Billing Take-off Point
Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
Billing is the launch meadow for Bir's paragliding: a grassy shoulder at roughly 2,400 m, about 14 km and a slow 45-minute jeep climb north of Bir village. Pilots lay out their wings here and step off into the Kangra Valley, with the landing ground at Chowgan on Bir's southern edge, close to 1,000 m below. A standard tandem flight lasts around 15 to 30 minutes depending on conditions; experienced cross-country pilots use the same ridge for flights of several hours.
The flying season runs from mid-September through October, when thermals are most reliable, with some flying into November and a second window in spring. The site effectively closes through the monsoon. Bir-Billing hosted the Paragliding World Cup in 2015 — the first time the event was held in India — and is widely described as the country's paragliding capital.
You do not have to fly to come up. Billing is a rewarding half-day trip on its own for the view across the Dhauladhar range, and it is a popular spot for camping and stargazing.
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