Paragliding flight with instructor in Florianópolis

Feel the island open beneath you. This tandem paragliding flight gives you a simple way to see Florianópolis from above, with a CBVL-qualified instructor handling the technical work while you enjoy the ride. I like the school’s more than 30 years of dual-flight experience, and I like that the activity is private to your group rather than a large shared outing. The main catch is that your actual flight lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, even though the full experience takes around 90 minutes.

The strongest part is the calm, professional approach reported by people who flew with the team, including a pilot known as Mosquito. I also like the weather policy: if poor conditions cancel the flight, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. Wind may require patience, so do not schedule this too tightly against another activity.

Key Points at a Glance

• More than 30 years of dual-flight experience: OVNI Escola de Parapente has long experience with tandem flights in Brazil and abroad.
• A short flight with big coastal views: The airborne portion lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, above a string of northern Florianópolis beaches.
• CBVL-qualified instruction: You fly with an instructor qualified by the Brazilian Confederation of Free Flight.
• Private for your group: You are not placed into a large shared tour group.
• Weather controls the schedule: Wind conditions can delay or cancel the flight, but poor-weather cancellations qualify for a new date or full refund.
• A good first flight: The experience is designed for people of any age, and several participants found it less frightening than expected.

Why This Florianópolis Flight Is Worth Considering

Florianópolis is famous for its beaches, but from ground level you see only one small part of the island at a time. A tandem paraglider gives you a wider view, with sand, hills, water, and connected beaches spread below you. You do not need to learn how to pilot the glider. Your instructor manages the flight, while you follow the basic directions needed for takeoff and landing.

I see this as a good introduction to paragliding because the experience is short and focused. You are not committing to a full-day adventure or a long training course. The flight itself lasts roughly 10 to 15 minutes, enough time to enjoy the height and scenery without turning the activity into an endurance test.

The school uses a parachute designed for two people. That matters because you are not taking a solo flight with a complicated set of controls. You fly attached to an instructor, which lets you pay attention to the view and your own reaction rather than trying to manage the equipment.

The response to the instructors has been especially strong. People describe the team as organized, serious when safety matters, and friendly between flights. One participant said the crew helped make the process easy, while another found the flight comfortable even after arriving with a fear of heights. That does not promise that every person will feel relaxed, but it tells you the instructors take nerves seriously.

Meeting the Team in São João do Rio Vermelho

The activity begins at OVNI Escola de Parapente, at Servidão Novas Palmeiras, 1414, in São João do Rio Vermelho. This is your starting point and your return point, so you do not finish at a different beach or launch site.

The listed operating hours are daily from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. That afternoon schedule is useful to know when planning your day in Florianópolis. You should leave room around the booking because wind conditions can affect the exact timing.

The experience is private for your group. That gives it a more personal feel than a large commercial outing, especially if you are flying with a partner or family member. It also means you should not assume that a full busload of people will be moving through the same schedule.

Public transportation is nearby, and service animals are allowed. Confirmation is provided at booking. Most people can participate, and the activity is advertised for people of any age. The available information does not give a specific weight limit, medical restriction, or minimum age, so ask OVNI directly if any member of your group has a health concern or needs a special arrangement.

What the 90-Minute Schedule Really Means

The advertised duration is about one hour and 30 minutes, but only a part of that time is spent in the air. Expect the flight itself to last approximately 10 to 15 minutes. The remaining time allows for meeting the team, preparing, waiting for suitable wind, and handling the practical parts of the activity.

That distinction is important. If you are paying for a long airborne session, this is not the right product. If you want a first taste of paragliding combined with a strong view of the coast, the timing makes better sense.

Wind is not a minor detail here. The activity needs good weather and suitable conditions to operate. One person waited for the wind to improve and did not mind because the waiting took place beside a beautiful beach. Still, I would avoid booking this immediately before an airport transfer, dinner reservation, or another timed tour.

The staff may ask you to wait while conditions improve. That can feel inconvenient if you arrive expecting an instant launch, but it is the right kind of delay. A flight should happen when the instructors judge conditions to be safe, not simply because the clock says it is time.

From Praia Brava to Canasvieiras

The experience takes place around several beaches in northern Florianópolis. These locations help explain the kind of coastal view you can expect, although the available details do not say that you stop and land at each beach.

Praia Brava

Praia Brava is known for its broad beach setting and open coastal view. From above, you may get a strong sense of the shoreline’s shape and the relationship between the beach and the surrounding hills.

This is also the kind of place where wind can matter greatly. Do not treat the named beach stops as a fixed sightseeing route on land. They identify the coastal areas connected with the flight, not a promise that you will spend time walking on each beach.

Praia dos Ingleses

Praia dos Ingleses gives the flight another long sweep of northern Florianópolis coastline. From the air, a larger beach becomes easier to understand as a whole than it is from street level.

You will likely appreciate the change in scale. On the sand, you notice swimmers, umbrellas, and individual stretches of shore. In the air, the view becomes broader and quieter. Since the airborne period is short, keep your camera ready, but do not let photography distract you from the flight.

Ponta das Canas Beach

Ponta das Canas adds another coastal angle to the route. Its inclusion means the experience is not limited to a single launch view or one beach panorama.

The practical point is that the scenery is the main reward. This is not a historic tour, a food outing, or a beach-hopping excursion. You are paying for height, open views, and the unusual feeling of moving above the coast with an instructor beside you.

Praia Cachoeira do Bom Jesus

Praia Cachoeira do Bom Jesus is another reference point along the northern beach area. The sequence of locations gives you a sense of how much coastline may appear during a brief flight.

Because conditions determine the flight path, you should not expect a narrated sightseeing tour with a guaranteed view of every named place. The value comes from the broad coastal perspective, not from checking off five formal stops.

Canasvieiras

Canasvieiras completes the group of coastal areas connected to this experience. It is useful for visitors staying in northern Florianópolis who want an activity that relates directly to the beaches around them.

The route also makes this a good choice for someone who has already spent time on the island’s shore and wants a different angle. You see familiar places in a new way, provided the weather and flight path cooperate.

Safety, Nerves, and the Instructor’s Role

For many people, the hardest part is not the flight. It is deciding to take the first step. The strongest praise for this activity centers on the instructors’ professional manner, preparation, and attention to safety.

You will fly with an instructor qualified by CBVL, the Brazilian Confederation of Free Flight. The school has more than 30 years of tandem-flight experience. Those details do not remove every risk from an outdoor activity, but they give you useful evidence about the operator’s background.

Several people found the flight safer and less frightening than expected. One person with vertigo described the experience as beautiful and said panic never set in. Another arrived nervous, then felt calmer after seeing the preparation carried out by the team.

I would still be honest with yourself before booking. A fear of heights may fade once you are in the air, but it may also feel intense during takeoff. Tell the instructor if you are nervous. The available feedback suggests the crew is used to helping first-time flyers, but no instructor can guarantee how your body will react.

The team also appears to balance friendliness with seriousness. People describe a fun atmosphere before the flight, followed by careful attention when it is time to launch. That is exactly the balance I want in an adventure activity.

Is $107.82 a Fair Price?

At $107.82 per person, this is not a budget beach activity. You are paying for a private tandem experience, qualified instruction, specialized equipment, and a flight above one of Brazil’s best-known island settings.

The most useful way to judge the price is to compare it with what you want from the day. If you want 90 minutes of nonstop airborne time, the price will feel high because the flight lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes. If you want a memorable first paragliding experience with a professional team and a private group arrangement, the cost is easier to justify.

The weather policy also protects the value of your purchase. If conditions make flying impossible, you can move to another date or receive a full refund. That is better than being forced into an unsafe flight or losing the entire payment.

The price makes the most sense for a special occasion, a couple seeking an unusual activity, or someone who has always wanted to try tandem paragliding. It makes less sense if you are looking for a cheap way to pass an afternoon or if you dislike waiting for weather.

Who Will Enjoy This Most

I would recommend this to you if you want a short, memorable adventure and a new view of Florianópolis. It suits first-time flyers because the instructor handles the flight and the experience does not require previous paragliding knowledge.

It can also suit people who are nervous about heights but still want to test themselves. The feedback suggests that the calm preparation and professional approach help. Still, you should be comfortable with the possibility of a brief wait and an outdoor activity controlled by wind.

Families may find the age flexibility useful, since the experience is described as suitable for people of any age. Because no detailed age, health, or weight rules are provided, confirm the practical requirements with the school before booking for a child, older adult, or anyone with a medical condition.

This is less suitable for anyone who needs a guaranteed departure time, wants a long flight, or expects to visit each beach on foot. It is also not the best choice for a tightly packed sightseeing day.

Booking, Cancellation, and Practical Tips

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes made within 24 hours are not accepted, and late cancellations are not refunded. The cut-off follows local Florianópolis time.

If bad weather cancels the activity, you are offered another date or a full refund. Since wind is central to the experience, keep a little flexibility in your schedule.

I would book this about three weeks ahead if your dates are fixed. The activity is booked, on average, 20 days in advance, so leaving it until the last moment may reduce your options.

Wear practical clothing for an outdoor flight and keep your plans light around the appointment. The supplied information does not state specific clothing, baggage, camera, or footwear rules, so ask the provider if you have questions about what you can carry during the flight.

The activity ends back at the São João do Rio Vermelho meeting point. Plan your onward transport from there rather than assuming you will finish at Canasvieiras or another beach.

Should You Book the OVNI Paragliding Flight?

Book it if you want a professionally managed first paragliding experience, a private group setting, and a brief but striking view over northern Florianópolis. The strongest reasons are the school’s long tandem-flight background, CBVL-qualified instructors, positive safety feedback, and fair weather cancellation terms.

Think twice if you want a long flight, a fixed schedule, or a land-based tour of five beaches. The 10 to 15 minutes in the air pass quickly, and wind may delay the start.

For the right person, this is a memorable way to see Florianópolis from above without taking on the demands of solo flying. I would treat it as a focused adventure rather than a full sightseeing tour, leave room in the day, and book it for the view and the feeling of flight.

FAQ

Where does the paragliding experience begin?

It begins at OVNI Escola de Parapente, Servidão Novas Palmeiras, 1414, in São João do Rio Vermelho, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Where does the activity end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The total experience takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

How long is the actual paragliding flight?

The flight itself lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

What beaches are connected with the flight?

The experience includes views connected with Praia Brava, Praia dos Ingleses, Ponta das Canas Beach, Praia Cachoeira do Bom Jesus, and Canasvieiras.

Do I need previous paragliding experience?

No previous experience is stated as necessary. You fly tandem with a qualified instructor.

Who operates the activity?

The activity is operated by OVNI Escola de Parapente.

Is the experience private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private activity.

What happens if poor weather cancels the flight?

You can choose a different date or receive a full refund if poor weather causes cancellation.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund.