the first ridge before it goes down to the sandy beach again.
If the wind is not to strong, you must immediately turn right after lift-off and keep very close to the rim or you will get too low fast
Landing: There is 2 places:
1) Toplanding on the place you started
2) Often used when things go wrong: the first sandy beach just south of the starting point.
Photos:  

 

Femes

Desc:    

Soaring and some thermic
Wind: S-SW
Access:    The town in the very south of the island and  easy to find on the map
Start: Easy. Walk up the lower hill W of Femes. You can start ~30m below the ridge because the wind is usually to strong directly at the ridge if conditions are good enough for soaring. We have clear the lower place from bushes and the gravel there is gentle to your glider.
Landing: The area near east of the traffic circle is ideal for landing. Fly into the valley to Femes and land towards the sea.  Watch out for the power lines!
Photos:  

    

Links

                                            

                                  Fight Gravity - go Paragliding  !