What is it like to fly?

This question has been asked by people all over the world for generations. We look up into the sky with awe at the birds soaring above us, and we wonder how it feels to be up there looking down at the ground far below.

"House thermal" over the ridge behind Maya Devi.

 Paragliders have come the closest to finding out the answer to this age-old question. On a regular basis, paraglider pilots lift off from mountain-tops and soar and circle in thermals high above the earth. 

At the take-off.
A good day for flying.

Just run, then fly.

View of Phewa Tal from the glider.
Those are my knees. 

Views from the glider.
Looking back toward the take-off point.
The Annapurna range is just behind those clouds.

Coming in to land.
Maya Devi can be seen at the center of the photo.

Sign at the take-off.
Paragliders are quite aware of the birds they share the sky with.

With Parahawking, this is taken one step further. You are not only soaring in the air, sharing the same thermals as the birds, the masters of the air, but you are sharing the experience with a bird. 

The birds, two Egyptian vultures and a black kite, are trained to come in to the gloved hand on cue, and in the air. They follow along behind the glider and wait for their cue, a two-note whistle, then they come down to land briefly on the out-stretched arm – just long enough to eat a piece of food from the glove – and then they just open their wings to lift effortlessly off the glove and start soaring again.
 

Kevin in the taxi. Yes, a taxi.
How else would you get to the take-off site?

Bob waiting to take off.
A glider wing laid out on the ground, also ready to take off. 

Elli, a Parahawking pilot, with passenger, and Bob the vulture
following behind her glider a little bit to the left. 

Parahawking with Kevin and Elli.

I've been working with birds on a daily basis for a number of years now, but I've never come this close to to feeling like a bird myself. With parahawking, you are getting a glimpse into a bird’s life that has long been closed to us. You see how easy it looks for them to open their wings and glide off your hand. You see their feathers moving in the wind, and how the slightest movement of their wing or feathers will cause a change in direction or height.  You see their slight head movements as they focus on the different gliders or other birds in the air. You feel the minimal weight on your hand as they land. You see the ground from a bird's eye view.There is nothing to compare it to. You just have to come to Nepal, and try it for yourself!

Vulture Restaurant

The sign as you enter the vulture restaurant.
Jatayu is a demi-god in the Hindu religion who takes the form of a vulture.

A group of us visited the new vulture restaurant outside of Pokhara. Himalayan Raptor Rescue has been influential in getting a vulture restaurant established at this site, and has donated the funds to build the observation hide using funds raised from donations and from parahawking flights.

Here are some images from our visit.

Himalayan griffon vulture, the second largest vulture found in Nepal. 

Vulture feeding area.

Coming up to the observation building, built with funds donated
from Himalayan Raptor Rescue and parahawking flights. 

Entering the building.
The quote reads: "Let's preserve the vulture, the sweeper of the nature."

View from the observation hide-
Seti river and Annapurna mountain range.

Informational poster on the eight species of vultures found in Nepal.

Sunset as we walked out of the valley.