A hot air balloon trip to Marrakech is perhaps one of the most unforgettable experiences available during a visit to the famed red city. Admiring the city and the Atlas Mountains from the skies, especially around dawn, is a magnificent experience!
Today in the blog, I give my thoughts on this hot air balloon ride in Marrakech. I’ll start with the important facts you need to know: the flight price, booking, reviews, etc. I’ll also explain why I think it’s a good idea to book it online here before you go.
Your comments or feedback on hot air balloon flights in Marrakech, Morocco are always welcome on the blog! Please feel free to share your questions or comments with other blog readers who are planning a trip to Marrakech and are interested in taking a hot air balloon ride there.
What you need to know about Marrakech hot air ballooning:
To begin this article on the possibility of taking a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech, let’s start with what you should know before deciding whether or not to go for this hot air balloon experience above the red city’s surroundings.
After reading this first paragraph, you should have a good idea of what you need to know in order to decide and possibly book your hot air ballooning experience in Morocco. The remainder of this article will concentrate on my experience and will be of interest to you if you want to learn more about this unforgettable experience.
The cost of a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech is:
To begin, let’s address a critical issue: the price. This type of experience, whether in Morocco or elsewhere in the world, is never cheap. And the price is quite reasonable here!
The cost of a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech is as follows:
- Approximately 200 euros per person (adult), bookable online here.
- Children’s prices (ages 4 to 10): around 100 euros.
- The fee includes transportation from your lodging.
On-site, the price is sometimes more than 200 euros. As a result, it is better to book online via our website. The lottery of bargaining in a tiny local agency will come into play on-site. Whatever happens, you will not find a better offer! Also, avoid booking via your hotel, since it will be considerably more costly…
Later in this review, I will offer you my recommendations for the best day to go ballooning. You’ll find that it’s much better to book it ahead of time on the internet.
The cost of ballooning in Marrakech includes the following:
- Pick up and drop off at your hotel.
- Time spent in the air: around one hour.
- Before takeoff, a hot beverage is served, and breakfast is served shortly after landing.
There are no additional fees to pay on-site. As a result, the amount you pay online is the final and definite price for a high-quality service.
Flights are available all year!
Because of the region’s climate, flights may be scheduled all year. This activity will be available to you regardless of the length of your stay in Morocco.
This is significant because hot air balloon flights are only available in many countries for a portion of the year. Because the danger of rain is minimal, cancellations are still possible but less often than in other parts of the globe.
We will see later in this blog post that if you cancel your flight, you will be completely reimbursed.
Flight duration:
The balloon flight in Marrakech is scheduled to last one hour. My flight was precisely 64 minutes long. There is always a 5 or 10-minute tolerance, either way. It should be noted that the flight route is determined not only by the winds but also by where it is feasible to land. Later in this review, I will show you the GPS map of my flight as well as the altitude reading.
The distance traveled during the hour spent in the air for this fly over the Marrakech region is determined by the winds once again. And it is not always the distance that is most important. The altitude fluctuations are typically more spectacular since the sceneries change dramatically. You can view it in this post, where all of the photos were shot during the flight I was allowed to take.
Where can I get this hot air balloon ride in Marrakech?
This ballooning action takes place in the adjacent countryside, beyond the palm grove, rather than above the city.
The take-off location is indeed outside of the red city; it takes around 35 to 40 minutes to reach this location from the city center (pick-up is included in the flight service).
As a result, the trip mostly flies across arid terrain (but without dunes). We can see a little typical settlement, as well as agricultural grounds, empty regions, and, of course, the gorgeous Atlas Mountains in the distance. And it is apparent that this is one of the benefits of hot air ballooning in Marrakech. The scenery is diverse, and visibility is excellent!
There is just one time period available: a morning flight.
The issue of time does not arise with hot air balloon trips. They are all scheduled to begin at dawn.
To experience the sunlight at the start of the journey, the plane takes off 5 minutes before sunrise. Then you may take in the landscape as the light gradually grows… For me, this is the finest time of day to fly, whether in Morocco or elsewhere. The light at morning is beautiful! Especially in Marrakech, where you have a good possibility of seeing an unobstructed sky and consequently a spectacular dawn…
Organizing a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech
It is strongly advised to book ahead of time for a variety of reasons. Online reservations are available here.
First and foremost, the number of available spaces is unavoidably restricted. There aren’t hundreds of balloons flying over the red city’s surroundings. Because the cost of this pastime is not necessarily prohibitively expensive (flights are sometimes priced in excess of 300 euros…), many tourists indulge in this little pleasure during their stay.
Where can I book a hot air balloon excursion in Marrakech?
I suggest using this website to arrange your ballooning vacation at the greatest price. Payment is made in euros, with a credit card, or via PayPal. You will not be charged any exchange fees. Furthermore, if you cancel, you will be reimbursed immediately to your credit card. Without having to travel or pay bank fees.
I’m not going to go into detail about it since it’s already been brought up.
When is the most convenient time to fly over?
When it comes to the best day for a hot air balloon ride in Marrakech, I suggest booking it on your first day there. If you arrive at midday on a Friday, for example, I propose that you book for the following day. Why would I do anything like this?
Simply because, in the event of a cancellation, you will have greater flexibility to reschedule your travel for the following day. Or the next day. You will be reimbursed if you are unable to reschedule. But it’s always a pity to miss out on such a fantastic experience!
If you are staying for a week, you will have greater flexibility in rescheduling the activity. On the other side, finding a new date with availability for a 3- or 4-day stay may be more difficult. Don’t forget that if your flight is canceled (due to weather), you won’t be the only one who wants to reschedule for the following day or the day after…
What if the flight is canceled?
It is possible that the flight may be canceled due to weather conditions. If your flight is canceled, you have two options:
- Replan a balloon ride for the following day or another day.
- If you are unable to organize a fresh take-off, request a complete refund.
Many visitors only remain for two or three days before continuing their trip to Morocco. As a result, booking your travel online and for the first day of your stay is highly recommended. This allows us greater wiggle space for unpredictable weather circumstances.
Furthermore, if you book online, the refund (if you are unable to reschedule the flight) will be much smoother because it will be done directly on your credit card. If you choose a small local agency, you must travel to the agency,…
The flight path of the balloon in Marrakech:
I won’t go into too much detail about the flight path because it’s important to leave some surprises in what you’ll see during the flight.
As a result, I’ll focus mostly on organizational issues. Similarly, in order to maintain the surprise factor, I will not release too many images. This effect is essential in this type of experience for me. Don’t look at too many photos of ballooning near Marrakech: retain the surprise impact. I’m including some of them here so you can pick your favorite, but you’ll get a good sense of what’s going on.
Pick-up from your accommodation in Marrakech:
This service is included in the trip fee. A minibus will pick you up from your hotel and transport you to the take-off location.
The pick-up time will be announced the day before the flight, not on the ticket confirmation (by email). The time of departure is determined by the season since the firm schedules the take-off a few minutes before dawn.
Preparations and flight schedule:
Once you get to the location, you will have the chance to see the balloon’s preparation, which is a phase I always like during a balloon flight. All while sipping a cup of coffee or mint tea!
The inflation of the balloon takes a long time. From the time the balloon is unpacked to the time it is erected and ready to fly, it takes about a half-hour.
These preparations are divided into various phases, each of which is highly impressive:
- The balloon is being unpacked and stretched out on the ground.
- At room temperature, inflate using powerful fans.
- The balloon stays on the ground after it has been half-inflated.
- The air is then heated, causing the balloon to rise.
- When it’s heated enough, you can get into the basket and take off.
The plane takes off a few minutes before dawn. This enables you to be in the air while the sun is hidden behind the Atlas Mountains and yet have excellent visibility! The balloon is very steady from take-off to landing, with almost little shaking. There is no cause to be concerned. And if you’re prone to vertigo, this shouldn’t be an issue since you’re not touching the earth…
Route of the hot air balloon: magnificent landscapes
The balloon flies a few kilometers in an hour, but the height is varied by the pilot. And it is without a doubt the final aspect that is the most stunning! The scenery changes dramatically depending on elevation. At a low height, for example, you can’t see Marrakech. And as the balloon climbs, you may get a glimpse of the metropolis.
During the flight experience, one may then enjoy:
- View the dawn as it sets behind the Atlas Mountains.
- Fly over a little hamlet characteristic of this Moroccan area.
- Passing through places that are sometimes barren, sometimes abandoned, and sometimes farmed.
- In the air, sometimes close to, sometimes above other hot air balloons.
- We can see Marrakech in the distance, and the Koutoubia seems to be rather little.
- The landscapes on the Atlas change gradually as the sun rises in the sky.
The landing of the balloon and the subsequent flight
The basket will land after nearly an hour in the air. And this will take place in a different area than the take-off. As previously stated, depending on the wind, the distance traveled by the balloon might vary by several kilometers. It was roughly 6 to 7 kilometers during my balloon ride.
You will arrive at the take-off spot after a 10- to 15-minute drive. You may then have a full breakfast: Yogurt, Msemen (a kind of pancake), jam, coffee or mint tea, orange juice, and so forth.
After this brunch, a short trip to the restroom, and it’s time to go back to town. After passing through the palm grove, the drive back to Marrakech takes about forty minutes. The whole event lasts a bit less than 4 hours. Then you may relax for the rest of the day since the early departure means you’ll be back in the early/mid-morning depending on the season.
My advice for hot air ballooning over Marrakech’s surroundings:
- To end our review of hot air ballooning in Marrakech, I will provide some tips on how to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime event!
- These suggestions involve not only the booking to discover the greatest price, but also the day of your travel or the course of the activity itself. Some of these suggestions have previously been discussed in this post. This last section is a kind of summation of the things to keep in mind to get the most of it!
- Choose an excursion as soon as possible during your stay, preferably on the first day, particularly if you are only in Marrakech for two or three days.
- Book online to receive the cheapest pricing and a confirmed spot on your preferred day.
- If your expedition is canceled, attempt to reschedule it as soon as possible so that you may have a spot the following day, for example.
- When you board the balloon, attempt to choose a seat in the basket’s corner. This gives for a broader field of vision (even if the balloon turns on itself during the flight, the corners are for me the best places onboard the gondola).
- To achieve success in your photography, keep in mind that the movement of the balloon might cause your images to blur! A short exposure period is required: boost the ISO and utilize a bright lens.
- Don’t forget to experience the balloon journey in Marrakech with your actual eyes, not only via your lens or smartphone screen.
Make a reservation for a Morocco trip that includes a hot air balloon ride!
We have a team of professionals that can design the finest tours in Morocco for you. If you are travelling in Morocco, please fill out the form below.
Conclusion:
This concludes the review and input. I hope this has addressed any questions you may have before choosing whether or not to take a hot air balloon trip over Marrakech.
If your budget permits it, I strongly advise you to participate in this activity. This kind of balloon journey is usually a sight to see, particularly around daybreak. Even though you don’t fly over the desert sands since the journey is near to the red city, the sceneries are breathtaking, and you can view the Atlas peaks throughout the flight. Above all, book your balloon trip (here) early enough in your stay to be able to reschedule it if the initial take-off is canceled due to weather circumstances…
As stated at the beginning of this piece about ballooning in Marrakech, please leave a comment if you have any recommendations, personal thoughts, or questions about the topic. I respond rapidly to queries posted on the blog. These conversations are often helpful to other blog readers who want to visit the city and take a balloon trip.
Topics that might interest you:
- What to see in Erfoud, top things to do and discover
- Top 8 Kasbahs in Morocco
- The Moroccan marriage traditions
- The Moroccan hammam, Why you should try it?
- The ideal Easter itinerary in Morocco
- The best desert in Morocco, Merzouga vs Zagora
- Tetouan city of Morocco
- Skiing in Morocco, Oukaimeden and Michlifen resorts
- Quads and ATVs in Merzouga desert, Morocco
- Official languages of Morocco
Leave a Reply