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Vulture Conservation Camp - 1 Night

 

Where:
Ghachok Village, Kaski, Near Pokhara, Nepal
When:
From October through to May
Available to:
Anyone
Price:
tbc

Developed and funded by The Parahawking Project in co-operation with the Ghachok community

 

Introduction:
Nepal's vultures are teetering on the brink of extinction. The use of Diclofenac, an anti inflammatory drug, in livestock has caused a catastrophic collapse in vulture populations across Asia, click here to find out more. The Parahawking Project has been involved in Vulture Conservation since 2001 and have made significant contributions on a grass roots level with the development of the Ghachok Vulture Safe Feeding Site and on an international platform in terms of raising awareness of the vultures plight.

We are now delighted to be launching our latest initiative, The Vulture Conservation Camp. Situated in the stunning village of Ghachok, the camp is located on the ridge overlooking the Parahawking Project funded Vulture Safe Feeding Site. From the campsite you will hear the running water of the Seti River below whilst the glorious Annapurna mountain range looms over to the north. But best of all you will be surrounded by some of the most endangered and magnificent raptors in the world. It's a truly stunning venue!

Itinerary:
We leave Pokhara in the morning and commence a one hour drive out towards the Annapurna Conservation Area, through traditional villages and across rivers. We arrive at the Village of Ghachok and set up camp but we may need to be quiet as often there are Himalayan Griffon Vultures and White Backed Vultures sitting only meters away observing the feeding site below us. After a full briefing and overview of the project we can set up our binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras to capture some incredible images of vultures circling right above us. After lunch we can head down to the feeding site where, if we're lucky, we can witness vultures feeding and give you a full tour of the site.

We return to the camp for some more evening vulture spotting and witness the birds heading off to roost in the nearby trees. A traditional Nepali Dal Bhat will be served for evening meal as the sun disappears over the mountains.

In the morning, you may want to wake up early to witness a magical sunrise over the Annapurna mountain range. As the sun rises the vultures will once again take to the air, some may even land right next to the camp site only meters away from your tent. After breakfast, we'll take a leisurely walk around the village and surrounding area for some more raptor watching. You may see Steppe Eagles, Red Headed Vultures, Cinerious Vultures, Egyptian Vultures, Mountain Hawk Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. We will then break camp and head back to Pokhara and lunch at Maya Devi Village, The Parahawking Project HQ.

Whats included:

  • Transport to and from your hotel in Pokhara
  • Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • All camping equipment (Feel free to bring your own sleeping bag if you prefer)
  • Vulture Guide
  • Entrance ticket to the Vulture Safe Feeding Site

What to bring:

  • Sleeping bag (optional)
  • Camera
  • Binoculars (we will provide some also)
  • Warm clothes for night time
  • Torch

 

PLEASE NOTE: We require a minimum of 4 people to operate the trip

 

Booking Form

Please use the form below to make a booking, if you experience problems with the booking form, please send an email to - info@skywingsfalconry.com.com

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions

PLEASE NOTE: We are no longer operating in Nepal. We are now only operating in Spain
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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is Parahawking?
Parahawking is paragliding with a trained bird of prey. It was pioneered in Pokhara, Nepal by renowned bird trainer and paraglider, Scott Mason. Now basd in Algodonales, southern Spain, birds of prey such as American Black Vultures are trained as part of an award winning enrichment program, to fly with paragliders and, by using their incredible ability to conserve energy, can guide the paragliders to the best thermals. They will then land on the passengers gloved hand for an inflight reward. Parahawking is a perfect mix of adventure, eco-tourism and conservation. A Parahawking Tandem Experience is more than just a paragliding flight with a trained bird, it's an education into vultures and the problems they face in the wild.

How does it work?
Birds of prey have a natural instinct to conserve energy wherever and whenever possible. During a flight, a bird will burn more energy than it would if it was just sitting in a tree, this means it has to eat to replace the used energy. Sometimes birds will travel long distances to find food. To conserve energy whilst flying, birds of prey use thermals. Thermals are rising currents of warm air that are created by the sun heating the ground. Birds can gain height and travel long distances without flapping their wings by using thermals. Paragliders also use thermals when they are flying and will often use wild birds to guide them to where the thermals are. Our trained birds are no different, they will find the thermals in order to stay aloft and conserve energy whilst flying. We as paragliders harness their ability to conserve energy by following them as we fly.

Our birds need to be rewarded for guiding us into the thermals. During the flight the passenger will place small morsels of meat onto his gloved hand, the birds will come and gently land on the hand to take the food, and then gracefully fly away to find the next thermal. A perfect symbiotic relationship.

Is there a weight and age limit?
All Paraglider wings have an upper and lower weight range, when the upper weight range is exceeded, it can make the glider difficult to fly in some situatons and conditions. Parahawking tandem flights are different from regular tandem flights, our weight limit for passengers is 100 kg/220 lb. The only other requirement is that you are able to run a few steps for the take off and landing. You do not have to be a qualified pilot, you will be a passenger attached to a qualified tandem pilot. We reserve the right to refuse to fly any passenger that does not meet our requirements.

When can I do it?
The Parahawking season runs all year round.

Where can I do it?
You can do Parahawking in Algodonales, Spain only.

How does it help Vulture Conservation?
Vultures are in serious decline, in the last 15 years the numbers have dropped by a staggering 99.9% in some parts of Asia whilst vultures in Europe and African are experiencing similar declines. This catastrophic decline is due to a veterinary drug called Diclofenac. This anti inflammatory drug is routinely administered to sick and dying livestock including cows and buffalo and has proven to be very effective in reducing pain and suffering. However, when the animal dies with Diclofenac still in it's system, the vultures that feed from the animal carcass will ingest remnants of the drug which is poisonous to them and kills them within 24 hours.

Vultures are important in our society, they play a vital role in our ecosystem by cleaning up all of the dead animals that would otherwise be left to rot. Millions of tonnes of animal carcasses are disposed of each year across Asia, which if not cleaned up, would pose a real risk to human health. Asia's vultures are declining faster than the Dodo and could be extinct in the next 5-10 years, unfortunately not enough people know about the problem. Vultures are considered to be quite unsavory creatures because of this, these prehistoric looking birds are difficult to empathize with. We want to change that!

Parahawking provides a unique opportunity to see vultures in a different light, to understand about the importance of them in our society and to learn about their behavior in the wild. Parahawking is our mission to raise more public awareness to the plight of Asia's vultures and in doing so halt the decline and prevent their extinction.

We support vital Vulture conservation projects, proceeds from Parahawking go to Vulture conservations projects.

How is this different from normal paragliding?
Parahawking gives you the unique opportunity to interact with these birds and see the world through their eyes while you share the sky with them. Paragliding is an exciting adventure activity on own but this takes Paragliding to a whole different dimension.

How do I book?
Book your Parahawking activity directly with us via this website to gaurantee the best chance of a spot.

How much does it cost?
A Parahawking Tandem Experience costs: €170

How long does the flight last?
Parahawking flights are not based on time in the air but the overall experience of sharing the sky with a trained bird of prey. The weather can determine the length of the flight as can many other factors, especially when working with birds. We make no guarantees about flight times however we always try our best to stay in the air for around 20 to 30 minutes.

Can I take a Parahawking course?
We do not currently offer Parahawking courses. If you're not already a pilot and you want to learn to paraglide then there is no better place to learn to fly than here in Algodonales. Fly Spain - http://www.flyspain.com - offer beginner courses. If you want to learn more about the birds then you can take a Bird of Prey Experience or Falconry Course with us. You can do a 2-3 hour session or 2-5 days courses.

What birds do you use?
We use a variety of Vultures and hawks for Parahawking.

Where do the birds come from?
All of our birds are bred in captivity. Parahawking is an award winning project, it was voted Best Enrichment Behaviour by the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE) in 2011.

Is it dangerous?
Paragliding and Parahawking is an adventure activity but it is not dangerous. We use only the best pilots for Parahawking. All of our pilots are internationally licensed and insured. 

What do I need to bring?
All you need to bring are a pair of training shoes or boots and a sweatshirt or jacket depending on the time of year. 

Can I take a camera?
Yes, you can bring your own camera or we can take inflight pictures and movie from our onboard cameras, at a small additional cost. 

Do you provide accommodation?
Yes, we have accommodation right on site at the Skywings Falconry Farmhouse.

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