I'm doing research on Hot Air Balloon trips. Best, most scenic, etc. I've taken one in the Dordogne region of France. Anyone else have an experience they'd recommend? Anywhere in the world is ok.
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Posted on Feb 02, 2011
14 Answers
I was in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan this summer talking an early morning walk when I looked up to find a beautiful hot air balloon floating in the sky...little did I know they do a lot of them there. My camera was out of film (which was nice actually to just enjoy the moment with out trying to snap a thousand photos) but here is a photo I found online. Jordan is amazing so I would highly recommend this one!
Posted Feb 03, 2011
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That's beautiful!! i've been there but never thought about doing it with a hot air balloon. Now I have to go back.....
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
Agreed, looks amazing. Jordan on my short list.
Posted on Feb 04, 2011
Moran- I know...any reason to return to Jordan is a good one....and Dan, you have to get there....it's such an incredible place to visit....food, culture, nature, beautiful genuine lovely people, desert, beaches, history...Jordan has it all.
Posted on Feb 09, 2011
Over the Serengeti in Tanzania. It was a mind blowing experience to have elephants, lions and hippos romping below you as you floated, seemingly effortlessly, above all while the sun was slowly coming up giving us the most gorgeous morning light.
Posted Feb 05, 2011
Add a commentWow, this looks like a painting. Wonderful photo Neely. Could I contact you in a private email about your trip? kimberley@kimberleylovato.com
Posted on Feb 07, 2011
Kimberley,
Oh, thank you. Feel free to get in touch. My email is celndine@dhp.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
best,
Neeley
Posted on Feb 07, 2011
Very cool Neely.
Posted on Feb 08, 2011
wow...always want to do that..:) Great shot
Posted on Feb 08, 2011
Dan, beautiful! Are these your photos? could you tell me more about the outfit/company that organized this for you? the photo with all the balloons is stunning. Was it an event or are these just private flights? Thanks for sharing.
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
No not my pics (hat tip to Google for that)> I lived in Temecula for a short while and I never actually took a ride, but I would see the Balloons soaring over the vineyards all the time. Here is a site I found though if you are interested.
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
Of course there are many places that have a WOW factor... but one of the best I have ever done (call me biased if you wish) is over the dunes at Sossusvlei. Quite spectacular.
Posted Feb 02, 2011
Add a commentwow, this is beautiful. Could I ask you which company you used to organize this? I'll need that kind of detail. This is an awesome photo!
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
Hi, Kimberley. I'm hoping to do one in a few weeks in Cappadocia, Turkey. Depends on the winds whether or not the balloons will take off. It's supposed to be amazing! Here are a couple of pictures I found online. I hope to be able to add my own...
Posted Feb 03, 2011
Add a commentWow looks awesome!
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
I did a balloon ride in Cappadocia, and it was very cool. We just arranged it through our hotel, which was the Kelebek House, in Goreme.
Also went ballooning outside Alice Springs, Australia. Floating over bouncing kangaroos at sunrise is tough to beat. Again, just booked it through our hostel there, so I'm not sure of the company.
Posted on Feb 03, 2011
I really hope the weather cooperates and we can go! Thank you again Jeremy for the help on the tours. We've arranged two through New Faces and we did select the Red & Rose Valleys.
Posted on Feb 04, 2011
Wow, Jennifer, I hope you can go too!! Jeremy, do you have a private email at which I can contact you, if you want. If not no worries. Enjoy Jennifer. let us know how it turns out!
Posted on Feb 07, 2011
Hi, Kimberley. We were able to do our balloon ride. It was cold and snowing but still beautiful. I'm attaching several photos I took with a cool app on my iPhone (the photos should look blurry in spots).
Posted on Mar 14, 2011
Ann, did you actually do this trip? If so, could i contact you in a private email? kimberley@kimberleylovato.com Great photos!
Posted on Feb 07, 2011
Ballooning with Napa Valley Balloons is a wonderful way to see the valley. They've been on all kinds of media. Scenery is great, and exotic for those not from the SF bay area (in the USA). Some of the sites around the world sound wonderful, as well, and I'll keep them in mind. (Temecula sounds great, too!)
Posted Feb 03, 2011
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I'll echo Luxor, Egypt (though now probably wouldn't be the moment). And add migration time in Maasai Mara in Kenya. And finally,as I prepare for my next trip, Soussevlei - the amazing dunes of Namib Desert in Namibia.
Posted Feb 05, 2011
Add a commentI also did the sunrise Valley of the Kings balloon ride in Luxor, Egypt. Let's just say it was a memorable experience. The process was slow (and it was quite an early morning), and they didn't have us up in the air until about an hour after sunrise, which was a little disappointing. Additionally, the truck that picked us up in the sands of the Saraha broke down. Hilarious. However, the views from the air were stunning and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Posted Feb 09, 2011
Add a commentNothing can be as breath taking as taking a baloon flight over the Masai Mara during the wildebeest migration...follow millions of wildebeest and zebra, elephants, lions, cheetah and small gazzelles...ending in a bush style champange breakfast, not forgettong the perfect setting...an Africa Sunrise. Awesome..
Posted Feb 13, 2011
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Cappadocia, Turkey, hands down. When I did it several years ago I sprung for the Deluxe flight with Kapadokya Balloons, and it was so worth it. Most of the balloons from all of the other companies all launch from the same place every day, but for the deluxe programs the pilots watch the weather and choose the launch site accordingly to give you the best flight.
There's one thing that makes Cappadocia one of the best places in the world to do a hot-air balloon ride: topography. The Loire Valley and the Serengeti are flat (I had the opportunity to do a Serengeti flight but opted out because I had been so spoiled in Turkey!), but in Cappadocia the pilots can take you down into the valleys. It's really amazing: a skilled pilot can steer the balloon to within a couple inches of accuracy. I remember reading that at the right time of year you can pick apricots off the tops of the trees! It wasn't apricot season when I was there but flying over the whitewashed towns, the gorges, my hotel in Goreme; going down into the valleys and way way up to catch the currents; seeing all the other balloons off in the distance (very pretty); and toasting with champagne at the end of the flight were all worth it!
Posted Mar 02, 2011
Add a commentStephanie I'm heading to Istanbul and Cappadocia this weekend and I REALLY hope the weather cooperates for our ballon ride after reading your post!
Posted on Mar 02, 2011
Turkey, Goreme - amazing landscape, just be aware some people freak out, we had to sit one mexican woman down and the pilot told me if she tries to jump stop her,lol. It can be cool also, ask the pilot if you need to bring warm clothes. Surreal experience.
Posted Mar 28, 2011
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Check this one off the bucket list!!
It is definitely worth getting up before dawn to experience a balloon flight above Napa Valley, California. We enjoyed our experience tremendously. It was pretty to see the all the other balloons as they floated along, the views over Napa are just outstanding! The wineries, the trees, the landscape, the sunny day, everything made it a wonderful experience :)
Our pilot and all the staff were great, and very informative.
I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Posted Jun 01, 2011
Add a commentQueensland, New Zealand. We have done about 5 hot air balloon trips and the best one was in Queensland, New Zealand. All were good but this was the best. Great view of the Southern Alps.
Posted Dec 11, 2011
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