BENGALURU: Bir-Billing, located in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is an adventure destination for paragliding. Bir-Billing is roughly a two to three-hour drive from Mcleodganj, another tourist destination also famous for housing the monastery where His Holiness, The Dalai Lama resides. Bir-Billing also hosts annual pre-World Cup paragliding events with support from the Himachal Tourism Development Corporation.
The nearest station to Bir-Billing is Patahankot, a drive of around four to four-and-a-half hours. A bus from Delhi to Baijnath is the most convenient. Baijnath is a 10-km drive from Bir, the landing point for paragliding. Billing, located a further 13 km above Bir is the take-off point. Either ways, Bir-Billing is an overnight journey from Delhi and takes roughly 12 hours to reach.
On the way to Baijnath by road, one would be greeted by the sight of many paragliders in the clear skies. It is a rare sight in India. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it is a lot easier to spot para-gliders floating through the skies in Bir-Billing than spotting birds.
Upon reaching Bir, the sight of lush green tea estates on either side of the road will greet you. It is better to spend the night in Billing than in Bir as Billing is at a height of 2400 metres above sea level and enjoys a much cooler climate. Moreover, the aerial view that Billing offers of the entire landscape down below is a sight to behold. To watch the early morning sunrise in Billing is nothing short of a magical experience. Billing not only offers beautiful sights of lush green landscape, but is also a beginning point into the forest which leads to Barabhangal village after a five-day trek. There is no other approach road to this village, located in a remote region of Himachal Pradesh, except through the mountains.
There are two options of going to Billing from Bir — either by trekking through the hills or by car through the motorable road. Those who are keen on burning some calories can opt for either the trek through the hills (a steeper but shorter route) or use the motorable road for walking up (longer but less stressful and tiring). If you wish to enjoy the lovely sights on the way to Billing, it is advisable to opt for the trek/walk instead of the easier option of car.
Our joy knew no bounds when we saw the campsite which was our place to shack up for the night. A line of five colourful tents greeted us as soon as we reached our destination. The tents were pitched right under the clear skies and on the steep slopes which looked down upon the lush green mountains. Each tent can comfortably accommodate two persons with their bags.
If you are lucky, it might even rain and make the weather quite chilly. We did get lucky. We had come with our stock of booze for the night that actually helped keep us warm. The same place which was hot in the afternoon suddenly became very chilly at night due to the rainfall. It, however, was a night to remember for many reasons.
It was after all a night out at a campsite in the Himalayas, lovely weather, and booze along with food cooked by the camp manager’s team. Most importantly, it was a night spent under the open skies with thousands of stars shining brightly. It seemed like every star was trying to outshine the other stars. Thankfully, we were one of the few people in Billing that night to admire that beautiful sight where the heavens seemed to be shining upon us. Never before had I ever seen so many stars shine so brightly all at once in the skies.
The next day was the day of reckoning for us. As we got up in the morning, we were greeted by the sight of horses grazing around the hills.
The sight of this gigantic range which spans thousands of kilometres across multiple countries can make one feel insignificant and small.
One look at these beautiful hills and snow-covered mountains makes us realise that ‘our world’ is just so small and there is so much more to explore.
The weather on that morning was just perfect and we got ready for the ride with assistance from the organisers and our fellow pilots. Our introduction to the activity was quite simple.
We walked up to the take-off point in Billing which was just five minutes from our campsite. The kits were already there and we were told that the instructions were very simple. The organisers told us, “You have to run as fast as you can and jump off the cliff. The faster your speed while running, the better your take off will be.” Very simple instructions indeed! Run down the cliff, jump off without a parachute and then hope that the glider opens up in time! That is certainly a perfect start to the day. But thankfully our fears were unfounded. The entire thrill ride lasts for around 20-25 minutes with the pilot, who sits right behind you, controlling everything including the manoeuvring, speed and height. The kits used for paragliding are tested and approved by competent authorities. The pilots too are skilled and well trained. Our job is to sit there, scream and feel like a bird.
At certain points, we were flying high above the mountains from where I was gazing down on the planes below a few minutes back. The first 10 minutes of the ride were quite scary as it took a while for the whole experience to sink in.
The next 15 minutes were spent admiring the beauty of the landscape from a bird’s eye view.
The landing spot for the activity too is a well-maintained site. The landing can be a bit tricky if not done as per the instructions of the pilot. However if you pay heed to his advice, a comfortable and smooth landing is easy to achieve.
Our joy knew no bounds as we landed one at a time within a span of 10 minutes. We were jumping like mad-hatters and pounced on each other as we completed our rides. Highly recommended for those who yearn for a high-flying experience.
Pranav Patel is a sustainability analyst and blogs at www.pranav84blog.wordpress.com