The thought of it is pleasant for action sports enthusiasts; to paraglide off of Mount Everest. After all, it significantly reduces the time it takes to get down. Plus, you don’t have to wait days to find yourself with a hot cup of coffee, cozied up by the fire. However, is this even possible? Can you paraglide off Mount Everest?
You can paraglide off Mount Everest; however, you first need a permit from the Government of Nepal. You will need to apply for the permit and await the decision. Make sure you follow all parameters the government set within the permit; refusing to do so is illegal.
Below, I will share some helpful information about paragliding off Mount Everest. This adventure involves much more than just running off the cliff with a paraglide; read on to see what I’m talking about!
Has Anyone Ever Gone Paragliding off Mount Everest?
There have been only four people to date that have ever paraglided off of Mount Everest.
- Sunuwar and Sherpa: They won National Geographic Adventures of the Year in 2012. They battled the most dangerous conditions and rivers without sponsors or permits.
- Pierre Carter: The only to obtain a permit before he paraglided off Mount Everest.
- Jean-Marc Boivin: The very first person to ever paraglide off of Everest in 1988.
Is it Illegal to Paraglide from Mount Everest?
It is illegal to paraglide off Mount Everest without a permit. There are only several points on the mountain where it’s considered safe to paraglide.
However, if you have a permit from the Nepali government, it is legal to paraglide off Mount Everest. But, under no circumstances at the time of writing is anyone able to paraglide off the peak as it is too risky.
How Can You Get Permission to Paraglide Mount Everest?
To get permission to paraglide off Mount Everest, you need to contact the Nepali government, who will walk you through the process. Once you fill out your request, they will forward it to the minister, who will assess the situation.
If the minister does not think you are fit enough to do this or are not prepared, you will be denied. If you are approved, you will have conditions with your permit.
For example, after Pierre Carter was given the go-ahead, his conditions were that he could not paraglide any higher than 26,000 feet (8,000 meters).
How Long Does It Take to Paraglide from Mount Everest?
Paragliding from Mount Everest takes quite a while, as it is more than just strapping on your paragliding gear and going. You need to think about traveling to Nepal, climbing the world’s tallest mountain, and then gliding down.
Traveling to Nepal and climbing the mountain will take about 7 to 8 weeks. However, to paraglide down from South Col to Gorakshep it is about a 20 minute ride.
For Sunuwar and Sherpa, they paraglided from the peak to Namche Bazar, which took about 45 minutes to descend 16,400 feet.
How High Up Are You When Paragliding Off Mount Everest?
No one is legally able to take off from the peak of Everest. The highest someone had permission to glide from was 26,000 feet (8,000 meters).
The safest place to do this would be South Col. However, Sherpa and Sunuwar did take off from the peak, which is at 29,032 feet.
Where Do You Land When Paragliding Mount Everest?
There is no set place to land when paragliding from Mount Everest. So far, the best places to land have been Gorakshep and Namche Bazar.
Before anyone paraglides off of Everest, they need to check whether from their jumping point, through their gliding point, or at their landing point.
Once they have this figured out and the wind gusts and know their starting point, they can calculate the best landing spot.
Is Paragliding Mount Everest Dangerous?
Paragliding Mount Everest is extremely dangerous and should only be undertaken by professional mountaineers who know how to paraglide.
Paragliding has a few risks, even though it’s relatively safe. Most of the accidents are due to safety neglect. Some of the dangers that come with paragliding include the following:
- Collisions
- Equipment failure
- Falling
- Errors during takeoff and landing
- Glider deflation
- Oversteering
- Bad weather accidents
Many different things can happen during paragliding, and although these occurrences are rare, the risk increases when you do it off a mountain.
These accidents can cause various injuries, including spine, back, leg, and pelvic injuries. Having these injuries is a cause for an emergency; however, this turns into a fatal situation when you are in the middle of a mountain where you may not be able to get help.
But something even more dangerous than this is climbing the mountain itself, and that’s where the real danger lies.
Read my related article: How Old Do You Have to Be to Paraglide?
What Are The Dangers Of Climbing Mount Everest?
Paragliding off Mount Everest is less risky than climbing Mount Everest. The real danger is within the climb. Below are a few of the risks you can expect to come across:
Abrupt Weather Changes
On Everest, the weather can and usually does change quickly, making the climb much more challenging.
One hour could be lovely, sunny, and calm, and you could find yourself in the middle of a horrible snowstorm in just a few short hours.
Hidden Crevasses
Most crevasses are hidden; if a climber is not careful and needs the right equipment, they will fall through.
Once someone has fallen into a crevasse, rescuing them is nearly impossible unless their exact location is known. Even then, rescues on Mount Everest are sometimes impossible due to weather or the person’s location inside the crevasse.
Falls
Falls are one of the biggest concerns when climbing any mountain, let alone Mount Everest. Just one small wrong step and lead someone to fall to their death. Even if they survive the fall, they will most likely die being exposed to the elements and unable to move.
Altitude Sickness
One of the most challenging parts of climbing Everest is altitude sickness. Most climbers need oxygen to continue to the peak since the air pressure and oxygen availability continue to lessen the higher you go.
One common form of altitude sickness is HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), in which fluid leaks into your brain from your blood vessels. Your brain will not function the correct way, and it will eventually lead to a coma.
Therefore, on your way up Everest, there are base camps where you will need to stop and acclimate to the altitude as you climb.
Oxygen Deprivation
Because of the altitude, your brain can suffer from oxygen deprivation if you try to do this without using supplemental oxygen. This will impede your logical and physical abilities, which is deadly when in the middle of a mountain. Over time, this can and will lead to brain damage.
Frigid Temperatures
The higher you climb, the colder you get. The temperature at the summit is around 57 degrees less than sea level. And, if you get caught in a storm, it’s much worse. Night-time temperatures can be deadly for anyone who is not prepared.
Overconfidence
An expedition to Mount Everest is not easy, and even the best climbers have died trying to summit it. You may be in for a rude awakening if you are unrealistic about your capabilities.
Knowing your physical limitations and when to stop climbing is essential. If you overdo yourself in the first half, you most likely will injure yourself in the second, and overconfidence can kill you on Everest.
Other People
Believe it or not, other climbers can be a danger to you, especially at the bottom of Hillary Step. At this point, only one climber can go at a time, and it’s freezing, and the line can be extremely long.
If a climber moves wrong or falls, all the climbers are affected by this. Others can get knocked down, injured, or even killed due to another person’s mistake.
Climate Change Affects Mount Everest
One thing that people tend to overlook is climate change. The ice on this mountain is very unstable and causes people to fall through the ice blocks on the glacier.
In fact, due to climate change, the glaciers on Mount Everest are expected to shrink by 70% during this century, making an Everest expedition extremely risky.
Final Thoughts
Paragliding off Everest is possible; however, it is no easy adventure. Those who are professional mountaineers, physically and mentally fit and know how to hang glide should be the only ones to attempt this stunt.
However, all people wishing to paraglide off Mount Everest first need to seek a permit from the Nepali Government.
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!