Bir Billing

Bir sits at about 1,400 metres on a shelf below the Dhauladhar, and Billing, the launch, is fourteen kilometres up at around 2,400 metres, giving a height difference and a reliable thermal pattern that has made this the principal paragliding site in India and one of the recognised ones internationally; the Paragliding World Cup was held here in 2015. Tandem flights from Billing to the Bir landing ground run through the season, and cross-country pilots use the range for long flights. Bir also holds a Tibetan settlement founded in the 1960s with monasteries, and tea gardens run along the slopes below.

What you actually see

• The Billing launch - the take-off shelf at about 2,400 metres.
• The tandem flights - descents of roughly fourteen kilometres to Bir.
• The Tibetan colony - monasteries and a settlement founded in the 1960s.
• The tea slopes - Kangra tea gardens below the village.

When to go

March to June and September to November are the flying seasons; October and November are the most reliable. The monsoon stops flying entirely. Conditions can ground flights for days at any time.

Honest expectations

Flights are weather-dependent and cancellations are common. Operators vary widely in equipment and pilot experience, and there have been fatal accidents; checking credentials matters. Bir village itself is small.

Nearby

Baijnath temple lies south; Dharamshala is northwest.