Scenic Flights

If you have never been gliding before, the Southern Soaring Team will be able to provide you with the ultimate introductory flight!  Scenic flying is our speciality - we pride ourselves in giving you New Zealand's premier gliding experience!


When you arrive in Omarama (click on the 'Omarama' button at left if you're not sure where we are), all you have to do is follow the brown tourist signs advertising "glider flights" and then the blue "Southern Soaring" signs that lead to our front door.


You will be greeted by our friendly and experienced staff, and then introduced to one of our professional pilots - carefully chosen to provide you with an enjoyable and safe experience.  Before your flight in one of our dual-seat  high-performance gliders, you will be given a full safety briefing and shown how the aircraft is controlled in flight. 


One of Southern Soaring's high performance two-seat gliders on a scenic flight near Omarama.

After being towed aloft by our towplane, the glider will be released at around 2000 feet above the airfield and your pilot will begin to search for updrafts.  This may involve finding hot columns of rising air (thermals) or soaring along above the nearby mountain ridges.  What fun!  And the views are stunning!  On a good day, you should see Mt Cook!

 

All clients get to fly in the front seat and have an opportunity to fly the glider!

Before landing, you will be given the opportunity to control the glider  yourself under the guidance of your pilot - now, that wasn't too hard was it?


The beautifully sculptured Cloud Hills north-west of Omarama with the Ahuriri River behind.

For those doing the Southern Soaring Explorer, we will provide you with a FREE gliding DVD ($30.00 value) - all part of our aim to give you a quality experience, great service and a fun time!




Snow covering the Benmore Range early in the season.

Prices

Valley Explorer	Our most popular flight! 30-minutes in the air, fly further and longer, an opportunity to fly the glider and FREE DVD!	NZ$325.00
Mountain Adventurer	For the serious adventurer! One hour flight (weather permitting) with an opportunity to fly cross-country to other mountains. Flights up to 10,000 feet are possible. Free DVD!	NZ$420.00
Great Alpine Advernture	A two-hour adventure (weather permitting) where we fly as far or as high as we can. Clients may use supplementary oxygen if we go over 10,000 feet. Free DVD!	NZ$640.00

To convert New Zealand prices to foreign currency, please click here.

To avoid disappointment during the soaring season (October to March), we strongly recommended booking ahead of your visit so that you can fly at a time that suits you. Best soaring conditions are from 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm.

If you would like to give a flight as a gift, you can purchase a Southern Soaring Gift Voucher here.



On any flight, you may be able to upgrade to a longer flight if nobody has booked in after you.