Hot Air Balloon Rides – All you need to know…

Floating silently and serenely above the countryside puts a hot air balloon ride high on many people’s bucket list. For many, it’ll be the first time going up, up and away in a hot air balloon, so we’ve written this handy guide for all you need to know about hot air balloon rides.

Early mornings or evening departures

Hot air ballooning is the purest form of flight as it needs perfect weather – quiet, gentle and smooth. The clearest, calmest conditions occur around sunrise and sunset, so this is when the vast majority of balloon rides are scheduled for.

Thanks to the longer daylight hours, most flights are scheduled between April and October. However some extra special rides are possible on rare calm, crisp and bright winter days.

So yes it’ll be an early start or a late evening, but seeing the sunrise or sunset is also what makes this unique way to experience the world below even more magical. 

And in case you were wondering, daytime flights are not generally possible because of stronger winds and the danger of thermals caused by currents of rising warm air – neither of which are good for balloons. 

Booking your hot air balloon ride

Once you have your experience voucher, the next step is to book a date and time for your trip with the balloon operator. 

You might notice the operator uses several launch sites in an area – that’s because the best location will be chosen nearer the day, according to conditions. Same with the landing. You never know exactly where you will land, but don’t worry you’ll be transported back to the starting point!

As ballooning is so weather dependent, the date may need to be rescheduled more than once, so this is where patience comes in. 

As the big day approaches…

The day before your flight, you will need to call the operator’s information line to check that they expect the flights to go ahead, plus what time and where to meet the balloon crew. 

On the day of your balloon ride

Our big tip for the big day is to allow plenty of time – up to three or four hours for the whole experience. 

Depending on the time of year, a morning flight in summer will mean a very early start to reach the launch site at 5am, for example. The early arrival allows for wind direction changes meaning you need to be transported to an alternative launch site nearby. 

Laying out, setting up and inflating the balloon all takes time too, but many passengers enjoy watching and/or helping with this part of the experience.

Once the final equipment and weather checks and air traffic communication is all sorted you will be able to take off. And yes, those burners are lod, but actually getting airborne is nice and gentle.

During the flight

You’ll probably want to stand up in the hot air balloon for the duration of your ride, which generally lasts around an hour, with baskets carrying anything from two to a dozen passengers.

Compared with other aircraft, the unique thing about hot air balloon flight is the lack of sensation of movement. It is a totally calm, gentle and serene experience – so much so that even people who aren’t keen on heights do enjoy their hot air balloon ride experiences.

After 45 minutes in the air, the pilot starts to look for a suitable landing site. And it is true, the pilot never quite knows where the air currents will take you, so finding a place to land is all part of the adventure! 

The landing

Everyone wants to know what it’s like landing in a hot air balloon. Your pilot will aim to be as smooth as possible. If the wind plays ball, your landing will be soft and gentle. 

If the wind picks up, there might be some bumping and dragging. And very rarely, the basket can tip over. All three landings are normal in the world of hot air ballooning.

Can spectators follow the balloon?

Friends and family are welcome to watch the preparations and launch. But it is impossible to know where or how far a balloon will go, so spectators wait at the launch site and are asked not to attempt to ‘chase’ the balloon. 

The retrieval crew are responsible for recovering the balloon and transferring passengers back to the meeting point.  

What to wear

We at Into The Blue suggest wearing layers of comfortable clothing suitable for a country walk. The start or end of the day can get chilly even in summertime, so we recommend taking a jumper, light jacket and maybe a hat. 

However the lack of breeze, heat from the burners and flying close to the ground means that it is rarely cold in the basket at any time of year. 

And while you will need to be seated for landing, to get the best of the amazing views you will stand up for most of the flight, so ‘sensible shoes’ are a must! And do bring your shades and a camera to capture selfies and the brilliant sunrise or sunset views…

Book your hot air balloon ride

For more information on the range of options and locations and to book vouchers, visit Into The Blue’s hot air balloon ride website.

Set feature pic: ianhooley@UnSplash