Powered Paragliding Flight over Costa Verde Lima

The Costa Verde Cliffs of Lima

The Costa Verde, or Green Coast, is the name for the long line of sea cliffs that runs along Lima's Pacific shore, from San Miguel in the north to Chorrillos in the south. The cliffs rise steeply above a coastal highway and pebble beaches, and for decades the steady sea breeze along them has made Lima one of the most reliable places in South America for paragliding.

Seeing the Costa Verde from the air is very different from walking the clifftops. From the paratrike you follow the curve of the coast, watch the lines of surf rolling in, and see how the city sits right on the edge of the cliffs, with parks and apartment towers at the top and surfers in the water below. It is the signature view of Lima and the main reason people search for paragliding in Lima.

San Miguel Flying Site

Your flight starts from a flying area on the beach in the San Miguel district, about 15 minutes north of Miraflores by car and next to the Costa Verde Pan American sports complex. Instead of jumping from the cliff, the paratrike takes off from a flat esplanade at beach level, which makes the start and the landing gentle and suitable for complete beginners.

On arrival you are weighed and briefed, fitted with a helmet and seated in the paratrike next to the pilot. The flight time is arranged with you after booking, since flights only go ahead in suitable wind and visibility. Allow around 45 minutes at the site in total. How to get to the flying site: a taxi or ride-hailing car from Miraflores or Barranco is the simplest option, and you can ask the driver to wait.

Magdalena, San Isidro and Miraflores from the Air

After take-off the pilot climbs along the cliffs over San Miguel and Magdalena del Mar, then heads south towards San Isidro and Miraflores. San Isidro is Lima's elegant business district, known for its old olive grove park, while Magdalena is one of the city's oldest coastal neighbourhoods. From the air you can trace the green parks along the top of the cliffs and the long beaches at their foot.

Miraflores is the highlight for many flyers. Its clifftop Malecón walkway, with the Love Park and the lighthouse, is the place where Lima's paragliding culture began, and seeing it from above shows why the district is the city's favourite meeting point of land and sea. On a clear day the view stretches along the coast towards the hills of Chorrillos and the headland of Morro Solar.

The Paratrike Flight Experience

A paratrike is a powered paraglider with a seat, a rear propeller engine and three wheels. The pilot steers the wing and controls the engine, so you can simply relax, hold on and enjoy the view. The flight lasts 10 to 12 minutes at heights between 80 and 300 metres, and the equipment is professional and well maintained.

Your whole flight is recorded and you receive the unedited full HD video by download link on WhatsApp, so you do not need to hold a camera. The best time to fly in Lima is the summer from December to April, when skies are clearest; in the cooler months the coastal mist can lower visibility and flights are scheduled around the best windows of the day. Wear a jacket, as it is cooler in the air.