In a country smaller than the state of Maine there is 8,000 (eight thousand!) active paragliding and hang gliding pilots. Can you believe? Do they teach flying in Austrian schools? You could say so. And if one day you wake up in the middle of Austria and look out of the window you will know why. The Alps. High glaciated peaks, beautiful green valleys, and perfect infrastructure with roads everywhere. Austria offers great diversity of flying locations on both sides of the main spine of the European Alps. The spectacular landscape, large meadow takeoffs, and great free flying potential draw pilots in spring and summer to Austrian Alps. Join us on this great paragliding adventure this July.

Note: This trip is back-to-back with our Slovenia trip. For pilots participating in both trips we provide free transportation from Slovenia to Austria.

The whole eastern arc of the Alps belongs to Austria. Flying sites are scattered on both sides of the main spine which curves from Austrian Tyrol in the west to Carinthia in the South. This abundance of perfect landscape caused great popularity of free flying sports in Austria. Most takeoffs are gently sloped alpine meadows located high above the tree line. It is not uncommon that dozens of pilots can set up and takeoff at the same time. Large takeoffs like that plus plenty of big grass fields in the valleys make launches and landings stress free. You just fly and enjoy the landscape while covering distance. Traditionally the best time to fly in this part of the Alps is the second half of spring until early summer.

This trip is for pilots who already have some thermaling experience behind their belt. All participants should be comfortable and proficient in launching, thermaling, and landing.

We will be based at the center of of the famous "Pinzgau walk" - one of the easiest XC flying valley in the Alps. Plenty of Austrian and foreign pilots made their first distance flights here. This is how the place earned its name - "XC highway of the Alps". Easy XC flights start here at 25 miles (35km) and if winds are light and cloudbase reasonably above 10,000ft (3000m) you can extend the flight to more than 60 miles (100km) out and return or go for large triangle which will take you across many ranges and valleys. If you experience once the excitement of XC flying in front of majestic ice covered peaks along the "Pinzgau walk" you will want to come back here at every opportunity.

Austrian Alps have incredible selection and variety of excellent flying sites and takeoffs. Many of them have convenient cable car access. We will concentrate on sites in Pinzgau's Salzach valley - the famous XC highway of the Alps. Our primary sites will be Wildkogel, Schmittenhohe, and Hollersbah. If weather forecast requires we will choose sites on the other side of the spine of the Alps like Greifenburg or Sillian. To experience different microclimates and surroundings we will make a day trip to neighboring valleys of Zillertal and Gastain. All the mentioned sites are in two hours drive radius. Every day we choose flying sites based on weather, pilots skills, and their wishes.

Schmittenhohe 6,360ft (1940m) - No. 1 on the map
It offers a breathtaking view of the snow capped peaks and is regarded as Austria's mountain with the most beautiful panorama. When the weather is right this site can be epic. Hang gliding world record was set here. This is where the famous "Pinzgau walk" begins. It is one of the easiest XC flights in the Alps. Schmitten (called like that by locals) forms the central point of Pinzgau flying region and pilots from surrounding flying sites fly by on their way toward other famous destinations like Zillertal or Gastainer valley. You get to the takeoff by a high tech cable car designed by Porsche covering a few thousand vertical feet (1000m) in a couple of minutes.

If you have a non-flying spouse or a companion you would like to take with you on the trip please do not hesitate. The mountains and valleys of Austria are a paradise for outdoors lovers: hiking, biking, scenic drives, culinary adventures will keep any visitor busy for weeks. All non-pilot participants will have a constant service of a knowledgeable guide and 24/7 access to a car. This opens great options like a day trip to Salzburg or Glosglockner scenic highway.

Antofaya Expeditions
Antofaya Expeditions have years of experience in organizing paragliding trips. We strive to be the best in the business. Our fluent multilingual guides will make your flying vacation totally stress free by taking care of all the practicalities from the moment we pick you up at the Salzburg airport to the moment we drop you off there ten days later. We want you to fully enjoy your paragliding vacations whether it is staying in our excellent four star spa hotel or traveling during the retrieves in our air conditioned and GPS equipped vans.

Jarek Wieczorek
Jarek Wieczorek will be our primary paragliding guide for this trip. With his experience as a paragliding guide and trip organizer you can count on the quality of the adventure. He has been working with returning clients from across the globe. He is a flying site pioneer, XC coach, and respected expedition leader who loves to share his knowledge and experience with other pilots. Contact Jarek Wieczorek

Experienced bilingual local paragliding guides will work with us depending on the number of participants. So every participant will get personal attention and coaching, both on the ground and in the air.

Dates
Ten days tour: 28 June - 7 July 2014
Arrival at Salzburg, Austria airport on June 28th
Departure from Salzburg, Austria airport on July 7th

Prices
To provide the best possible service we limit the number participants. Therefore it is essential to reserve your spot at this adventure early. Additionally there is a significant discount for those who reserve their spot early.

If paid before March 1st
$2440 - double room - single occupancy
$1550 - non-flying spouse or companion in a double room

If paid after March 1st
$2590 - double room - single occupancy
$1680 - non-flying spouse or companion in a double room

For payments, please contact Jarek Wieczorek at jarek@antofaya.com or tel. (303) 800 6340

Included in the Price of the Tour
• Great flying adventure and your logbook full of new long XC flights,
• Constant assistance of English speaking paragliding guides,
• Transfers from Salzburg, Austria international airport (airport code SZG) to Pinzgau on the first and the last day of the tour,
• Accommodation in an excellent four star spa hotel with hearty buffet breakfast,
• Unlimited transportation to and from flying sites in comfortable air conditioned vehicles (cable car fees not included),
• Flying site and landing zone fees - so called "flycards",
• Cross country in-flight and on-the-ground guiding,
• Retrieves from landing zones and cross country landings,
• Services of drivers who are pilots themselves and know the area well,
• Flying sites beta (flying zone descriptions, local tips, and XC coaching),
• Extensive evening weather forecast and flight planning briefings,
• Paragliding competition instruction if desired,
• Special tour T-shirt,
• Transportation to restaurants, shops, tourists sights, etc. when flying schedule allows.

If you need special arrangements for your arrival and stay please do not hesitate to contact us and we will make sure all your needs are met.

Cable car tickets
The cable car tickets are not included in the price of the tour. Some sites we use have convenient cable car access. Some are drive-ups. We will choose our flying sites depending on the weather conditions and pilots wishes. Sample cable car prices: Wildkogel €11, Schmittenhohe €19, Hollersbah (drive-to, no additional cost).

Airplane tickets
The airplane tickets are not included in the price of the tour. We will gladly assist you if you need help with booking of your plane ticket.

Austria is a high mountain country and lays in central Europe north-east of Italy. It has an alpine climate with mild to hot summers in the mountain valleys. Summer temperatures can be relatively high, with average temperatures in the high-70°Fs (mid-20°Cs). It is a prosperous and democratic country, and a member European Union and eurozone (Euro as a currency). Austria is one of the richest countries in the world with a very high standard of living. Austria has excellent infrastructure with transportation, public services, and health care of prime quality. German is Austria's official language. Schnapps of 60% alcohol or fruit brandy is widely drunk and produced in small private distilleries. Did I mention my favorite: Schinkenspeck (juniper-flavored smoked ham)? If you wish to take a day off from flying there are countless activities available: trekking, biking, mountain excursions, Tauern SPA thermal baths, ice caves, or historical city of Salzburg.

• Jarek Wieczorek
tel. in the USA: (303) 800 6340
tel. in Chile: +56 9-8269-6562
website: www.antofaya.com
e-mail: jarek@antofaya.com