I love it when people say there isn’t anything to do in Kuwait because it just makes me want to work harder trying to prove them wrong. This weekend I went paragliding in Kuwait and it’s just another one of many activities you can now add to your to do list.
Last week I called the Kuwait Aviation Club and booked a paragliding appointment for Friday afternoon. The meetup point was also the takeoff point and that was past Khiran City near exit 285 [Map]. Once I arrived I met with Sultan Alanizi who is the only certified paragliding instructor in Kuwait and the guy who would be piloting our flight. Since the wind was a bit strong we had to hang out a bit and wait for it to slow down. While waiting, two other paragliders joined us as well. Turns out it’s sort of a club and they usually go flying together whenever they can. After around 30 minutes of waiting the wind had slowed down and we were ready to take off.
[YouTube]
The setup is a sort of an open cage buggy with a large engine and fan connected at the back. The buggy has two seats, the one in the front is for the pilot while the one in the back is for the passenger. After doing some safety checks, I was asked to put on my helmet and strapped myself into the chair. A few moments later we took off.
[YouTube]
Right after take of we started gaining a lot of altitude very quickly and we ended up going pretty high up. It was close to sunset and it was also low tide so I ended up taking a lot of beautiful shots from the sky. We flew towards Khiran City and circled it a few times while changing altitude every now and then. It was very cool although it kinda became repetitive after circling the third time. Finally after 30 minutes we headed back to our original take off spot and landed.
If you’re interested in paragliding you can do so by calling Sultan on 66515855. The cost is KD30 for 30 minutes and you need to hurry up because once the weather gets warmer they stop flying.
33 replies on “Powered Paragliding in Kuwait”
Is it legal? Any approval required from any ministry?
When they fly in the city they get a permit but in the desert I don’t think they need any
A friend of mine died on one of these years ago in Kuwait. We heard at that time that these paragliders are not suitable for Kuwait because of type of climate here (wind?). I’m not speaking as someone who knows because it may have been a completely different type of glider, but it looks similar to the one he was flying.
The ones Mark was riding (I think) had a big backup safety parachute.
yes there was a backup parachute
Not to be a damper on what looks like a good time….but…
Several months before he died, my friend plummeted out of the sky and landed in the water next to our boat off of Kubbar. He was strapped in and was having a hard time getting out in the water. A bunch of guys ran over to help him. He had a parachute but I don’t think he deployed it in time (maybe too low? or maybe it was the wind?).
I’m just too chicken to get on one of those things. Safety isn’t really regulated/enforced, so it is a tuff call.
The photos/videos look amazing by the way.
Sounds like he was possible kite surfing or paragliding but being pulled by a boat? I don’t think these powered paragliding vehicles can fly out that far to kubbar….
I was going to go for this but not anymore.
Too dangerous to consider it a weekend activity..
thanks mark .. i was searching for the number.. 😛
what if the paraglider comes in the flight path of some landing aircraft ??
There is no airport in Khiran nor do passing planes fly this low so that’s not really something to be concerned about
Looks dangerous to me, but if the backup parachute works properly and deploys automatically when there is trouble, I guess it’s OK. I mean imagine if the pilot faints or has a heart attack up there. Scary.
All extreme sports are dangerous that’s why they’re extreme.
I see lots of Drama here.. something definitely will do soon
thanks for the post. 🙂
What’s the minimum age required ?
Looks scary awesome… not sure if my family would like me trying it
Isn’t this the same type of craft that crash landed a few weeks back? The headline was “plane crashes” or something similar.
MARK you could have taken video of the machine itself showing its details
but i still feel , safety standards are not all followed
Mark, in the first video, is the guy in front of you the instructor? …. He’s wearing crocs!
Does he has any other number ??? Where I can contact, his mobile is switched off and I was suppose to meet him today :'(
Dear Mark,
Is paragliding open for the public and all nationalities. Can you specify whom to contact and where to go to do paragliding and/or microlights.
I posted about it, u can check my post here mark248am1.wpenginepowered.com/mark/kuwait/powered-paragliding-in-kuwait/
Paragliding is fun. I did it last time when I went to Ukraine with the beautiful landscape and the amazing mountains near us it was amazing!
Mark I want to do this next weekend, do you have an email or can you only reach them by phone?
we are interested to have a session THIS afternoon for 2 persons. we are calling the number displayed but there is no answer. please contact us using this number “65000936” THank you !
I spoke to the Kuwait powered paragliding club 2 weeks ago in the Avenues, however, I cannot find a contact number – I tried 66515855 but no answer – what is the contact number please ?
Where is this place, are there any age restictions and will there be a instructor
I have just moved to Kuwait and am looking for the chief pilot in Kuwait, as I want to fly. I have in excess of 1000 hrs PPG and PG but no kit at the moment. Anyone have a number I can call
Mark did you ever have any luck in getting contact with anyone ?
I’ve just started PPG training myself and work here . If you know of any info please let me know .
Not since the post
Wow pretty late to this, but it would be great if you could update on this if you ever had the opportunity to train? I’m moving to kuwait soon and I’m looking to fly and train PPG there.
Hi Dimo,
I’m a PPG pilot and work in Kuwait on a rotational basis. Unfortunately, Kuwait is not a great place to train or fly due to its harsh climate. The extreme heat, frequent dust storms, and unpredictable wind conditions—especially sudden gusts and dust devils—make it a risky environment for paramotoring.
Additionally, as far as I know, the sport is banned here, and there are strict regulations against paragliding and similar aerial activities. There have even been reports of legal consequences for those caught flying. You can read more about it in this article: [Arab Times – 3 Years Jail for Paragliders](https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/3-years-jail-for-paragliders/).
If you’re looking for good flying spots, you’d be much better off in a location with more stable weather conditions and fewer legal restrictions.
Safe flying! – Check my UK Channel https://www.youtube.com/@RichardHartshorneParamotor