Tandem paragliding flight from the Figuerassa

What it involves

It is a tandem paragliding flight: you sit in front of a professional pilot, attached to the same canopy, and he is in control the whole time. You take off by running a few steps down the slope of the Sierra de la Figuerassa, above Berga, and glide for 25 to 30 minutes with the sanctuary of Queralt and the city below. It is common to see vultures flying nearby. You land in Avià, on the flat.

You don’t need experience or any special fitness: it is enough to be able to take a few strides at take-off and sit in the harness seat.

Who runs it

The flights are run by Xtrem.cat, based in Avià, which works with three take-off sites in the Berguedà depending on the wind and the type of flight:

• Figuerassa: €150, 25 to 30 minutes of flight on average. The classic, with Queralt and Berga in view.
• 1ª Maria: €100, 15 to 25 minutes. The easiest take-off, designed for a first flight; afternoon flights from spring to autumn.
• Rasos de Peguera: €165, 30 to 45 minutes. In good conditions it is about 1,400 m of descent. You get there after about a 20-minute walk up from the ski resort, some 20 km from Berga.

The price includes transport to take-off, a photo report with a short video and a souvenir.

Requirements

• Maximum weight: 85 kg.
• Minimum age: the website does not publish it; if you are going with a minor, ask when you book.
• Experience: none.

If you get travel sick easily, the company suggests taking an anti-sickness tablet half an hour beforehand.

When to fly

Flights run all year, but spring and autumn are the preferred seasons. In summer flights are usually in the late afternoon, near sunset, when the air is calmer. The flight always depends on the wind: if conditions are not good, the team may change the take-off site or the time, or postpone the flight. Keep your day flexible.

How much time to set aside

The flight lasts half an hour, but between the meeting, the transfer to take-off, preparation and the return from the landing site, the activity takes quite a bit longer: ask for the total duration when you book and don’t schedule another plan straight afterwards.

How to book

On the Xtrem.cat website, with a payment link for each take-off, or by phone or WhatsApp. Flights are in a group; if there are more than four of you, book in advance. They also sell gift boxes, on paper or digital. Confirm the meeting point when you book.

Combined packages

Xtrem.cat offers packages that combine the flight with other activities: a horse ride from Vilaformiu to the Figuerassa and a flight back to Avià, three to four hours; a 120 m bungee jump from the Llosa del Cavall dam with an acrobatic flight; or a night at Cal Majoral, in L’Espunyola, with a flight back to the hotel.

What to bring

A windbreaker or a coat, because it is colder up there and in the air; long trousers; trainers or hiking shoes, and sunglasses. The company provides the rest of the equipment. Leave on the ground anything that could fall out of your pockets.

Round out the day

From the air you will see the sanctuary: if you have time, go up afterwards to the Queralt viewpoints to see it from the ground, or stroll around the old town of Berga.