Hang Gliding in Interlaken

- Fly face down like a bird, side by side with your pilot - One of the highest commercial take-off sites in the world, right above Interlaken - Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau ahead, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz below - You pick the intensity: quiet and scenic, or dives and wingovers - Wheels-down landing in the middle of Interlaken, like a small plane - Free pickup from your accommodation or the train station

Stand on the Höhematte on a clear afternoon and count the paragliders. Now count the hang gliders. The sky over Interlaken is full of one and nearly empty of the other, which makes this the story almost nobody brings home. A paraglider seats you under a canopy. A hang glider lays you flat, face down, arms out, the way you fly in dreams. Pilots who have done both call this the closest a human gets to being a bird. Your part is small. The van collects you at your accommodation or the station and drives up to the launch site, one of the highest commercial take-offs in the world, right above town. Your pilot briefs you, you take 4 to 8 running steps down a grassy slope side by side, and the wing lifts you before the slope ends. No jump, no cliff edge, no free fall. In the air, the pilot flies what you ask for. Some passengers spend their 10 to 20 minutes gliding over Lake Thun and Lake Brienz with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau straight ahead. Others want stalls, dives and wingovers until their eyes water. Say the word and he'll hand you the control bar for a while. You land the way aircraft land, rolling on wheels onto a meadow in the middle of Interlaken. Bernie and his family have flown tandems here for more than 22 years, longer than any other hang gliding company in Switzerland. Every pilot holds a Swiss Hang Gliding Federation licence, and the gliders and custom-made harnesses are the most modern available. Door to door you're back within two hours. You'll spend the rest of the day looking up.

- Standard: CHF 260 per person, flight, gear and transfers included - Photo and video packages: optional extra, ask when you book - T-shirts and caps: extra - Gift certificates: available, if you'd rather watch someone else scream

- Tandem flight of 10 to 20 minutes, flown the way you ask for it - Pre-flight briefing - All flight gear, with a custom-made harness - Pilot licensed by the Swiss Hang Gliding Federation - Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation or the train station *Not Included : - Photo and video package (optional) - Personal accident insurance (recommended) - Tips for the pilot (optional)

- Shoes you can run a few steps in - A layer for the wind, you fly in the open air - Nerve, optional. The pilot has enough for two

- No experience needed, your pilot handles everything except 4 to 8 running steps - Ages 4 to 85 have flown here; under 16 needs a parent's consent - Nervous flyers welcome, ask for the smooth and scenic version - Weight limit around 95 kg (85 kg on snow), confirmed by the pilot on the day *Not suitable for: - Guests with a heart condition or severe vertigo, ask your doctor first - Anyone who can't manage a few running steps at take-off

- Season: all year round, every day - Departures: every 1 hour 45 minutes, from 7:30 to 18:00 - Duration: 10 to 20 minutes in the air, under 2 hours door to door - Allow up to 3 hours in case the wind makes you wait - Booking: two or three days ahead is enough, groups a few days more

- Ask to hold the control bar mid-flight. The pilots let passengers fly a bit, and almost nobody thinks to ask - A grey sky flies as well as a blue one. Don't cancel your day because the forecast looks dull - Say before take-off how wild you want it. They'd rather know than guess - Ask the pilots about their favourite manoeuvres. The names alone are worth it - Morning slots leave the whole day free for whatever comes next

Hang Gliding Interlaken is what happens when the founder never wanted to do anything else. Bernie, Birdman Bernie to his passengers, has flown tandems over this valley for more than 22 years, which makes his the longest running tandem hang gliding company in Switzerland. It stayed small and family-run. The crew goes by Eddie the Eagle, Anders the Albatross and Beau Billy Bob Buck, and each has a signature manoeuvre with a name like 'The Funky Mosquito' or 'The Spiral of no Return'. That tells you most of what you need to know about the mood up there. We partnered with them for one reason. In a town full of adventure companies, these are the specialists: one sport, 22 years of it, every pilot licensed by the Swiss Hang Gliding Federation. When we send you up, we know whose hands you're in.

*Do I need experience? No. You run 4 to 8 steps next to your pilot at take-off. He handles the rest. *How do we take off? After the briefing, you run down a grassy slope side by side until the wing lifts you. No jump, no cliff edge, no free fall. *How do we land? Like a small plane: rolling on wheels onto a meadow in the middle of Interlaken. *Can I steer? Ask, and the pilot will hand you the control bar for a while mid-flight. *Is it scary? That's your call. Tell the pilot before take-off whether you want smooth and scenic or full adrenaline, and that's the flight you'll get. *What if the weather turns? Few days in Interlaken are unflyable, and it doesn't need to be sunny. If the pilot grounds your slot for wind, rain or visibility, you pick a new time or get a full refund. *How far ahead should I book? Two or three days. Groups, a few days more. *Is there an age limit? Passengers from 4 to 85 have flown here. Under 16 needs a parent's consent. *Is there a weight limit? Around 95 kg, 85 kg in snowy conditions. The pilot confirms on the day, it depends on the wind.

- Our tours can be affected by weather conditions, however it is difficult to predict exactly how a trip will be impacted until the day of the activity - Please make sure we have good contact information for you so we can reach out if your trip is changed or cancelled due to poor conditions - If you have not heard from us, it means we are still planning to run your trip as scheduled, or we have not yet made a final decision based on the forecast - If we are not able to run your trip, we will try to accommodate you on another date, another activity, or we will issue you a full refund

- Cancellation requests must be made at least 48 hours before trip time to be eligible for a refund - In case of cancellation by the organizer due to weather or safety reasons, a full refund or rescheduling will be offered - For more details regarding our cancellation policy, please see our full Terms and Conditions