Fast Facts:
- Operator: www.ballooning.ae
- Days of Operation: 7 days a week (weather permitting) from September 8 to May 31
- Duration: Half-day (morning)
- Price per person: AED1,100 (USD 300) per adult and AED950 (USD 260) per child (5 to 11 yo)
- What to Wear: Comfortable loose clothing and closed shoes. In winter, bring a jacket or a cardigan as it can get extremely chilly before sunrise.
It came as a Christmas gift card from our super wonderful friend, Camille. We decided to use it in January as a way to celebrate our birthdays and our last monthsary before our wedding in February. And with our battle cry for 2017 – onward and upward, it was the perfect welcome to the new year.
Our experience started with confirming our spots online via www.ballooning.ae. This included identifying a pick-up location. There were plenty of options even for our area in Barsha Heights (a.k.a TECOM). A day before our ride, someone got in touch again from their team to share a few reminders.
On the day, we were picked up at 5:00am and traveled a little less than an hour to the take off site. A couple of other vans arrived around the same time and passengers were divided into groups of 16 to 20. The briefing session followed while the balloons were being inflated, and we were introduced to our Captain, Andrew Parker and our falcon, Oberon. Soon as the balloons were ready, we hopped in and the real adventure started.
A magic carpet ride over an endless ocean of pristine dune
Welcoming Mr. Sun – what a delight
Oberon, a 6 months old falcon, ready for his flight
2,000 to 4,000 feet above the ground
Sand looking deceivingly soft… why would anyone be worried about falling?
Grateful for a beautiful weather that day
Drifting with the wind, we really didn’t know where we’d end up. Captain Andrew even told us in some instances, they almost crossed the border of Oman. He carried a GPS and tracker with him so as we were taken lower, we could already spot the vans following us. And after approximately an hour, the balloon ride concluded.
From here, we were taken to another area where museum quality, open top 1950’s Land Rovers await to take us to an authentic Bedouin camp
A private desert conservation reserve – the place is certainly more special than traditional camps set-up for desert safaris
Food was yummy – a selection of caviar, hand-cut smoked salmon, eggs benedict, fresh fruit, Arabian coffee, tea and more
On our vintage ride once again, we drove back to where our vans were parked, transferred and headed back to the city
This airborne adventure is definitely an experience worth trying (at least once in your life), and is of course best enjoyed with your loved ones. Happy Flying!