Freedom Parapente offers a thermal and cross-country progression course in Andalusia, from October 12 to 23.
In October, Andalusia—particularly the Algodonales area—offers conditions well suited for progressing in thermal flying and cross-country. The region alternates between hills, small plains, and mountains, creating a playful and varied flying playground.
Flights are often shared with vultures, which are very common in the area. Their way of exploiting lift provides a valuable reference for pilots, as they naturally mark thermals. This makes learning thermals and cross-country flying more accessible and tangible, while also being an impressive and unique experience.
On the ground, the region’s typical white villages and the simple, welcoming Andalusian atmosphere make for a pleasant environment, ideal for linking together great flying days and fully enjoying the stay.
This is a well-known location for accelerating progression and quickly gaining a better understanding and efficiency in thermal conditions.
We will be based in Algodonales, an iconic paragliding village in Andalusia, renowned for its generous and consistent conditions at this time of year. From Algodonales, we will be able to range out to various nearby sites, in order to diversify the flying areas and discover several takeoff sites depending on the conditions.
Stay Organization
The course includes only:
- coaching by Freedom Parapente instructors,
- shuttles to the various flying sites.
We do not provide accommodation, allowing each participant the freedom to choose lodging that best fits their budget and comfort level.
The instructors will have a house on site: those who wish may potentially reserve a bed there, without any contractual link to the course organization.
Each student is therefore entirely free to choose their own accommodation nearby or to contact the instructors’ house owner if space is available.
This setup allows for maximum flexibility, both in terms of cost and individual preferences.
Transport:
The instructors will drive a truck down on October 10, arriving on the evening of October 11 to prepare for the course.
This trip is organized personally by the instructors and is not part of the course. Therefore, it is not the responsibility of the school.
Students who wish may join the carpool free of charge, solely as a way to get to Algodonales without flying. The journey can be done in one go or over two days, depending on the organization at the time.
The return will follow the same arrangement: the instructors will drive the truck back at the end of the stay, and students may join under the same conditions, still outside the scope of the course.
This arrangement is offered simply to facilitate travel, but each participant remains entirely free to choose their own mode of transport (plane, personal car, etc.).
For those attending only 5 days, it is possible to book a flight on the weekend of October 17 or 18 to Seville, the airport closest to Algodonales.
Required Level
This course is intended for pilots who are independent in takeoff and landing and capable of managing their own safety in flight.
During certain rotations, the instructors may be in the air; therefore, it is necessary to be able to:
- take off alone,
- land independently,
- secure yourself on a line independently if needed.
This stay focuses on progression in thermal flying and introduction to cross-country, requiring an already solid foundation in autonomous piloting.
Price:
Course cost: €800
Estimated additional budget:
Round-trip flight to Seville + checked baggage:
➝ generally between €120 and €250 depending on dates and departure airport.
Accommodation in Algodonales for one week:
➝ expect between €120 and €250 per person depending on the type of lodging (shared house, apartment, private room, etc.).
Food budget (1 week): prices are very reasonable, approximately €100 to €250 if eating out.
