I met 2 kinds of people who do ultralights nowadays.

#1 is start with hang gliders, then graduate to Quicksilver, PIG (glider), or other 2-axis aircraft, and finally perhaps a Kolb. This is cheaper, but you will survive crashes. I know one local pilot who crashed 10 times, a couple of times with complete write-off of his aircraft. He flies an old Quick MXL now. This is a true barnstorming way, you almost repeat the history of early aviators this way.

#2 is go up into conventional aviation, then downsize the best you can. That's basically what I am doing. In our ultralight club, the recommended legal instruction is with a local guy who has a Cessna 120. That's as slow as it goes with a CFI. Then a member takes you up in RANS S-12XL or similar E-AB (we don't have anyone with ELSA). You cannot obtain instruction and you are supposed to stay off the controls, but at least you get the sight picture and know how steep the glide is. After that, check yourself out like you would in any GA single-seater like FlyBaby.

Road #1 is dangerous and road #2 is expensive.