Ten Days of World-Class Paragliding in Mexico
The all-inclusive Valle de Bravo experience
Fly every day. Eat well every night. Leave a better pilot than you arrived.
Reserve Your SpotWhy ten days changes everything
A weekend clinic gives you a taste. A week starts to build habits. But ten days is where real transformation happens. By the middle of your trip, the morning routine feels natural. You stop thinking about the mechanics and start reading the sky. By day seven or eight, you are making decisions in the air that would have seemed impossible on day one.
This is not a vacation with some paragliding thrown in. It is a flying trip where everything else - housing, food, transport, logistics - has been handled so you can focus on becoming a better pilot. You wake up, eat breakfast, drive to launch, and fly. Every single day.
Ten days in Valle de Bravo with a dedicated instructor is the fastest way to level up your flying. Period.
Your Ten Days
Foundations
Days 1 - 3
You arrive, settle into the house, and get oriented. Day one is about understanding the site, the weather patterns, and the daily rhythm. Your first flights happen at Fish Bowl - the mellow training hill where you can focus on launches and landings without the pressure of a big mountain. By day three, you are moving to the main launch at El Penon for ground school sessions and focused flying with radio-guided instruction.
Progression
Days 4 - 6
Now you have the rhythm. Flights get longer. You start working thermals with purpose and learning the fundamentals of cross-country flying - reading the terrain, understanding wind lines, and using the landscape to find lift. Day five or six is typically a rest day where you explore Valle de Bravo, hit the market, or just sit by the lake and let your body recover. The mental break makes the second half of the trip even better.
Pushing Boundaries
Days 7 - 9
This is where the magic happens. You have the skills, the site knowledge, and the confidence to push further. Day seven is an XC day with full retrieve support - you fly as far as you can and we come pick you up. Day eight focuses on targeted skills, whether that is top-landing, asymmetric collapses, or precision approaches. Day nine is the send-it day. You know the site. You trust your decisions. Time to see what you can do.
Wrap Up
Day 10
Your final day. One more session in the morning - often the most relaxed and enjoyable flight of the whole trip, because you are flying with ten days of confidence behind you. Then a full debrief where we review your progress, talk about next steps, and set goals for your flying back home. We handle the airport transfer so you do not have to worry about logistics on your last day.
You pack your wing. We handle everything else.
Housing
A real house, not a hostel. Private rooms, shared common spaces, walking distance to town. This is where the group eats, debriefs, and relaxes after a day on the mountain.
Food
Home-cooked breakfast every morning. Dinner with the group every night. Lunch is on your own, usually grabbed in town or at the landing zone. The food is real, filling, and part of the experience.
Airport Transfer
Fly into Mexico City or Toluca. We pick you up at the airport and drive you to Valle de Bravo. Same thing on the way home. No rental car, no navigation, no stress.
Daily Transport
Shuttle to launch every morning. Retrieve from the landing zone. Transport to dinner. You never need to think about how to get anywhere.
Instruction
Damien for all 10 days, not a rotation of different instructors. One person who knows your flying, your goals, and your progression from start to finish. Ground school, radio coaching, flight review.
Retrieve Service
When you fly XC, we come get you. Full retrieve support so you can push your distance without worrying about how to get back. That changes how you fly.
Gear Support
Spare gear available if something breaks or if you want to demo a different wing. Line checks, harness adjustments, reserve repacks - we keep you flying.
Is this trip right for you?
You want to thermal better
You can soar in ridge lift but thermals still feel unpredictable. You need time in strong, consistent conditions with someone on the radio helping you find and center lift. Ten days of Valle thermals will change how you read the sky.
You have never flown XC
You have been flying locally for a while and you want to start going places. XC requires a different mindset and a set of skills you can only build with repetition and mentorship. This trip gives you both, plus a retrieve driver.
You want a real flying vacation
You are tired of hauling your gear to a new place and trying to figure out conditions, logistics, and local rules on your own. You want to show up, fly great sites with expert guidance, and enjoy the whole experience without the hassle.
Not sure if this is the right fit? Call Damien and talk it through.
Call to DiscussWhy Valle de Bravo
300+ flyable days per year
Valle de Bravo is one of the most consistent flying sites on the planet. Thermals fire reliably, conditions are readable, and the season runs long. You are not gambling on weather here.
The Hair Dryer
The valley thermal that kicks on almost every day like clockwork. It is the most predictable thermal trigger you will ever fly, and it is the engine that powers the flying here. When the Hair Dryer turns on, everyone goes up.
An ancient volcanic landscape
The terrain around Valle creates perfect thermal triggers - dark rock faces, ridgelines, and bowl-shaped features that funnel air upward. The geography is built for paragliding.
A real town, not a tourist trap
Valle de Bravo is a lakeside colonial town with cobblestone streets, great restaurants, and a weekly market. It is a place you actually want to spend time in when you are not flying.
Your Instructor for All Ten Days
This is not a school where you get passed between different instructors each day. Damien flies with you, coaches you, and debriefs with you for the entire trip. He knows your flying on day one and builds on it every day after that.
Damien is a USHPA Advanced Instructor with over 25 years of experience. He has been flying Valle de Bravo for decades and knows the site better than almost anyone. He knows where the thermals trigger, how the wind shifts through the day, and which routes work on which days.
He has taught hundreds of pilots at every level, from P2s taking their first thermal flights to experienced pilots working on competition-level XC skills. His teaching style is calm, direct, and focused on building your decision-making in the air - not just your stick skills.
When you fly with Damien, you are getting the benefit of thousands of hours at this specific site, combined with a genuine passion for helping pilots improve. That combination is rare.
Reserve Your Ten Days
Groups are kept small - typically 3 to 5 pilots - so every person gets real attention. Peak season runs November through March and spots fill early. If you have dates in mind, reach out now to hold your place.
Or call Damien directly: 801-244-4791
★★★★★ 5.0 / 33 reviewsValle de Bravo is more than a flying site
The Town
Cobblestone streets, a weekly artisan market, lakeside restaurants, and a pace of life that makes you want to stay longer. Valle is a real Mexican town with character, history, and incredible food. Your rest days here do not feel like filler - they feel like a reward.
The Mountain
El Penon is not just a launch site. It is a place with presence. The cross at the top, the view of the lake below, the feeling of standing on the edge before you clip in - it never gets old. Even after ten days, the drive up the mountain puts a smile on your face.
The Vibe
There is something about spending ten days with a small group of pilots that creates a bond. You eat together, fly together, debrief together, and push each other. By the end of the trip, these are not just people you flew with - they are friends who share your obsession.
What Pilots Say
"He really knows the place like no other. The local knowledge, the site management, the way he reads the conditions - it all comes from decades of flying here. You cannot get that from a guidebook."
"My flying mentality and piloting skills improve drastically every time I go. Damien has a way of pushing you just enough to grow without putting you in over your head. I keep going back."
"The combination of ground school, launch support, and in-sky coaching provided an incredibly valuable learning experience. The accommodations and hospitality made for a great overall experience."
"Great instruction, local knowledge, and small groups. You actually get personal attention and the instruction is tailored to what you need, not a one-size-fits-all curriculum."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the 10-day package cost?
When is the best time to go?
Can I bring a non-flying partner?
What if I need to cancel?
Do I need travel insurance?
How do I get to Mexico?
Can I combine this with a specific clinic?
Is it safe?
Want to Focus on Specific Skills?
Thermalling Clinic
A focused clinic on finding, centering, and climbing in thermals. Build the foundation skill that everything else depends on.
Learn More
XC Clinic
Ready to go places? Learn route planning, transition strategy, and the mental game of cross-country flying with full retrieve support.
Learn MoreLet's Plan Your Trip
Or call Damien directly: 801-244-4791
★★★★★ 5.0 / 33 reviews