Babadağ in Muğla becomes Türkiye's paragliding hub

A favorite destination for paragliders, Babadağ in the southwestern Turkish province of Muğla’s Fethiye district, has attracted more visitors in recent years. The operator of the cable car company that oversees flights said the number of flights increased by 15% and reached 109,347 in the first eight months of 2022, compared to the same period of 2021.

Located in the rural Ölüdeniz neighborhood, which is also home to one of the most pristine corners of the Mediterranean Sea, Babadağ, situated some 1,965 meters (6,447 feet) above sea level, is easily accessible with cable cars while some people choose driving to the spot.

Taking off from the highest point, paragliders indulge in the stunning scenery of Ölüdeniz (literally the Dead Sea named for its still but also crystal-clear, turquoise waters) below. In the company of skilled pilots, tourists are provided a bird’s eye view of the region surrounded by lush forests.

Last year, Babadağ hosted 167,000 flights. Later this month, it will host a four-day World Acro Cup and International Ölüdeniz Air Games Festival, while authorities hope two events that bring together skilled paragliders will attract more to Babadağ. Cengiz Koçak, director of the cable car company, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday that the number of flights exceeded their expectations. “The flights benefit the tourism sector in the region and we hope to break a new record this year, with 200,000 flights by the end of the year,” he said. Koçak said foreign tourists were among the visitors and Babadağ was most popular among British tourists. “After Britons, Russian, Chinese and Ukrainian tourists participate in most flights,” he added.

Babadağ offers its visitors a chance to observe the unique scenery with its four tracks, which are 1,200, 1,700, 1,800 and 1,900 meters high. While those who paraglide experience the adrenaline in the air, people who sunbathe on the beach watch the visual feast created by the paragliders.

With steep hills overlooking seas and sprawling forests and windy weather, Türkiye offers a lot to paragliders. Babadağ is the primary destination, while similar spots are available in the provinces of Denizli, Kaş in Antalya, Mount Nemrut in southeastern Türkiye, Alidağ in central Anatolian province of Kayseri, Munzur in Erzincan near the Black Sea region, the central province of Eskişehir, Izmir in the west and Tekirdağ in the northwest.