Seven places, from a 300-metre coastal hill to launches at more than two kilometres under the Greater Caucasus. Here is how they differ — and how to pick the one that fits your trip.
| Location | Altitude | In the air | Season | Getting there | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gudauri | 2,100–3,006 m | 5–50 min | year-round | 120 km from Tbilisi, ~2 h | from 349 GEL |
| Kazbegi | launch 1,900–2,000 m | 5–50 min | best in August | 35 km past Gudauri | from 349 GEL |
| Tbilisi | launch 709 m | 5–15 min | year-round | next to the city | on request |
| Ananuri | launch 1,700 m | 10–25 min | year-round | 70 km, ~1.5 h | on request |
| Bakuriani | launch 2,155 m | 10–25 min | year-round, winter peak | 180 km via Borjomi, ~2.5 h | on request |
| Mestia | launch 2,195 m | 7–50 min | June–October | ~7 h by car, or a short flight | on request |
| Batumi | 250–300 m | 5–15 min | May–October | ~4 h by train | on request |
Airtime depends on the package and the day's air. Gudauri and Kazbegi share one price list; the other locations are priced for your date because the launches are far from any village and the drive up by 4x4 is included.
Georgia is small, but its weather is split in two. The west takes the moisture off the Black Sea: a humid subtropical climate with 1,000–2,000 mm of rain a year, and around 2,500 mm in Batumi — the wettest place in the country. The east sits behind the mountains: a continental climate with roughly 500–800 mm. The Greater Caucasus along the north keeps out the coldest air.
For flying this matters more than any brochure season. One region can be under cloud while another has a perfect day, which is why we choose the site by the forecast and confirm it 24 hours ahead. Gudauri, on the watershed of the Greater Caucasus, flies on more days than anywhere else — it is where we bring guests whose weather did not work out elsewhere.
Three of our locations sit on one road. From Tbilisi it is 70 km to Ananuri, then up past Pasanauri to Gudauri (about 120 km), over the Jvari Pass at 2,379 m and down to Stepantsminda and Kazbegi. In winter the highway is closed at times by heavy snow and landslides; a bypass with a 9 km tunnel between Kvesheti and Kobi has been under construction since 2021.
Borjomi is about 165 km from Tbilisi; Bakuriani is 30 km further up. Mineral springs, the national park and a resort that works in every season — a good two-day loop.
Mestia is a trip in itself: about seven hours by road via Zugdidi, or a small plane from Natakhtari near Tbilisi. Batumi is about four hours from Tbilisi by the fast train. Plan at least two or three days in Svaneti so you can catch a weather window.
Everything above is about tandem flights — as a passenger, with no experience needed. Independent pilots come to Georgia for cross-country routes, and free flying needs a permit for each zone. We arrange it and lead the groups:
Gudauri. It has the steadiest air and several launch sites, so it flies on the most days, and around three quarters of all our flights go from there. If you only have half a day, fly near Tbilisi; for the gentlest air, Ananuri or Bakuriani.
In Mestia (the Extended package) and in Gudauri (XC Adventure): 35–50 minutes in the air, depending on the thermals.
Yes. Gudauri runs a separate winter programme from 5 December to 15 April, Bakuriani is at its best in the ski season, and Tbilisi and Ananuri fly all year. Mestia (June–October) and Batumi (May–October) are summer locations.
Their launches are far from any village with no cable car, so you go up in our 4x4s or on foot with an instructor, and we arrange the zone permit. All of that is included, so we price it for your date and group.
We guarantee the flight, not the valley. We pick the site by the forecast and confirm it 24 hours before. If the window opens elsewhere — most often in Gudauri — we tell you in advance, not at the launch.
Send us your dates and where you are staying — we will tell you which location fits the forecast and what the day will look like.
GEORGIA PARAGLIDING