LIMA, Peru – Lima, Peru is a hotspot tourist destination, attracting more and more people every year. Known for its traditional cuisine, beautiful ocean, and rich history, the capital has even transitioned into a unique and accessible paragliding paradise.
National paragliding champion Arturo Wong, founded Infinity School of Paragliding to train thrill-seekers who wish to get their paragliding license. Infinity is the only school in Lima that can provide pilots with licenses to fly internationally.
For pilots in training, Wong explained that his school offers, “basic, intermediate, and advanced courses. This means we take a person who doesn’t know how to fly and continue instruction until they become an independent pilot.”
First time paragliding student, Rafael de la Vega, originally from Mexico, traveled all the way to Lima to train and earn his own paragliding certificate. “I actually did some research and it is one of the best places in the world to learn,” said de la Vega.
Alongside being a paragliding instructor, Wong also provides tourists with the one-of-a-kind experience of seeing the capital from up high.
The paragliding port in the district of Miraflores popularized tandem flights with tourists. “Usually, to paraglide in other parts of the world, you have to travel basically an hour or two outside the city,” said Bernardo Chumbiauca, Wong’s assistant. “In Lima, which is the capital of Peru, we have the advantage that we can fly right here.”
The weather conditions of the country are optimal for flying all year round, making the sport easy to partake in and one of the main attractions of Lima. Paragliding instructor Daniel Nakamatzu explained, “Flying has always been the desire of all people, to fly like a bird. And I think paragliding is the best way.”