Things to Do in Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh (2026)

There are more things to do in Bir Billing than just paragliding, even though that’s what pulls most people here first. You’ll hear the gliders before you see them, bright canopies drifting down over the landing field, fifteen minutes after launching from a meadow 900 meters above.

Bir splits into two parts that share one name. Billing is the launch site, high up, cold, and mostly just a meadow with a view. Bir itself, technically the village of Chowgan, is where you’ll actually spend your time.

Quick facts

You’ll hear the gliders before you see them. Bright canopies drifting down over Bir’s landing field, fifteen minutes after launching from a meadow 900 meters above. That’s the postcard image most people come for. It’s also only about a third of what the place actually offers.

Bir splits into two parts that share one name. Billing is the launch site, high up, cold, and mostly just a meadow with a view. Bir itself, technically the village of Chowgan, is where you’ll actually spend your time: cafes, a Tibetan colony, monasteries, and the kind of slow mountain pace that surprises people who only came for the adrenaline.

Things to do in Bir Billing: paragliding at the launch site

This is the reason most people know the name. The launch site sits around 2,400 meters, roughly 14 km above Bir by road, and the flight down takes you over pine forest and terraced fields before landing at Chowgan.

Book through a registered operator; prices generally run ₹2,000-6,000 depending on flight length and whether you want a GoPro video of your own flight. The main season runs October through June; monsoon months (July-September) ground most flights for safety.

You don’t need experience. Tandem flights with a certified pilot are the standard setup, and the operators handle the technical side entirely.

Bir Tibetan Colony and the monasteries

Bir has been home to a Tibetan refugee community since the early 1960s, established not long after the 1959 exile. The colony sits at the western edge of Chowgan, and it’s worth treating as more than a photo stop.

Chokling Monastery sits inside the colony itself, known for its stupa and a large statue inside the main hall.

Palpung Sherabling Monastery, about 6 km out, is one of the older and larger monasteries in the area, spread across roughly 30 acres with room for 250 monks. It runs both short- and long-term courses in meditation, if that’s something you’re interested in rather than just viewing.

Go respectfully. This is a living community and an active spiritual center, not a museum exhibit built for visitors.

Deer Park Institute

A center for the study of classical Indian philosophy and meditation, with a quiet, well-kept campus, gardens, and prayer flags. Worth an hour even if you’re not here for a workshop, it’s one of the more genuinely peaceful spots in Bir, away from the paragliding crowd.

Cafes and the Chowgan landing field

The landing meadow itself has become a hangout in its own right; small cafes and bakeries ring the edges, and watching gliders come in while you have a coffee is a legitimate way to spend an afternoon here, no flight required.

Trekking and mountain biking

Several trails start from the Bir area, ranging from short half-day walks to multi-day routes. Bir also sees a fair amount of mountain biking traffic given the terrain and the elevation change between Chowgan and Billing. If you want more remote, quieter trekking than what’s directly around Bir, that’s exactly where the villages below come in, more on that shortly.

Among the quieter things to do in Bir Billing, this is the one most visitors skip.

How to reach Bir Billing

By road. From Delhi: Delhi to Chandigarh to Kiratpur to Una to Kangra to Palampur to Baijnath to Bir, roughly 500-520 km and 11-13 hours. From Chandigarh: about 250-290 km, 6-8 hours, depending on which route you take.

By air. Gaggal Airport (also called Kangra or Dharamshala Airport), about 65-70 km out, with limited direct flight connectivity. Most travelers fly into Delhi or Chandigarh and continue by road.

By train. No broad-gauge station in Bir itself. Ahju, on the narrow-gauge line, is the closest at roughly 3 km, but service is limited. Pathankot is the practical broad-gauge option for onward connections, though it’s still 120-140 km out.

Where to stay

Since there’s a wide range of things to do in Bir Billing spread across a few days, book accommodation early during peak season.

Bir has a wide range of accommodation given how established it is as a tourist destination: homestays, guesthouses, and a few more polished stays near Chowgan. Book ahead during peak paragliding season (October-June), especially around any competition dates, since rooms fill fast.

Want something quieter than Bir?

Bir is popular for a reason, but it’s also crowded for a reason. If you’ve done the paragliding and the monastery walk and you’re craving something with fewer people and no queue for a flight slot, a few places worth knowing about sit within a few hours of here, all part of the same broader Himachal region:

• Barot Valley: river-side, quiet, the kind of place with no shopping and no crowds, built around trout fishing and forest walks instead of adventure sports.
• Shoja: a small mountain village near Jalori Pass, further into the Banjar Valley, with none of Bir’s tourist infrastructure and all of its scenery.
• Chehni Kothi: a 350-year-old wooden tower and a short trek if you want history and a quieter trail instead of another adrenaline stop.

None of these are a replacement for Bir. They know what to do next once Bir’s done its job.

If you’ve already covered the main things to do in Bir Billing, here’s where to go next.

FAQs

A few quick answers before you plan your list of things to do in Bir Billing.

What is Bir Billing known for?
Bir Billing is known as the paragliding capital of India. Billing is the high-altitude launch site, and Bir is the landing village, home to a Tibetan Buddhist community and several monasteries.

How do I reach Bir Billing from Delhi?
By road, it’s roughly 500-520 km, taking 11-13 hours via Chandigarh, Una, Kangra, and Baijnath. The nearest airport, Gaggal, has limited direct connectivity, so most travelers fly into Delhi and continue by road or overnight bus.

Is Bir Billing good for non-paragliders?
Yes. The Tibetan colony, monasteries, Deer Park Institute, cafes around Chowgan, and several trekking routes all give visitors plenty to do without flying at all.

What is the best time to visit Bir Billing?
October through June. Monsoon months (July-September) ground most paragliding flights and make trekking trails slick.

How much does paragliding cost in Bir Billing?
Roughly ₹2,000-6,000 per flight, depending on duration and extras like a GoPro recording of the flight.