This page contains an article describing a two month adventure exploring paragliding sites across the andes of peru.
It was first published in Paraglider Magazine, 2002.
1:10 am May 16, 2002. Jorge Chavez Airport, Lima Peru. Again in South America, my sixth trip to Peru. For my wife Ursula, this trip is to visit her family for the first time since our marriage two years ago. For me, it is an excuse to complete another paragliding adventure exploring the many flying sites along the length of the Andes.
Peru has changed a lot in the twenty-one years I've been visiting, but more has remained the same. The wild landscapes, thin mountain air, wholesome simple meals, exotic fruits and friendly people still call me back. While the few known tourist spots have been overrun, almost all of the Central Andes have been left untouched.
When I discovered paragliding, my vision of reality and view of the world fundamentally changed. A deep appreciation for so much of Peru grew to include the vast flying potential. After three visits with my wing, I know that Peru is a fantastic paragliding destination. 
David Wieder, a Prescott College outdoor education student originally from New Mexico, arrived in Lima, paraglider on his back. David was the first and best unexpected find on this trip. We toured as three for almost two months, searching high mountain valleys and coastal sand dunes for flying sites, some well known, some never flown.
Ursula chooses to fly only tandem, as a passenger. We didn't bring the tandem wing, but she did great at staying motivated to keep on the move. With her native Spanish, she dealt with endless details and logistics. When we landed her fluency opened social doorways for everyone, Peruanos y Gringos tambien. (Locals and tourists too).
Costa Verde, Lima Peru
After a few days of flying the smooth coastal air over Lima, we headed for the dynamic lift in the high ranges surrounding Huaraz. A comfortable overnight bus ride took us over a fifteen thousand foot pass before dropping into the Callejon De Huaylas (Santa Cruz Valley) between the Cordilleras (mountain ranges) Negra and Blanca. Though Huaraz is at ten thousand feet, the ranges on either side rise an additional ten to twelve thousand feet. Huascaron, Peru's highest peak at 22,334 feet (6768 meters) is just part of the view from town. I had flown in the Blanca before during the wet season, the Southern Hemisphere's summer. I was interested to see what conditions would be like during some of the Blanca's famous spells of clear winter weather. Unfortunately, we arrived early while the good weather came late.
I dreamt of flying over familiar peaks climbed on past trips, imagining the possibilities of top landing, vol bivouac (skycamping) on the snowy summits, 6,000 meters in the sky. These dreams still wait. We flew four different sites, three high altitude, (around fifteen thousand feet), and all with easy motor access. The strong valley winds blew almost every afternoon, forcing us to fly and land early. The views and experience flying around magnificent peaks like the Huascaron massif and the Huandoy group made the flights. Big flying adventures in the Blanca lie in the future.
Even getting snowed on and accidentally spending a night on the Amazon side of the Cordillera Blanca, the adventure and joy of hanging out in the high peaks was very fulfilling. David, a mellow and considerate travel and fly partner, was particularly polite while bored with old stories of earlier adventures climbing in the Blanca.
Ursula returned from Lima with her parents. She'd had success replacing several lines on a glider, then shipped it back to Huaraz all in under twenty four hours. Five of us traveled over the range again, staying in Chavin, a village with river-side hot springs and Pre-Inca ruins. Deep in the mountains, we scoped many possibilities, but found no perfect sites we had to fly.
Pan De Azucar, above Yunguy Peru 
As with much of the world, the price to play has risen. Peru used to be so cheap that even doubled, the cost of food, shelter, and transportation is still a killer deal. With inflation in the thousands of percent, successive governments were forced to create then replace several currencies over the last decades. The Sol (Sun in Spanish) changed to Inti, (Sun in Quechua, the original, native language of the Incas), then to the current Nuevo Sol. (New Sun). For years, Peru's economy, like many developing countries, was plagued by massive foreign debt. The industrial, growth based economics of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank has kept it cheap to visit, even with Peru's good standard to living. The comparatively strong dollar means even poor Americans are relatively affluent.
Like cities everywhere, Lima is many times more expensive than the country. The bargain for lunch or dinner is called menu, which includes soup, entre and drink for around a dollar. Hotels and hostels, called pensions start at $2.00 for dirty infested rooms. A single or double room with or without attached bath range from $5.00 to $10.00. The price reflects how clean a room is. It's worth climbing the stairs to look at any prospects before signing the guest book. Large cities have options up to very expensive and luxurious five star hotels.
Mina Santa Toribio, above Huaraz Peru, and Hongas above Jangas Peru.
Feeling the need to start visiting some new country, we took a daylong bus ride over another fifteen thousand foot pass, through the Cordillera Negra. Back on the coast, we were shut down by strong winds early in the day, and cloudy overdeveloping weather. In Lima, we found the typical winter weather of gray overcast hadn't set in, probably as a result of El Nino currents off the Pacific coast. We flew the over the breaking surf for several days. In moderately good conditions it is possible to ride the laminar breeze over sea cliffs and high-rise buildings. Lima is a modern city, with ATMs spread throughout. Most medium sized towns also have cash machines, which take Visa, MasterCard and many others. Conveniently, they dispense both dollars and Soles, but beware the charge some banks add per transaction.
The consistent conditions of Lima allow for a reliable amount of airtime, but bigger adventures await those who travel into the high mountain valleys. We boarded a bus, this time headed for the Rio Mantaro valley surrounding the city of Huancayo. The bus took us over Ticlio Pass, topping sixteen thousand feet. (4876 meters). After a quick visit to relatives in Huancayo, we headed for the much more tranquil and traditional town of Chupaka, where we found a nice hotel. The next morning we were off early, with vague details of Chupuro, said to be the best site in Peru. For this reason the annual Peruvian paragliding competition is held here. The small pueblo at the foot of the hill gives its full support and enthusiasm to the sport.
Quebrada Ulta below Punto Olympico, and over Pan De Azucar Landing Zone
The consistent conditions of Lima allow for a reliable amount of airtime, but bigger adventures await those who travel into the high mountain valleys. We boarded a bus, this time headed for the Rio Mantaro valley surrounding the city of Huancayo. The bus took us over Ticlio Pass, topping sixteen thousand feet. (4876 meters). After a quick visit to relatives in Huancayo, we headed for the much more tranquil and traditional town of Chupaka, where we found a nice hotel. The next morning we were off early, with vague details of Chupuro, said to be the best site in Peru. For this reason the annual Peruvian paragliding competition is held here. The small pueblo at the foot of the hill gives its full support and enthusiasm to the sport.
David over Huaycha in glassoff
After talking with several locals, we determined approximately where launch was. We hired a taxi driver who claimed to know its location. He wasn't exactly honest with us, so we had to determine ourselves the best launch on the grassy hillside. Launch was more flat than optimal, and cycles generally a little light. We almost always reversed, and if we sunk out to the fields below, we still had hour long flights, working light thermals.
First flight above Chupuro I climbed to cloudbase at sixteen thousand feet and made it half way back to Huancayo. There is great potential for long XC North along mountains bordering the valley. And of course, wherever you land, it's Peru.
Chupuro above Huancayo
Despite the world-class flying, few pilots visit and there is only one local. Jorge was extremely gracious, an enthusiastic pilot, he quickly became a good friend. He also showed us the best night of live music on the trip, and Huancayo's most popular discothèque. The next morning we nursed hangovers, exploring Chappaqua's Sunday market.
We enjoyed our only night of alcoholic excess. None of the local beers stand out; all are medium light and usually come in big bomber size. If you drink with the locals, you may share a glass, which is refilled as it makes the rounds, to toasts of Salud. (Cheers). Some of the unlabeled bottles of fire water burn like they could blind you, and in the country, this is actually possible. Unfortunately, local wines are not much better. Excellent Chilean labels cost less in the U.S., and a tenth as much in Chile or Bolivia. On the other hand, the national drink, Pisco Sour, is delicious and exotic with Pisco, whipped egg white and sugar.
flying around Huancayo
Be sure to check out some of the wide variety of fruit. Pacay, Chirimoya and higo are all examples we don't see in the U.S. Juguerias (juice stands) have selections from carrot juice to especial, made with banana, papaya, milk and raw egg. To avoid stomach problems ask that juice be made sin agua (without water). My favorite juice is banana and papaya with milk. A Mercado (market) is a good place to look for jugo, (juice), a cheap menu, awesome cultural flavor, sights and smells. It's worth planning an itinerary around a regional Sunday market, and most good-sized towns host one.
Jorge also took us to the evening glass off site, La Huaycha, as consistent as Chupuro, and a quick forty five minute drive away. We watched sunsets peacefully boating thousands of feet over the city of Concepcion, surprised by the abundant lift which allowed us to glide far out into the valley. After XC flights from Chupuro, there was time to reach La Huaycha for perfect launch conditions at a perfect launch site.
We could happily have spent the rest of our trip here. Instead, we answered the call of adventure, the unknown, and many new sites. We packed up, said a warm farewell to our friends, and boarded a bus for Ayacucho. Throughout the 1990's the Ayacucho area was terrorized by the Maoist insurgency group the Shining Path, or Sendero Luminoso. For more than ten years, travel to this area was dangerous, particularly for tourists. Fortunately that chapter in Peru's history is written. We found the city friendly and ready to move on to better times.
The site near Ayacucho, is a mountain above the famous Quinua battlefield, where Simon Bolivar won one of his most important battles for independence from Spain. The mountain is named for the condors which fed on the dead after the bloody battle. The battlefield serves as the huge, flat, grassy landing zone. Hired horses struggled with our paragliders up the steep rocky trail. The grassy summit slopes provided a perfect launch, but very light lift only allowed an extended sled ride for our efforts. Instead of spending more time exploring the potential sites on the high altiplano (an uplifted region sitting above fourteen thousand feet) around Ayacucho, we headed for better known sites another day further South.
Campesina with manta in Andahuaylas' huge Sunday open market
Andahuaylas is a beautiful city. The Sunday market is huge and colorful. The surrounding villages and hills are especially picturesque. We arrived with information on three different sites within reach of the city. Alfonso, a taxi driver who had worked with visiting pilots knew the launches and landing zones in the area. The first day, thanks to our taxi guide, we succeeded in flying all three sites.
The nearby Cerro San Jose offers thermal mountain flying, but the alleged bailout LZ lies in a ravine, is dangerous and definitely to be avoided. By committing to the first thermal off launch, I climbed out, circled to cloudbase and easily made the recommended soccer field in Andahuaylas. Alfonso told us of one flight from the Cerro that took Cuzco pilot, Franz Shilter, seventy kilometers back into the mountains.
All photos this section flying near Andahuaylas, mostly Sondor site.
The patchwork fields above Laguna Pacucha rise on the opposite side of the valley. Beautiful flights here end four thousand feet below at the stadium in San Jeronimo, the next town up valley.
A short drive around Laguna Pacucha took us to Sondor, the third new site of the day. In the ridge-top ruins of Sondor we discovered a classic Lost Incan Puerta al Cielo (portal to the sky). This place stole our hearts. We flew Sondor exclusively for the next week, never returning to Cerro San Jose or Pacucha. David thought Sondor more sublime than any site he knew, including those in Nepal and Bali. For me, comparisons are impossible. Each place radiates it's own unique magic, experienced by pilots in their own place in time. Still, there is something about Sondor. The hours and days passed quickly in the air. Too soon it was time to move on.
It was also time for us to say goodbye to our academic friend David, who was headed to a Spanish language course in Cuzco. The famous Sacred Valley site above the Rio Urubamba is forty-five minutes from Cuzco. Several years earlier, during the rainy season, I made several XC flights from the Sacred Valley. It was the biggest air I've ever flown. I hoped to return and check out the dry season, but a transportation strike was called to protest President Toledo's policy to privatize the state-run utilities. A quick stop in Cuzco wasn't possible. Instead Ursula and I found and flew several of the countless Atacama desert coastal sites. We ranged as far South as Arica and Iquique, in Chile.
From Chile we crossed the Andes to Bolivia. The altiplano, the six thousand meter snow covered volcanoes, the azure lakes complete with flamingos all exceeded my expectations. In Bolivia I kept to the ground, with Ursula. We completed a classic Inca Road (camino del Inca) trek, crossing a high pass in blizzard, and eventually descending to the jungle. After this adventure, the twenty-six hour ride from La Paz to Lima was painless.
Again the breeze blew strong enough to soar Lima's coast. On a North day I talked some locals into trying a site in Barranco, a more dangerous older part of the city. Both flight and neighborhood passed without trouble. (But both should be rated advanced).
Coastal flying near Chincha south of Lima
Though near the end of our time in Peru, the wild adventure of free flight continued. In-laws in tow, we drove South to the inland site, Lunahuana. After a couple hours in the air, I landed for lunch. I then drove the family to the coast for another dune flight. My Mother-In-Law saw paragliding for the first time here, watching my high wind launch, a slow motion moonwalk off a thousand foot cliff. She thought paragliding is crazy, but witnessing this sunset flight enlightened her. As she contemplated the magic of free flight, I realized what an incredible place Peru is for flying. With the Andes so close to the coast, the topography cries out to be flown, brake toggles in hand and a smile on your face. 
By the end of the trip I had flown twenty-one different sites, a handful on the coast in Chile, the majority in Peru, most of those in high mountain valleys across the Andes. After months of new sites and drinking countless pisco sours I mean meeting countless new friends I can't wait to return and touch the Andes again, my excuse this spring will be guiding a group of pilots to the beautiful flying in Peru.
Jeff Cristol, a T3 pilot in Telluride Colorado has been flying sites all over the world for the last seven years. He's currently working as the climbing and paragliding program director at an eco adventure resort in Sri Lanka. For more information about tours to Peru, contact him at cristol8750@hotmail.com .
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