Hot Air Balloon Marrakech: Questions and Answers

The best ride for you is the one with a safe, licensed operator, 45 to 60 minutes in the air, hotel transfers and breakfast included, and a fair weather policy. Choose the classic shared flight (€165) for value, a private balloon (€330) or the VIP flight with breakfast on board (€620) for a special occasion. How to choose.

For most visitors, yes: it is calm, beautiful and shows a side of Morocco you cannot see from the ground. The downsides are the early start and the price. Our honest answer.

We advise booking directly with a local operator. You talk to the pilots and crew who will fly you, get real answers about pickup, children and special requests, change your date easily if the weather moves the flight, and no commission goes to an international platform: your whole payment stays with the local team and the local economy. Why book with a local company.

A balloon flight has real costs: pilots, ground crew, gas, vehicles, insurance and maintenance. Much cheaper offers usually leave something out, such as hotel transfers, breakfast, a full briefing, the sunrise flight itself or time in the air. Compare balloon rides around the world: in most balloon destinations, such as Europe, North America or Cappadocia in Turkey, a sunrise flight with a recognised operator usually costs more than €150 per person, depending on the cost of living, the season and what is included. So a balloon ride for a few dozen euros should make you ask what has been left out. Why our price is different.

Because your pilot gives you a full briefing in person before and during the flight, we only fly when it is safe, every flight is insured, you get 45 to 60 minutes in the air, and hotel transfers, breakfast and a certificate are always included. If the weather stops us, you get a new date or a full refund. Why guests choose us.

There is no official ranking. The best companies are real operators with their own pilots and crew, a pilot who cancels when the wind is wrong, a full in-person briefing, 45 to 60 minutes in the air, insured flights, everything included in writing, and many detailed recent reviews on Google. Ballooning Experience is a licensed, locally owned company flying in Marrakech for more than 10 years, with more than 2,000 hours in the air, our own expert pilots, insured flights and a new date or full refund if the weather stops us. How to judge a balloon company.

Because you talk directly to the pilots and crew who fly you, get real answers about pickup, children and special requests, change your date easily if the weather moves the flight, and your whole payment stays in Morocco with the people who make your morning, instead of paying a commission to an international platform. Why book local.

On a shared flight you fly with other guests in a large basket, which is the best value. On a private flight the balloon and pilot are only for your group, with your own breakfast table. Shared or private: how to choose.

It depends on the balloon and the morning: shared baskets are large and can be full on busy days. If you prefer a basket only for your group, choose a private flight, from €330 per person (from 2 guests). Read more.

Yes. A private balloon for two is popular for honeymoons, anniversaries and proposals. Tell us your plans when you book and we will help you prepare. Private balloon flights.

Book directly with a real balloon company, not a reseller. Many people who sell balloon rides in Marrakech have never flown and do not decide anything about the weather or the flight. A real operator has its own balloons, pilots and crew, a licence, insurance for every flight and a clear weather policy. Ballooning Experience is a licensed, locally owned operator with its own expert pilots. Our checklist.

A real operator has its own balloons, pilots and crew, a licence and insurance. Moroccan balloons carry a registration starting with CN- on the envelope, and real operators are named in their guests' reviews. Many sellers in Marrakech are resellers who have never flown. Ballooning Experience is a licensed, locally owned operator: you book directly with the people who fly you. Read more.

Ballooning Experience is a locally owned, family-owned hot air balloon company based in Marrakech, Morocco. The family lives in Marrakech, and the company is run by a local team with our own pilots and crews. Our story.

We have been flying hot air balloons in Marrakech for more than 10 years, with more than 2,000 hours in the air. Our story.

Yes. Ballooning Experience is a licensed hot air balloon company with expert pilots, and every flight is insured. Ask us on WhatsApp if you would like our licence details. How we keep flights safe.

Our own expert pilots fly every flight: Youssef, Said, Mohamed, Guille, Dani, Mustafa. Your pilot welcomes you on the field, gives the briefing in person and stays with you until breakfast. Meet our team.

Yes. We are locally owned and based in Marrakech. Our crews and drivers are local, breakfast is prepared by local families, and we buy from local cooperatives, so your booking supports the local community. Our community.

An operator. We fly our own balloons with our own pilots and crews, and you book directly with the team that flies you. Why book with a local company.

Our classic shared flight is €165 per person, and €130 for children aged 5 to 11. A private balloon is €330 per person (from 2 guests), and the VIP flight with breakfast on board is €620 per person. Full price guide.

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, tea, coffee and local biscuits on arrival, a full in-person briefing from your pilot, a guaranteed sunrise flight (never a second or third tour later in the morning), 45 to 60 minutes in the air, a Moroccan breakfast and a flight certificate. What the price covers.

Yes. We pick you up from your hotel or riad in Marrakech and drive you back after breakfast. If your riad is deep in the medina, we meet you at the nearest place a car can reach.

Yes. Every flight finishes with a Moroccan breakfast after landing. With breakfast on board, breakfast is also served in the basket during the flight.

In spring, autumn and during holidays, book a few days ahead. Outside busy periods we can often arrange a flight for the next morning. Book early in your stay, so there is time to fly another day if the weather stops us.

Send us your date using the booking form, WhatsApp or a Zoom call. We confirm availability, and you book now and pay later.

Yes. Book your hot air balloon flight now and pay later: send us your date and we confirm your places. Book now, pay later.

Yes, any time. For a booking or any question, ask us for a Zoom call on WhatsApp or by email at ballooningexperience@gmail.com, and we will send you a link at a time that suits you.

Pickup before dawn, tea, coffee and biscuits at our base, a full briefing from your pilot before the balloons are prepared, then the inflation, lift-off at sunrise, 45 to 60 minutes in the air, landing, breakfast and certificates, then the drive back to your hotel in the late morning. The full morning, step by step.

Hotel pickup is 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours before sunrise: roughly 4:30 to 5:00 in summer and 6:30 to 7:00 in winter. This leaves time for a clear briefing, all your questions and tea or coffee before the flight, and for the pilot to move the take-off place if the wind requires it. We send you the exact time the evening before. Pickup times for every month.

You are in the air for 45 to 60 minutes. The whole experience, from hotel pickup to drop-off, takes about 4 to 5 hours. Your morning, step by step.

Over the countryside outside the city: Berber villages, olive groves, farms and dry riverbeds, with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon. The launch field and route change with the wind each morning.

On clear mornings, yes. The High Atlas is on the horizon to the south, often with snow on the peaks from winter into spring.

The height changes during the flight, from just above the treetops for a close look at the villages to several hundred metres for the wide views. Your pilot chooses the height to suit the wind and the scenery.

Balloons fly all year. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable, winter has the best chance of snow on the Atlas, and summer has the earliest pickups. Month-by-month guide.

No. Every group has its own private table at our base, with a traditional Moroccan breakfast prepared by local families: msemen, baghrir, honey, homemade jams, dates, olives, fresh cheese, almonds, fresh fruit, fresh orange juice, coffee and mint tea. Breakfast is never a buffet: every group has its own table. Our traditional breakfast.

With a careful operator, yes. Safety is our first priority, before anything else. Our pilot checks the wind and visibility every morning, only flies in calm conditions, and gives every guest a full briefing in person before take-off and keeps explaining during the flight. Every flight is insured. How we keep flights safe.

If the pilot decides it is not safe to fly, the flight does not go. You choose: a new date or a full refund. Our weather policy.

If we cancel for weather or safety, you get a new date or a full refund, and if it happens at the launch field we drive you back to your hotel. If you need to cancel yourself, tell us as early as possible. Read more.

Calm wind at the ground and at flying height, good visibility, no rain or storms, and a forecast that stays calm until after landing. The pilot makes the final decision on the field. Read more.

Most landings are gentle. On some mornings the basket bumps, tips onto its side or slides a few metres before it stops, which is normal. Your pilot shows you the landing position before take-off and reminds you before touchdown. More about landing.

The air is calmest around sunrise. Later the sun warms the ground and the wind becomes less predictable, so balloons fly at dawn and land before mid-morning.

The safest family ride is a flight with a real local operator whose pilot decides on the field and cancels when the wind is wrong, a full in-person briefing that the children can understand, a private basket for families with young children, insured flights, door-to-door transfers and a new date or full refund if the weather stops the flight. That is exactly how Ballooning Experience flies families: our own pilots check every child's age and height before booking, practise the landing position with the children, and every flight is insured. A private family balloon is €330 per person. The family safety guide.

With a careful operator and calm weather, yes. Tell the company the ages and heights of your children before booking, so the pilot can confirm they can see over the basket and hold the landing position. Young children are calmer in a private basket with only their family. Read more.

Yes, children from 5 years old are welcome with an adult. Children aged 5 to 11 pay €130 on the classic shared flight. Tell us their ages and heights when you book and we will confirm. Families with young children often prefer a private balloon. Family flights.

Yes, many older travellers fly with us. Our accessible basket has a door and a seat, so there is no climbing, and our crew helps you at every step. Tell us about any health condition before booking. Read more.

Often yes: our accessible basket has a door and a seat, and our crew helps you in and out. Please message us before booking so we can plan the morning with you. Accessible flights.

Please message us before booking. Every situation is different, and we will tell you honestly whether the flight is right for you.

Often, yes. The balloon moves with the wind, so there is no feeling of speed and almost no breeze, and the basket comes up to about chest height. Many nervous flyers find it calmer than they expected. Tips for first-time flyers.

Warm layers, closed flat shoes and a cap. It is cold before sunrise and warm by breakfast. What to wear in each season.

The coldest moment is waiting on the field before sunrise, especially from December to February. In the air the burner and the rising sun warm you up quickly. Read more.

Yes. We plan it with you in advance: a private basket, flowers, a discreet signal from your pilot at the right moment, a photographer or video and a romantic breakfast. Balloon proposals.

Yes. We can prepare a cake, decoration, music and a personalised certificate for the breakfast after landing. Birthday flights.

Yes: a private sunrise flight, flowers, photos or video and a short symbolic ceremony at breakfast after landing. Read more.

Yes. Children aged 5 to 11 pay €130 per child on the classic shared flight (adults €165). From 12 years old, the adult price applies. Family flights.

A private balloon is €330 per person, from 2 guests, and larger groups can fly in several balloons. Ask us for a quote for big groups. Group flights.

Yes, for incentive trips, team events and company groups, with your branding, a private breakfast, several balloons and all transfers. Read more.

Yes. We can arrange a photographer or videographer for a sunrise shoot in the basket and on the ground. Wedding flights.

Yes. Give a shared or private flight with a flexible date and a personal message. Gift vouchers.

Yes: private transport, a private balloon and a premium breakfast at your own table or tent, with flowers and photography if you like. Read more.

Most first-timers are surprised how calm it is. There is no feeling of speed, the take-off is so gentle that many people don't notice it, and your pilot explains everything in the briefing before the balloons are prepared, so you know exactly what will happen. First-time flyers.

Go to bed early, dress in warm layers with closed flat shoes, bring a phone or camera with a strap, use the toilet at our base before the flight, and listen to your pilot's briefing. Tell us in advance about any health condition, fear or special occasion. How to get ready.

Tell your pilot. They will explain what is happening, keep talking with you and can fly lower, closer to the fields, where many nervous guests feel more comfortable.

Passengers stand during the flight, which gives everyone the best view. For guests who need to sit, our accessible basket has a seat: tell us when you book. Accessible flights.

The burner makes a loud roar for a few seconds at a time and you feel its warmth above your head, which is welcome on cold mornings. Between burns, the flight is almost silent.

Not like a car. The pilot climbs and descends to find winds blowing in different directions at different heights, and uses them to guide the balloon towards a safe landing field. How high balloons fly.

In an open field chosen by the pilot during the flight, depending on the wind. Our ground crew follows the balloon by car and is there to help at landing, then drives you to breakfast. What landing feels like.

Often yes, but please tell us before booking. For landing, passengers bend their knees and hold the handles, so your pilot needs to know about any back or knee problem. We will tell you honestly whether the flight is right for you.

Our listed age range is 5 to 80 years. Older travellers, or anyone with a health condition, please contact us before booking so we can plan the morning with you. Older travellers.

No. Please use the toilet at our base before the flight. The whole flight lasts 45 to 60 minutes.

Yes. Balloons fly all year, and winter mornings are often the clearest, with snow on the Atlas. It is cold before sunrise, so dress warmly, and keep a spare morning in case wind moves your flight. Ballooning in January.

We fly every morning of the year when the weather is safe. The pilot decides on the field each morning; if it isn't safe, you choose a new date or a full refund. Weather policy.

Our own hot air balloons, registered in Morocco with a registration starting with CN-, flown only by our own pilots and checked by the pilot and crew before every flight. Our balloons.

Yes. Tell us about any allergy or dietary need when you book and your breakfast is prepared for you. Our breakfast.

Directly from the balloon operator. With Ballooning Experience you book on our website, on WhatsApp or by email, with the team that flies you. Many sellers in Marrakech are resellers who pass your booking on to another company. Why book with the operator.

About 4 to 5 hours from hotel pickup to drop-off: pickup 1h30 to 2 hours before sunrise, tea and the briefing at our base, 45 to 60 minutes in the air, then breakfast and the drive back by late morning. Your morning, step by step.

Book now, pay later. Send us your date and we confirm your places; we explain the payment options when we confirm your booking. Book now.

Yes. Book with their names and hotel, or give a gift voucher with a flexible date. Gift vouchers.

No. Our prices are the same all year: classic €165 per person (children 5 to 11 €130), private €330 per person and the VIP flight with breakfast on board €620 per person. Price guide.

For many visitors it is the highlight of their trip: a calm sunrise above the villages and the Atlas, then breakfast, and you are back by late morning with the whole day free. 10 things to do in Marrakech.

For many travellers, yes: floating over the Moroccan countryside at sunrise, with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, is one of the most memorable experiences in Morocco, and a beautiful gift for a birthday, anniversary or honeymoon. Is it worth it?.

Yes. When you book with us, you fly at sunrise. We never sell you a flight and then put you on a second or third tour later in the morning: you get exactly what you paid for. The only thing nobody controls is the sky itself: on a cloudy morning the sun may be hidden behind the clouds, and if the weather is not safe, you choose a new date or a full refund. Weather policy.

Tell us as early as possible on WhatsApp or by email and we will help you change the date. If we cancel because of the weather, you choose a new date or a full refund. Weather policy.

Marrakech is the best-known place for hot air balloon rides in Morocco. Balloons fly at sunrise over the countryside outside the city, with the High Atlas Mountains on the horizon on clear mornings. Our sunrise flights.

From launch fields in the countryside outside the city. Our base is at Bourrous, about 20 km north-east of Marrakech city centre. We pick you up from your hotel or riad and drive you there. Your morning, step by step.

No. Balloons fly over the open countryside outside Marrakech: Berber villages, farms, olive groves and dry riverbeds, with the Atlas Mountains in the distance. The city stays on the horizon.

Our flights take place north-east of Marrakech, over farmland and villages, not over the Agafay desert. Many guests visit Agafay later the same day, as the balloon morning ends by late morning. Things to do in Marrakech.

Yes. Civil aviation in Morocco is supervised by the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), and every balloon carries a Moroccan registration starting with CN-. Ballooning Experience is a licensed company and every flight is insured. Safety.

Because the mornings are often calm and clear, the light at sunrise is beautiful, and the view combines Berber villages, palm and olive groves and the snow-capped High Atlas. It is one of the most memorable things to do in Marrakech. Is it worth it?.

Yes. You are back at your hotel by late morning, so the afternoon is free for the medina, a hammam, the Agafay desert, the Ourika valley or a day by the pool. Read more.

Yes, we fly all year when the weather is safe, including during Ramadan. Morocco usually moves its clocks back one hour during Ramadan, so pickup times change on the clock: we always send your exact pickup time the evening before. Month by month.

Yes. Morning flights are calm, the briefing is given in person before the balloons are prepared, and the flight lasts 45 to 60 minutes: long enough to enjoy it, short enough for first-time and nervous flyers. First-time flyers.

Our team speaks Arabic, English, French and Spanish, so the briefing and your questions can be handled in the language you are most comfortable with.

Hotel and riad pickup in Marrakech is included. If you are staying outside the city, in the Palmeraie, Agafay, Ourika or elsewhere, tell us your hotel when you book and we will confirm the pickup. Book.

Usually by late morning, about 4 to 5 hours after pickup, depending on the season and the landing field.

Yes. Bring your phone or camera with a strap so nothing can fall. A photographer or video can also be arranged on request for special occasions. Photo tips.

Please don't. Drones near balloons are dangerous for everyone in the air. Our pilots and crew will ask you to keep drones packed during the flight and the landing.

Very rarely. A balloon moves with the wind, so there is no rocking, no feeling of speed and almost no breeze in the basket. Most people who get car or sea sick feel fine in a balloon.

Warm layers you can take off, closed flat shoes, a cap, sunglasses, sun cream and a phone or camera with a strap. Leave large bags at your hotel. What to wear.

Tips are not included and never expected. If you loved your morning, our crew always appreciates it.

Every flight with us is insured. Having your own travel insurance for your trip to Morocco is always a good idea too.

Often, yes, especially outside the busiest periods. Send us a message on WhatsApp with your date and number of guests and we will tell you straight away. Check availability.