From majestic balloon flights over fields, lakes and mountains to exhilarating paragliding and extreme skydiving... Whichever form of flying you choose, one thing is sure – in the Małopolska region, you will experience unforgettable emotions and create memories to last a lifetime. Discover Małopolska with us from a completely new perspective!

A flight over Małopolska – a fresh look

You have probably climbed a high mountain peak, an observation tower, or flown by plane on holiday at least once in your life. Recall what you felt at the time – adrenaline, heart palpitations, uncertainty and excitement at the same time, grogginess, and sometimes slight dizziness. Nevertheless, we want more and more. We fly planes all over the world, jump out of planes with parachutes on our backs, and soar in gliders far above the ground. If you are not one of the 5% of the population who are panic-stricken by heights, we invite you to take a look at Małopolska from a height!

Odlotowa Małopolska – over mountains, forests, and lakes

It hovers in the air like a ghost, gliding majestically through the sky, but can also breathe fire like the Wawel Dragon. The Małopolska balloon is also an excellent national and international showcase of our region. It can be encountered, for example, during the Odlotowa. Although this cyclical event will not let you take to the skies, admiring balloons from the ground can be an equally fascinating adventure.

However, suppose you feel like looking at the ground from the basket of a balloon from a height of several dozen metres. In that case, you can start your adventure with the skies from the observation balloon, anchored at Kraków former Forum Hotel. The balloon rises to a maximum height of 275 metres, and this allows you to admire the Wawel Royal Castle, the meandering Vistula River and, in good weather, even the Tatra Mountains and Mount Babia

And if we can't wait to have more? We invite you to join the guys from the Kraków Balloon Team for sightseeing flights over Kraków and its surroundings, and over other parts of the Małopolska region, too. To get into the air, you only need a spot with enough space and that doesn't have any buildings. Among the places frequently selected and recommended by pilots for flight are the area around Tyniec, Ojców, Wieliczka, or the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. For the flight to take place, however, these basic conditions must be met:

• No precipitation of any kind.
• Wind of less than 5 m/s.
• No thunderstorms, fog, or air currents.
• Flights take place one hour after sunrise and two hours before sunset.

If all these conditions are met, the dream of a romantic drift over the Małopolska region also has a chance of coming true.

Feel like a bird thanks to paragliding

'I fly because I want to. I fly because life is bad', sings Robert Gawliński of the band 'Wilki'. Life is very far from bad in the Małopolska region, and in addition, everyone can feel like a bird when they go paragliding or motor-paragliding.

As the name suggests, a powered paraglider is engine-assisted, unlike a paraglider, which uses wind power alone. So, depending on what we choose, we will need a slightly different starting point. A paraglider, also known as a parafoil, is flown in the mountains and on plains with at least 30 metres of elevation.

In the Małopolska region, the area around Zakopane, with views of the sharp peaks of the Tatra Mountains, or in the charming Beskid Wyspowy are ideal for paragliding. If you decide to go motor-paragliding, you don't have to limit yourself to just these areas. You can also fly in the vicinity of Lake Dobczyce or just outside Kraków.

Ready for a bird's eye view of Małopolska? All we need to do is find a commercial flight company that suits us and fly high!

Skydiving – an adrenaline rush

'Jump? Resign? What am I even doing? It can't be that scary!' 'What if the parachute doesn't open? On the other hand, accidents are extremely rare.' All sorts of thoughts come to the fore in the mind of the person in front of whom the door of the plane opens in flight. Parachute jumping offers a unique experience. Thanks to it, we experience a whole kaleidoscope of emotions – from joy and excitement to doubt, anger and horror. This is part of what's beautiful about the sport.

The Małopolska region, of course only for those lovers of strong sensations and adrenaline rushes, will offer you this special kind of adventure. Here the key word is 'jump!' Once you have made up your mind and given your body to the air, you will feel what it is to be truly free. Your heart will beat like crazy, adrenaline will course through your veins, and the ground will be approaching at top speed. If you can do all this in a beautiful natural setting, it will be one of the most beautiful memories of your life.

Parachute jumping can be done at several locations in the Małopolska region. The Kraków Aeroclub in Pobiednik Wielki offers tandem jumps with an experienced instructor. It is an excellent option for beginners. The Nowy Targ Aeroclub invites the more advanced, and jumps take place in the beautiful scenery of Podhale, with a bird's eye view of the Tatra Mountains. Before jumping, you should receive a short training course to prepare you for this amazing moment.

By a light aircraft or glider in the skies of Małopolska

To be a pilot, to soar above the mountain peaks, above the clouds... is an unfulfilled dream for many people. While it takes quite a lot to become a pilot, it's very easy to go soaring in a glider — in Małopolska, of course. Needless to say, we are not talking about a classic cruise flight.

Light aircraft or glider flights, with an experienced pilot at the controls, are available to everyone. The intimate nature of the flight, the nearness of the pilot and his easily observable piloting and the lower altitudes that allow you to get a great look at the landscape of Małopolska, all make for a powerful shot of adrenaline and a fantastic experience. A scenic flight over the Tatra Mountains, the Gorce Mountains, the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, Niepołomice, Lake Dobczyce, or over Kraków – every option in the Małopolska region is possible, and each has its charm.

What is the difference between a light aircraft and a glider? Unlike a light aircraft, a glider has no engine, so it must be set in motion by a special winch or towed aloft by an aeroplane. Because of this, a glider flight is shorter, but the unique way it is propelled makes it a real thrill. Most commercial flights take off from airports in Nowy Targ, Łososina Dolna, and Pobiednik Wielki.

Get carried away by the winds of Małopolska

Will you break away from everyday life, and rise above the clouds? Małopolska offers many opportunities to take to the air and get a bird's eye view of the world. Whether you choose to take a balloon flight over the picturesque Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, paraglide hovering over the picturesque uplands of the Beskid Wyspowy, or a thrilling parachute jump far up in the sky above the scenery of the Podhale region each of these experiences will provide an unforgettable experience. Light aircraft or glider flights also open up new horizons, allowing you to admire Małopolska in all its glory and see every picturesque detail. Therefore, let your dreams of flying become reality and let Małopolska be the place where they can come true. Discover Małopolska with us from a completely new perspective!