First hot air balloon flight in Marrakech: a practical guide

What should you prepare the day before?

Not much: your clothes, a charged phone and your pickup time.That time is confirmed the day before or a few days ahead, often between 5:00 and 6:30 depending on the season.Lay out your clothes in the evening, charge your phone and keep a few dirhams if you would like to leave a tip.A first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech needs no special equipment.For your clothes, see our guide on what to wear.

Avoid a late night: you will enjoy the flight far more after some sleep, even a short one.If you are staying in a riad in the medina, ask where the driver will meet you, as cars cannot reach every alley.

What happens before take-off?

The drive to the launch site in the countryside around Marrakech usually takes thirty minutes to an hour.On arrival, a hot drink or light breakfast awaits while the crew prepares the balloon.Watching the inflation is one of the highlights of a first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech.

Do not miss the inflation.The envelope is first filled with cold air by a large fan, then heated by the burners until the balloon rises upright.The pilot then gives a safety briefing: how to climb in, where to stand and which position to take for landing.

What does the flight feel like?

Mostly calm.Many passengers worry about vertigo, but most are surprised by how peaceful it is: because the balloon moves at the speed of the wind, you barely feel any breeze on your face.Only the warm, loud burst of the burners reminds you that you are flying.It is often the biggest surprise of a first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech.

The balloon climbs a few hundred metres, sometimes more depending on conditions.The landscape slides by slowly: plains, fields, earthen villages and, on clear days, the line of the Atlas Mountains.The pilot changes altitude to find the right air current, but the direction depends on the wind, so the route is different every day.

How does the landing work?

The balloon lands in an open field.Landing can be very soft or end with a few small bumps, even a short slide of the basket.That is normal, which is why the pilot asks you to take the safety position: knees bent, back against the wall, hands on the handles.Landing ends your first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech, but not the morning.The pilot’s rules are detailed in our article on balloon safety.

The ground crew follows the balloon by car and recovers it after landing.Then comes breakfast, often with mint tea, and the presentation of a flight certificate.You are back at your hotel mid to late morning.

Which questions should you ask before a first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech?

For a first flight, a few questions avoid bad surprises: how many passengers per basket, what the real flight time is, what is included and what happens if the weather prevents take-off.Cancellations for wind or fog are common on some winter mornings; it is a safety decision, and another date is normally offered.

Also mention any health issue, pregnancy, reduced mobility or children in your group.Getting into the basket means climbing over a fairly high wall, and you stand for the whole flight.

Should a first flight be shared or private?

A shared flight is more than enough to discover ballooning, and it costs much less.A private flight is mostly worth it if you want to share the moment as a couple or a small group, for a special occasion for example.At Red City Balloon, the shared Classic Flight lasts 45 minutes and the VIP Flight 60 minutes for 1 to 3 passengers.Either way, a first hot air balloon flight in Marrakech is accessible to most travellers.