Rishikesh – Kunjapuri

Rishikesh–Kunjapuri is a rarely-flown Himalayan foothills site in Uttarakhand, north India — a taxi ride up to the Kunjapuri temple and a launch that gives smooth big thermals with panoramic Himalayan views (often capped by an inversion around 400 m above takeoff). The takeoff is tricky, with scrub that will catch your lines and a reverse launch is the way to go. Rescue in India is essentially non-existent, so treat the flying as remote. The line down runs about 1 km of low-gradient decline before the valley drops away properly — if you're not going to make the main valley, bail out and land in a rice field early, then walk back up.

Launch & conditions

Reach the launch by taxi ~45 min up to the Kunjapuri temple. Takeoff is either on the last bend of the road before the temple, or a short 200 m walk down to the left to a small pimple-like hill. Tricky launch with scrub that catches lines — reverse launch required. No signage marks the takeoff.

Getting there & local rules

Taxi from Rishikesh ~45 min (~Rs 600) up to Kunjapuri. Landing: not visible from takeoff — it lies below you to the left of Rishikesh. Main LZ is a sand bank just upriver of Lakshman Jhula on the Ganges, about 6 km from takeoff. If you can't make it, any rice field works — keep a very careful eye for the power lines that plague the landscape; fields can be deceptively small.

Local rules & hazards

Wind blows hard until about 11 am most days. During monsoon, clouds can build very quickly — watch the sky. An inversion often sits around 400 m above takeoff. Rescue in India is essentially non-existent — fly conservatively. There are no significant airspace regulations, but this is a remote and lightly-flown site.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Rishikesh – Kunjapuri, 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 Rishikesh – Kunjapuri with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.