Bello Horizonte

Bello Horizonte is a thermal, soaring, cross-country, hike-and-fly and winch site at 1,869 m in Colombia's Valle del Cauca, working on wind from north, southwest, west and northwest. The grass takeoff is spacious enough for 5 to 8 gliders at once, though pilots should stay clear of the public viewing structures off to the right. Registration and a small daily fee (around 5,000 COP as of recent reports) are required at launch. Landing is flexible: top-land right at takeoff, a little further down the hill on the left with a short walk back up, or fly about a kilometer west to a spacious ground-handling area that also works for top-landing. The regular landing is at the Dédalos restaurant, with large fields to the west of the road and windsocks on site to read the wind. Getting up to launch is typically by jeep from the Dédalos landing zone. Before flying, check the posted airspace information for the area and a current wind forecast — conditions here are worth confirming rather than assuming.

Launch & conditions

The grass takeoff holds 5 to 8 gliders at once — spacious, but stay clear of the public viewing structures to the right.

Getting there & local rules

Get up to launch by jeep from the Dédalos landing zone. Registration and a small daily fee are required at launch.

Local rules & hazards

Check the posted airspace information for this area and a current wind forecast before flying — both are readily available locally.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Bello Horizonte, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Bello Horizonte with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.