Take to the Skies: Start Your Paragliding Journey
Paragliding is the purest, lightest form of ultralight aviation under the FAA’s Part 103 regulations. Guided by the US Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA), our pilot certifications are recognized worldwide—giving you the freedom to fly locally or across the globe.
Why Train with Wander Expeditions?
Since 2019, Wander Expeditions has trained and certified over 100 beginner and advanced pilots with an unblemished safety record.
Proven Experience: Led by instructors with 12+ years of continuous flight experience and thousands of skydives.
Safety & Judgement First: While all adventure sports carry inherent risk, our curriculum focuses on building sound pilot decision-making to keep you safe in the air.
Student for Life: Your training covers all four USHPA pilot levels through Advanced, (P1 - P4). Once you join us, you have lifetime access to instruction and mentorship.
Send us an email to get on the list for the next class!
What to Expect: Flight Requirements
Requirements: Ages 18 to 55, under 210 lbs (95kg), 5' (1.52m) to 6'4" (1.93m)
Physical Fitness & Hike-and-Fly
Paragliding in the Boise region revolves around "hike-and-fly." Most training sessions involve a 20-to-60-minute hike before takeoff. Fitness, age, and weight directly impact wing control and energy levels, making this a rewarding addition to any physical conditioning routine.
Mental Readiness
Learning to fly involves managing real-world environment stresses. Confidence builds over time, but perspective students taking medication for anxiety or related conditions should carefully consider how they manage high-stress situations before enrolling.
How Training Works
We use a step-by-step progression model combining ground theory with practical experience. We wrote our own training curriculum specifically to accommodate the progression learning model.
Kiting (Ground Handling): Learn wing control and wind dynamics on flat ground at local parks.
First Flights: Progress from small hill launches to high-altitude flights as your skills develop.
Tandem Instruction: Utilize tandem flights with your instructor to accelerate learning in real time.
Recreational Flying: Summer flying in Boise typically happens after 6:00 PM during smooth evening glass-offs, making it ideal for standard 9-to-5 schedules. Winter offers mild, forgiving conditions for new students.
Cost:
Note on Gear: You start training on school equipment to discover what flying style suits you best. You will purchase your primary gear package directly through the school before completing training so you fly equipment tuned to your skill level. Paragliding gear retains roughly 50% of its value over time. We do not accept students with existing gear for liability reasons. We want you on new gear, with rated safety and a known lineage of use. This is aviation and buying the least expensive airplane is NEVER the right idea! If cost is a limiting factor, reconsider flight sports in general - your life is dependent on the equipment you fly.
Join Our Flying Community
Graduating from Wander Expeditions connects you with a local network of over 40 active pilots around Boise and the Pacific Northwest. Together, we participate in mountain flying, ridge soaring, and desert towing, as well as regular international expeditions to Mexico, France, Spain, Nepal, and Italy.
Send us an email to get on the list for the next class!
