25 Jan Why is it called paragliding?

Why is it called paragliding? The word comes from the combination of two terms with very different origins.

Para: from the Greek

This prefix comes from the Greek “para,” meaning “beside” or “alongside.” In the context of the sport, it refers to the wing-shaped configuration of the canopy, which flies “alongside” or “beside” the pilot during the entire flight.

-Gliding: the flight itself

The second part of the word simply describes what the pilot does once airborne: gliding through the air without an engine, using rising air currents (thermals) to stay aloft for as long as possible.

Put together, paragliding perfectly describes the activity: flying “alongside” a lightweight, engineless wing, gliding freely over the landscape below. It is one of the most accessible forms of free flight, since no motor is required and the canopy folds down into a backpack small enough to carry on a hike.

A sport with deep roots

Paragliding as we know it today developed in the 1970s and 1980s, evolving from parachuting techniques adapted for controlled, sustained flight from mountains and hillsides. You can read more about its history and development on Wikipedia.

In Tenerife, the north of the island offers ideal conditions for paragliding almost all year round, thanks to the trade winds and the volcanic landscape shaped by the Teide National Park.

Curious to try it yourself? Check out our paragliding flying areas in Tenerife and book your flight.

So, why is paragliding called that way today?

Even though the sport has evolved enormously since its origins, the name has stuck because it still describes exactly what happens during the flight: a wing that glides alongside the pilot, using nothing but air currents to stay airborne. Whether you fly over a mountain range or the coastline of Tenerife, that original idea from the 1970s is still at the heart of every flight.