Route library · Weekend · Mountains
Delhi to Bir Billing
Bir sits in the Kangra valley at about 1,400 m, backed by the Dhauladhar range. It is India's paragliding capital — the Billing take-off is a short ride above the town at around 2,400 m — and also a Tibetan settlement with working monasteries, a print library and a growing cafe scene. Easy riding, a lot to do, and a soft landing for a Himachal weekend.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,000–1,100 km
- Riding time
- 10–11 hours each way — a long day, split if you can
- Nights
- One works; two is comfortable
- Start point
- Delhi (via Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Mandi)
- Highest point
- About 2,400 m at the Billing launch
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Good roads throughout; the only real challenge is the distance.
- Surface
- Chandigarh–Mandi–Jogindernagar–Bir is largely good NH and state highway; the Bir–Billing road is narrow, steep and part-rough
- Best season
- March to June and September to November. Autumn (Oct–Nov) is the prime paragliding season with the clearest air; the monsoon grounds flights and slicks the Billing road.
The ride
Delhi → Chandigarh → Bilaspur → Mandi → Jogindernagar → Bir. It is a long but straightforward ride on good roads. Bir itself is walkable and full of cafes.
Ride up to Billing for the launch site and the valley view (even if you are not flying), visit the Sherabling and Chokling monasteries, the Deer Park Institute, and the tea gardens around Palampur and the Baijnath Shiva temple a short ride west. Tandem paragliding flights run from Billing in season.
Day by day
Delhi to Bir
The long day: Delhi → Chandigarh → Bilaspur → Mandi → Jogindernagar → Bir (10–11 hours). Fuel at Mandi and Jogindernagar. Settle into a Bir guesthouse.
Bir, Billing and the monasteries
Ride up to Billing early for the light and, if you want, a tandem flight. Afternoon at Sherabling monastery, the Deer Park Institute, and the cafes. Optional loop to Palampur and Baijnath.
Bir to Delhi
The long ride home. Start at first light — the Mandi–Bilaspur–Chandigarh stretch is slow.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy to Mandi, Jogindernagar, Baijnath and Bir.
- The Bir–Billing road has no pump — top up in Bir before riding up.
- Bir has guesthouses, hostels and homestays across budgets, plus plenty of food. Book ahead in the autumn flying season.
Road & conditions
The route to Bir is on well-maintained NH and state highway — a long ride, not a hard one. The Bir–Billing road is the exception: narrow, steep, with tight bends and broken tarmac, shared with taxis ferrying flyers up. Ride it slowly, especially on the way down, and avoid it just after rain.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- The nearest well-equipped hospital is the valley/district town, one to two hours off; signal is patchy above the bazaar; carry the group lead's number and an emergency card.
Best time to ride
October and November are the prime window — the clearest air, the best flying, and comfortable temperatures. March to June is green and mild. The monsoon grounds the paragliding and makes the Billing road greasy. Winter is cold but rideable, with fewer flights.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a warm layer for Billing and the evenings, and cash. If you plan to fly, book the tandem in advance in peak season.
Ride this with a group
We run Bir as an easy Kangra-valley weekend — the long day paced and split, guesthouses booked, and a clean-up at the Billing launch and Bir landing field.