If you’re thinking about hot air ballooning in Luxor, this is your guide! In this quick guide, I’ll outline everything you need to know about a Luxor hot air balloon ride. We will talk about whether you should even do the balloon ride, how and when to book, the prices as well as what to bring and what to expect from this experience.
It’s an incredibly peaceful time in the air. The balloon is literally floating, you don’t feel a thing, and it’s so silent. All the while you fly over one of the most amazing experiences worldwide. The height depends on the wind, so sometimes you fly so low over the sugarcane fields that you can almost touch them, and other times you fly high over all the other balloons. If the wind is right, you even fly over the Valley of the Kings! It’s honestly so amazing, you really can’t miss this!
- Prices vary greatly and depend on a few different factors such as the season and where you buy your tickets from.
- The balloon ride prices rise during peak seasons. It’s especially busy during the holiday weeks for Europeans, as this is where most tourists are flying in from.
- Prices are therefore quickly increasing in October, December, and April and you can easily pay double.
During high season it’s also important to book ahead as spots quickly fill up. Another major factor that determines the cost is where you get your balloon tickets from.
Even though costs are going up, this is still the cheapest place to do a balloon ride pretty much anywhere in the world, especially considering the breathtaking scenery you get to see here.
There is no set landing point, it always depends on the wind. So when your captain starts descending and preparing for landing, you will see they usually already arrived on ground and are waiting to help you land.
A few more things you might find interesting to know:
- After they pick you up from your hotel or cruise ship, you go to the docks and cross the river with a small boat (not a Felucca).
- They provide tea and coffee there, much needed this early in the morning!
- Oh, and they ask you for your weight so they can determine who to put where in the basket to balance it out. Maybe have a diet day before!
- It’s helpful for them to know it in kilograms, so maybe calculate your weight beforehand if you use a different system to make it easy for them.
- The hot air balloon baskets are quite big. They will take up to around 20 people in one balloon. It can get quite cozy.
- You have to climb a bit to get in and out of the basket, but they help you with small stairs and lift you if needed.
- It’s not important where exactly in the basket your spot is. The balloon turns around itself and in all possible directions all the time. You will get to see everything anyways, so don’t stress.
- The balloon is literally floating in the air, so you don’t have to worry about motion sickness or anything. It’s as smooth as can be, you don’t feel anything.
- The hot air balloon ride in Luxor takes around one hour.
- The whole experience takes up more time, of course, with transportation and all that. We got picked up at 4:25 am and were back at the hotel by like 7 am.
What you see during your balloon ride depends entirely on the wind. It blows in different directions on different heights and the captain adjusts direction according to that. They will always try to give you the best experience! With a bit of luck, you even get to fly over the Valley of the Kings!
Either way, you will see the Nile river from above, the farmland (mostly sugarcane), locals waving at you from the streets and rooftops, and for sure some of Luxor’s open-air museum. We flew right over the huge graves and a temple, pretty cool!
After the ride was over, we got a certificate for the completion. A nice memory if you’re into collecting tickets etc.
If you’ve never been on a hot air balloon ride and find yourself in Luxor, do yourself a favor and book this once-in-a-lifetime experience.