We are all very excited at XShot to announce a partnership with Parahawking.com in Nepal!
Founder Scott Mason has married his love of soaring birds with paragliding and has not only created a one of a kind “flying with the birds” experience and has been a leader in conserving and protecting many kinds of birds of prey. His operation is based in Pokhara, Nepal and is one of the “must do” activities while visiting the region according to fellow paragliders and Tripadvisor.com!
Paraglider pilots constantly have their head in the clouds. They study changing weather conditions, air masses, temperatures and the birds to see if the conditions are good so they can fly safely. Soaring birds have been around quite a bit longer than us flying humans and have evolved into efficient flying machines that are the experts at maximizing lift and making calories count for their survival. It’s very rare that they are able to share a thermal with a soaring bird, but Scott and his team make this an everyday reality!
Stay tuned for stunning flying pictures from Nepal with Scott and his team.
Check out a Q&A from Scott below:
1. Why did you choose your path and how did you get started?
I started training and flying birds for Falconry when I was 11 years old, that’s 32 years ago. My love and passion for birds of prey and fascination with their behavior in flight inspired me to develop the Parahawking Project in 2001. Making people dreams come true daily, that’s what keeps me doing it.
2. How did you hear about the XShot?
I was introduced to XShot by Becca, a paraglider-photographer and former employee of mine, I had selfiestick envy.
3. What do you always carry in your camera/travel bag?
I work with animals and I have 2 young children, I never go anywhere without my GoPro, you never know what madness you’re going to capture.
4. Where is your favorite location to take pictures?
My favorite location to take pictures is Pokhara, Nepal. It has everything, a photographers dream, culture, colors, mountains, lakes, wildlife, people, smiles. There is an award winning shot at every turn.
5. We noticed that you had been taking very creative photos, how do you think you will use XShot the most?
The XShot will provide the opportunity to capture magnificent and unique in flight shots with our passengers and birds.
6. Tell us about your new exciting trips and projects to come.
We’ll be flying with our birds daily from around mid October. Every flight is different, every passenger is different, all I do is point the camera and capture as much of the experience as possible.
About Scott Mason:
Scott was born and raised in the suburbs of London’s east end. His childhood years were spent on the Judo mat, on the football pitch or on the race track. Needless to say he was an active child, adventurous, some would say a little reckless at times. Scott developed a love for nature and particularly birds when I was about 8 years old. Through an obsession for birds of prey he discovered falconry and by the age of 11 had acquired my first bird of prey, a Barn Owl. After immersing myself in the sport, it’s history, methods and techniques Scott soon moved onto proper hunting birds, Goshawks and Falcons.
After leaving school Scott had a brief career in banking but at 18 had got a job as a full time Falconry Instructor at the prestigious British School of Falconry in Kent, UK. A further change in career took Scott into the music business and then onto graphic design where he ran his own company for 5 years. In 2001 Scott discovered paragliding whilst on a year sabbatical then decided to combine his new love for flying with his lifetime devotion to birds of prey. Scott conceived and developed the activity of Parahawking, paragliding with trained birds of prey, since then The Parahawking Project has grown from an experiment in bird of prey enrichment to an ward winning bird training and enrichment program, and a popular tourist activity in Nepal.
Scott has produced 2 internationally award winning movies about Parahawking and has been featured on the National Geographic, Discovery Channel and the BBC for his work with birds of prey and particularly for his contribution towards vulture conservation in Nepal. Scott and his wife live in Nepal with their two children where they operate a guest house and restaurant as well as running a dedicated raptor rescue and rehabilitation facility, the only one of it’s kind in Nepal.
Check them out if you go to Nepal and for the pure pleasure of discovering the Parahawking Project , + on facebook or Instagram @parahawking .