One of the most common things we hear from guests flying with us in Mürren and the Lauterbrunnen Valley is: “So… we just glide down from here, right?”
Actually, not at all!
Paragliding isn’t limited by takeoff altitude. In the right conditions, we can climb thousands of meters above our original launch, even after starting from high alpine sites like Mürren.
The Air Does the Lifting!
When we paraglide, we’re not moving through still air — we’re working with an atmosphere that’s constantly in motion. The most important source of lift is thermals: columns of warm air rising from sun-heated ground.
Over the cliffs, forests, and meadows of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, thermals form naturally on sunny days. When we find one, we circle within it, using that rising air to gain altitude instead of losing it. These invisible elevators are what allow us to climb well above our takeoff point.
In alpine terrain like Mürren, we also use ridge lift. When wind flows toward the steep valley walls and mountain faces around Lauterbrunnen, it’s deflected upward. Flying in this smooth, rising airflow allows us to stay level — or climb — while following the terrain.
This is why you’ll often see us flying eye-level with the cliffs, waterfalls, or even higher peaks, long after we’ve left the launch.
Climbing Above Mürren
Even though Mürren is already high above the valley, it’s not uncommon for our experienced Airtime pilots to climb hundreds of meters above takeoff in good conditions. This is how we are able to offer our longer Double Airtime flight.
All of this happens without an engine — just skill, timing, and a deep understanding of alpine air.
Experience and Judgment Come First
The same conditions that allow us to climb also demand respect. Reading the air, choosing safe lines, and knowing when not to push higher are essential parts of flying in the Jungfrau region.
Paragliding in Mürren and Lauterbrunnen isn’t about simply going down. It’s about working with the mountains and the sky, and discovering just how much freedom the air can offer when you understand it.
