Location : Billing, Bir Village, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh
Best time for Gliding : March to May before the monsoon & September to November
Suitable for : TTB and 'cross country' flights
Facilities : Tandem Flights (accompanied Flights) or Joy rides available

Sheltered by the mountains and surrounded by tea gardens, Bir a small village with a Tibetan Colony and monasteries in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh; serves as a landing ground and a base for Hang and Para gliders. Their launching (take-off) destination 'Billing', is a little meadow at 2,400m (8500 ft) on the Dhauladhar ranges, 14-km up from Bir. This meadow one of the wonders of nature, perfectly designed as a launch pad, has become a legend on the international paragliding circuits and a destination for World Champion Paraglider pilots. The meadow directly above the villages of Bir and Chaugan, is one of the best gliding sites in the world.

The massive Dhauladar mountain range and the Kangra valley below with its panoramic views offer opportunities for high altitude 'up and down' and 'cross-country' flying for more than 200-km. The Dhauladar range runs from Dalhousie in the North West of the state, in a curving arc south-east to Mandi. Billing lies roughly midway between Dharamsala and Mandi and to the south west of Manali and Kulu valley.

From Billing, the range runs all the way to Dharamsala, separating theKangra valley from Champa. To the north of the meadow is the high peaks and to the south the plains. The fall from the meadow is about one kilometre and an average straight TTB ( top to bottom) flight to the Chaughan landing area lasts for about 25-30 minutes. If the conditions (like weather, wind speed and direction, cloud base of 4000-5000m etc) are right, one can make a 'Cross Country' distance flight from Billing to Manali or Billing to Dharamsala (90km). The flying is generally 'ridge-hopping' ie. getting lift from the ridges or cliff edges running down from the main spine of the range. 'Ridge lifts' caused by wind hitting a hillside and 'Thermals' (columns of hot air) are used by the glider to rise higher. Thermalling is an essential skill for flying in Billing. In Billing, thermals are found on a regular basis over a temple hence called the 'Thermal Devta', halfway down the eastern spur running down to Bir. The temple can be identified from the air by a red ribbon tied to a tree top. In the Billing - Dharamsala flight route there are 15 or so ridges. You can have the company of the Huge Himalayan Griffin Vultures during flight. Billing is also easily top- landable.

Billing is renowned the world over for having the distinction of organizing the very first Paragliding competition according to the rules of Federation Aeronautique International. The Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Himachal Pradesh will be organising the 'Para Gliding Pre world Cup' at Billing- Bir in the month of October 2003. It is also 'the place' for Hang gliding and Para Sailing. Every May, an annual Himalayan Hang Gliding Rally is organised at Billing. Aero sports club at Bir and Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department ( Phone: 91-177-223959, E-mail: Contact Us ) gives assistance.

Clothing
It is advisable to bring warm flight clothing, wind proof jackets, winter flight suits, rough trousers, ankle support shoes since the weather tends to be chilly when one is air borne. Thick gloves/socks are also recommended.

Accommodation
Basic accommodation is available at Bir and Chaughan Tibetan colony. The facilities are limited so its better to make arrangements in advance especially during season. There is an Aero sports complex with a hostel at Bir.

There is the Bir guest house with just basic amenities charged at around Rs 100/room. Then there is the Forest rest House in Upper Bir which is a charming colonial bungalow with 5 spacious rooms having attached baths & a beautiful garden. Rs 300/day for Indians and Rs 1000/day for foreigners. Advance booking should be made with the District Forestry Officer (DFO) in Palampur. There is no facility for food and you can arrange with the caretaker or some chai stalls to make basic food for you.

In the Chaughan Tibetan colony, Shakya guest house which is a guest house of the monasteries has basic amenities with shared bathrooms and no hot water. A basic room is about Rs70 double or Rs50 for single occupancy. Paldin's Guesthouse has solar heating, hot running water and reasonable rooms in the range of Rs 100-200.

Taragarh Palace Hotel just 8km from Baijnath, a luxurious palace hotel of the Welcomgroup. Rooms range from Rs 1100 to around Rs 2,500 per day. Ph: 01894- 242034. Baijanth is famous for its ancient 804 AD temple of Lord Shiva.

At Billing there is only a tea (chai) shop. Fiberglass tents and tented accommodation can be arranged through Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.

How to Get There
Billing is 14Km or an hours rough jeep-taxi or van ride from Bir. The starting point is in front of Cape Amaho in the Chaughan Tibetan colony at around 10 am every morning during the season.

Air: Kangra has its own domestic airport at Guggal, which is 7km away from Kangra town and about 40 km from Palampur. There are straight flights from Delhi to Guggal.
Rail : Pathankot is the nearest railhead. There is an overnight train from Delhi to Pathankot. From Pathankot Palampur is connected by narrow guage railway. One can also take a bus or taxi to Bir from Pathankot.
Road : There are ordinary, semi deluxe or deluxe buses available from Delhi and other major towns of Himachal Pradesh to Dharamsala, Palampur, Baijnath, Jogindernagar or Mandi. All Kulu- Manali buses go via Mandi. Bir can be reached easily from all these towns by buses or taxi. The distances from the different places to Bir are Dharamsala (70km), Mandi (70km), Palampur (35km), Jogindernagar (12km), Baijanath (12km). From Delhi, the overnight services of DTC Indraprastha Service to Baijanth, HTPC Super Deluxe to Palampur both leaving from ISBT Delhi around 6pm are preferable. From the junction which turns off to Bir Road, Taxis and Rikshaws are available.

Contacts

The only STD booth in Bir is at the Chaughan Tibetan Colony in front of Cafe Amaho. Contact Suresh Phone: 01894- 268350
For flying Instructions or Tandem flights, Cost : Half hour Tandem flights cost about Rs 2000
contact Bruce, Dhondup ( the person who runs cafe Amaho) or Tsering Phone: 01894- 268350, 268603 or E-mail : Contact Us , Contact Us
For information on Paragliding tournament, check out www.himachaltourism.nic.in and contact
Commissioner, Tourism & Civil Aviation Dept
Block No. 28, SDA Complex, Shimla 171009, Himachal Pradesh, India
Phone: 91-177-223959, Telefax: 91-177-225864
E-mail: Contact Us or Contact Us
Deputy Commissioner,
Kangra at Dharamshala
Phone : 91-1892-22103, 23323 or
Free Flight Association of India
A 247, 1st floor, Shivalik, New Delhi 110017, India
Phone: 91-11-6682685, 09810432621, Telefax: 91-11-6675821
Email: Contact Us