Hot air balloon ride over Luxor

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Witness history from above on a hot air balloon tour in Luxor. You have to wake up very early, around 3:30 in the morning, to enjoy the view from hundreds of meters above the magical Valley of the Kings.

Hot air balloon rides in Luxor have been for decades one of the most magical ways to soak up the incredible architectural and historical wonders of this city on the Nile. Also, one of the good things about visiting Luxor in a hot air balloon is that it is one of the few places that allow children to participate in the ballooning experience.

How to book the balloon excursion?
The reservation process for your hot air balloon excursion in Luxor is very simple, you can do it from the Destinia website. During the booking process, it is important to select your preferred departure time. The options are 4:30 am, 5:00 am and 5:30 am.

The first hour of departure usually offers the best views of the sunrise, although the views are incredible throughout the entire experience.

The Luxor Balloon Experience
A minibus will pass by your hotel or boat to go to a nearby marina. To reach the excursion area, you will have to cross from the eastern bank of the Nile to the western one. There is only one bridge across the Nile at Luxor, so many excursions use boats to make the crossing, where you will be served a small coffee, tea and juice while the crew gives a safety presentation and informs you of what can be done expect from your hot air balloon ride over Luxor.

In a short time you will dock on the west side of the Nile to board another minibus that will head to the Valley of the Kings. The light of dawn will start to give the sky a rich blue glow as the minibus approaches you to the launch site, where you will see many flames heating the air inside the balloons, an impressive sight to photograph.

Luxor balloon launch
The balloons are designed to hold a total of 20 passengers. Each compartment can accommodate a maximum of five people and the captain who is in the center together with the gas bottles and the flame control.

The trip is normally calm with little wind in the area, you won’t even feel the balloon lift off the ground.

The only sign of ascent will be the view of the ground, which will slowly disappear under our feet.

The history of Luxor from above
As you continue to climb in the balloon, Luxor begins to spread out below you. The first thing you see is the spectacular Valley of the Kings illuminated by the morning sun, you can try to make out the location of the incredible tombs that lie just below the surface of the mountain.

Shortly after, the temple of Queen Hatsheput is flown over. Everything that unfolds below you is an absolute sight to behold.

When you reach cruising altitude, the balloon will begin to descend. Not abruptly, but quickly enough to feel the ground coming up again. A few moments later you will find yourself flying closely over a sugar cane field.

Look down
After passing over the sugar cane plants, the balloon will rise back into the sky. To finish, you will fly over the huge Colossi of Memnon. Soon after, the balloon convoy will head towards the outskirts of Luxor. The vegetation, fed by the Nile River, gives way again to the harsh desert, where you will begin the final descent.

As the balloon comes down, you will see the ground pursuit teams following the balloons. The various ground teams will cover the harsh desert landscape. His means are motorcycles, vans and even donkeys.

As the wind blows you in different directions, the teams below adjust and fight their way up the hills so they can be at their intended landing sites before you arrive.

Upon reaching the ground, the ground team will quickly gain control of the balloon and bring it to a flat spot. Once you land, you will exit the basket so that the ground team can safely collect the balloons.

Are balloons safe in Egypt?
On paper, Egypt’s balloon safety record is not the best in the world with three major incidents in the last few decades.

However, when you compare this to the thousands of hot air balloons that take off from Luxor each week, the number of incidents is only a fraction of the percentage of all flights (as they say, car journeys are much more dangerous).

As always, the recommendation is to hire a reputable agency. Do your research beforehand and make sure the company you choose to fly with has a good track record, is responsive to feedback and has good reviews.

How much do balloon rides cost in Egypt?
Egypt is one of the cheapest balloon destinations in the world. The prices of the balloon rides range between 75 and 150 euros. You can also save money if you combine your balloon ride in Luxor with a visit to the archaeological sites of Luxor.

There are so many flight times, which one should I choose?
You will have to wake up between 3:30 and 4:00 in the morning. Perhaps it will seem to you that it is getting up too early, but you will not regret having chosen an excursion at dawn.

Tours usually leave between 4:00 and 5:00 in the morning, depending on the time of year. We recommend that you research the sunrise times on the date you visit Luxor.

Make sure that the departure time of the excursion is about 30 minutes before. In addition to the magical views of the temples and Valley of the Kings, sunrise balloon rides are more comfortable and also tend to last longer. When the desert air heats up, so does the wind. This can make flights shorter and landings rougher.

Can you take photos on a Luxor balloon ride?
There are some interesting rules around photography on balloon rides over Luxor. The Egyptian army does not like people to photograph military bases. The general rule is “do not take photos near military bases.” And if you land near the bases, hide your cameras. Better not risk it. Normally the captain lets you know when it is safe to photograph and when it is not advisable. So don’t hesitate to ask.

What about tips?
Like everything in Egypt, there are tips for the Luxor balloon experience. That being said, it is not necessary to tip the captain.

Instead, the money that is normally collected before landing goes to the hard-working ground crew. These people are just as responsible for your safety as the captain, and when you land, you’ll see how hard they work. It is advisable to reserve a few Egyptian pounds for them.

What should I bring on my Luxor hot air balloon ride?
The temperature can drop a lot during the nights, and even more when it rises towards the sky. Be sure to bring warm clothing for the balloon ride.

Photos of the hot air balloon ride over Luxor

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