How to Get Your Paragliding Licence in South Africa – Sky Safari's 12-Day Training Course

If you’ve ever watched a paraglider soar above Cape Town’s Signal Hill or glide along the cliffs of the Garden Route and thought — I want to do that — this post is for you. Sky Safari Paragliding offers one of the most complete paragliding licence courses in South Africa, and in this guide we’ll walk you through exactly what’s involved, what you’ll learn, and what you’ll take home.

What Licence Will You Earn?

Upon completing the course you’ll receive your IPPI 4 paragliding licence — certified by SAHPA (South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) and internationally recognised. This is the standard licence required to fly independently at sites across South Africa and abroad. It opens the door to solo flying, joining flying clubs, and eventually progressing to cross-country and mountain flying.

The 12-Day Paragliding Training Tour

Sky Safari’s course is unique because it’s not just a course — it’s a fully guided 12-day tour across two of South Africa’s most spectacular flying regions. You’ll start on the Garden Route and finish in Cape Town, flying a different world-class site almost every day.

The tour starts in Wilderness, the heart of South African paragliding, where you’ll spend 5 to 8 days flying depending on weather conditions. From there, you head to the Cape Town region where you’ll experience inland thermals and stunning coastal cliffs.

Where You’ll Fly

Garden Route sites include Map of Africa, Kleinkrantz, Sedgefield, and Paradise Ridge. In the Cape Town region you’ll fly Sir Lowry’s Pass, Porterville, Langebaan, Hermanus, Betty’s Bay, and Piketberg. The best site is selected each morning based on live wind and weather conditions — ensuring you get the safest and most rewarding flights possible every day.

What’s Included in the Course?

The fully inclusive package covers everything from the moment you land at Cape Town International to the moment you leave — with a brand-new paragliding kit in your bag. Here’s what’s included:

• IPPI 4 paragliding licence (SAHPA-certified, internationally recognised)

• 35+ flights — a mix of solo supervised flights and tandem instructional flights

• Brand-new Sky Paragliders kit: Sky Gaia 3 paraglider, GII5 harness, Sky System reserve parachute, and Charlie helmet

• 11+ nights of accommodation throughout the tour

• Airport pick-up and all transport between flying sites

• Site fees and official licence registration

• Breakfasts daily + 6 dinners

• In-flight coaching via two-way radio on every flight

• Daily site selection based on live weather and flying conditions

Worth noting: the equipment kit alone retails for around R105,000 — which means the fully inclusive package at R120,000 essentially gives you the entire guided tour and course for a fraction of the cost.

What Will You Learn?

The course covers every aspect of becoming a safe, confident, and licensed paraglider pilot. You’ll start with ground handling and equipment familiarisation, progress to supervised solo flights with radio support, and complete tandem flights with your instructor to build technique.

You’ll also attend a 4-hour theory class covering weather and thermals, flight principles, air law, and pilot decision-making. The practical training includes:

• Equipment and gear — wings, harnesses, reserve parachutes, instruments, and how to care for your kit

• Weather and site selection — reading forecasts, understanding thermals, choosing the right day to fly

• Take-off preparation — glider layout, topography assessment, and choosing the best launch spot

• Flight planning — route planning, identifying landing options, adapting to changing conditions

• Landing techniques — approach angles, glide ratios, wind indicators, and safe landing area selection

• Mountain safety — emergency procedures, risk minimisation, and flying etiquette

Licence Requirements — What You Need to Achieve

To qualify for your IPPI 4 licence, you’ll need to complete 35 or more flights including at least 20 flights above 100 metres, log 4 or more hours of total airtime, demonstrate solid take-offs, turns, landings, and canopy control, perform basic manoeuvres including S-turns, 360-degree turns, and big ears, and pass a written theory exam. All of these requirements are met within the 12-day course under Handré’s guidance.

Your Instructor — Handré Fouché

The course is guided entirely by Handré Fouché, Sky Safari’s Chief Instructor. Handré is a SAHPA-certified paragliding instructor with over 9,000 flights to his name and years of experience as both a teacher and a tour guide. He knows every flying site on the route intimately and selects each day’s location based on real-time conditions — your safety and progression are always the priority.

Course Pricing

Sky Safari offers four course packages to suit different budgets and goals:

• 4-Day Intro to Paragliding: R16,000 (accommodation and meals included)

• Full Licence Course with school equipment: R28,000

• Licence + your own brand-new equipment: R100,000

• Fully inclusive Training Tour (equipment + accommodation + transport + meals): R120,000 / €6,200

Sky Safari is an official dealer for Sky Paragliders, so your kit is made to order in your preferred size and colour. Please book at least 8 weeks in advance to allow time for manufacturing.

2026 Course Dates

Training Tours (12–14 days) are scheduled for 13–26 September 2026 and 4–17 October 2026, with 5 spaces available per tour. The 4-Day Intro and Full Licence courses run throughout February to April and August to November, subject to weather and instructor availability. Contact us to arrange dates that suit your schedule.

Is This Course Right for You?

This course is ideal for complete beginners with no flying experience, adventure travellers who want to return home with an internationally recognised licence, and anyone looking for an all-inclusive package that combines professional training with a guided tour through some of South Africa’s most beautiful landscapes. No prior flying experience is required — if you can walk, you can paraglide.

Ready to Take the Leap?

Spaces on the 2026 courses are limited. To book your spot or receive the full training tour information pack, send Sky Safari a WhatsApp message on +27 72 252 1678 or email fly@skysafari.co.za. You can also visit the training page on the Sky Safari website for full course details.