Map of Africa

Map of Africa near Wilderness on South Africa's Garden Route is a well-organised private-club site — takeoff a large grassy field at 153 m ASL, controlled and maintained by Cloudbase Paragliding. All pilots must register and pay online with the Map Jump Club before flying, and students need a minimum of 10 flights before flying here. It sits inside the George (GRJ) CTR with a 450 m ASL ceiling (glider box up to 1,500 ft ASL as of October 2012). Refer to the site rules for the no-fly zones over the ridge houses (stay 40 m clear).

Launch & conditions

Large grassy field at 153 m ASL. On busy days, prepare gear on the flat ground under the telephone cable. Check wind direction on the beach — the top of the field sits on a large bowl.

Getting there & local rules

From the N2, head to Wilderness. At the traffic circle (Wilderness Hotel on left), turn left and follow signs for Map of Africa about 5 km up the hill. Turn west into Remskoen Laan — takeoff is signposted. Park perpendicular to the fence, in a space not allocated to a school. Leave the gate area clear for Cloudbase School and emergency vehicles. Landings: top-land, or on the beach east of Lentjies Klip (beware of sunbathers). Get a thorough briefing before attempting to top-land.

Local rules & hazards

Compulsory Map Jump Club membership. Students: minimum 10 flights required. Site is inside the George (GRJ) CTR — ceiling 450 m ASL (glider box up to 1,500 ft ASL as of October 2012). NO-FLY zones over houses on the ridge — stay 40 m clear. Winds may switch to easterly which is very turbulent with heavy sink; SSW is similar. The trees have claimed many victims.

Check conditions before you fly

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