Travel bucket list idea:

Hot-air balloon flights over Dubai’s desert

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Bucket List Experience

Last updated: 20 July, 2023

Expert travel writer: Nicola Chilton

Floating over the Dubai desert at sunrise in a hot air balloon is a magical experience; the chance to get a unique perspective on just how extensive the desert really is.

As the sun rises and its rays touch the surface of the dunes, the colours change from pale yellow to orange, and in some parts where the iron content is high, almost scarlet.

If you’re lucky, you might have some early morning mist; as it clears, the extraordinary landscape of rolling dunes is revealed. Keen-eyed viewers may also see groups of camels traversing the sands.

Children over 4 are permitted, accompanied by an adult, but they need to be tall enough to see over the basket unaided – and unafraid of heights!

Logistics

Price from: £250

Minimum age: 4

Age suitable: 12+

When: All year around

Duration: 4-5 hours

Getting there & doing it

The flight itself takes about an hour, but allow around 4-5 hours for the whole experience including transfer time. Most packages include transfers to the take-off site from the city and breakfast, with optional add-ons such as photo sessions, video of your flight and falconry also available.

There are a number of hot air balloon operators. You can book direct or through a third-party agent as part of a wider desert experience.

Take a sweater or something warm as it can feel chilly in the desert, and at high altitude in the mornings. A full safety briefing is given before take-off, and safety belts are worn for landing.

When to do it

The ballooning season is generally September to May, weather permitting. Early morning fog or high winds can ground the balloons, but sometimes only lead to a delayed take-off, in which case you’ll have breakfast first and then fly.

Weekends and school holidays will be busier, so if you can avoid these times you’ll likely have more space in the basket.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Dubai Hot Air Balloon Ride over Dubai Desert

Dubai

Experience the magic of a balloon ride while floating over beautiful Dubai. We fly throughout Dubai desert and our personal touch and professional experience will make your flight a memorable event. We schedule flights once a day, every day, all year round. Our goal is to premium Hot Air Balloon Rides for all to enjoy. We strive to make your Hot Air Balloon Ride over scenic Dubai a wonderful experience that you will cherish for years to come. To offer a best possible flight and experience, we choose the most suitable take-off site for the day’s flight, depending on the direction and the strength of winds.

Price: $275

Min age: 5

Rating 4.83 / 5 [174 ratings]

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Hot Air Balloon Ride With Gourmet Breakfast & Falcon Show

Dubai

Prebook to secure a place on a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Dubai. Then, on the day, be transported into the desert, board your shared, piloted balloon, and absorb the views and watch for wildlife as you float over the dunes and the sun illuminates the sands. Your trip includes breakfast, a photo, and flight certificate. Book for a Tuesday for a live violinist to play on board. Enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Dubai, including return transfers Book ahead to ensure a place on the balloon on your ideal date Fly over the dunes, look for wildlife, and see dawn over the desert Includes onboard violinist on Tuesdays, breakfast, photo, and certificate

Price: $333

Min age: 5

Rating 5 / 5 [33 ratings]

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Hot Air Balloon Flight in Dubai with Breakfast, Falconry and Camel Ride

Dubai

Our balloon flight begins to take off at around the sunrise. The flight goes up approximately till 3000 to 4000 feet to show you the sunrise and extraordinary views of UAE. Then it will float through the valleys, and descend through the desert, over the dunes, gazelles, camels, wildlife and beautiful landscapes. After landing our vehicles will take you to our camp for a gourmet breakfast where you will be able to take some photos with the falcons and the camel ride.

Price: $335

Min age: 0

Rating 4.80 / 5 [145 ratings]

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Deluxe Hot Air Balloon Experience with Falconry Breakfast

Dubai

Go up, up and away across the skies over Dubai with this balloon tour. If you’ve never been on a balloon then you’re in for a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Unlike other aerial tours, balloon tours offer a leisurely way to see one of the UAE’s most modern cities. Travelling on a balloon has been compared to floating on a cloud or a flying carpet but it is a distinctive experience that you will surely remember for a long time. The tour starts in the morning when the air is at its calmest to improve the experience.

Price: $499

Min age: 4

Rating 4.84 / 5 [25 ratings]

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Deluxe Hot Air Balloon Ride with Buffet Breakfast & In Flight Falcon Show

Dubai

Enjoy and explore the iconic Dubai desert as you float gently in our hot air balloon. All our balloon rides start just before sunrise and therefore, you need to wake up before dawn and take an early morning drive to catch the glimpse of the natural beauty all around you. Our hot air balloon adventure starts with a quick pre-flight briefing and then, you are aboard the basket to glide all across the vast expanse of the desert of Dubai. The Deluxe Package is inclusive of return transfers to & from within Dubai, In Flight Falcon Show, Gourmet Breakfast in a Traditional Bedouin Camp plus a Camel Ride.

Price: A1,240

Min age: 5

Rating 4.86 / 5 [283 ratings]

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Hot Air Balloon Ride, Vintage Land Rover Ride & Breakfast from Dubai

Dubai

Balloon Adventures is the longest operating hot air balloon company in Dubai, flying since 2005. The only company permitted to fly over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, have the opportunity to spot roaming camels and Arabian oryx in the desert down below. As the sunrise casts different hues across the untouched desert dunes, the views and the photo opportunities are spectacular! After the hot air balloon flight, go for a short desert drive in vintage 1950s Land Rover to an authentic desert setting on Royal grounds. Enjoy a gourmet breakfast of smoked salmon, caviar, eggs Benedict and more. Relax in the traditional majilis and try riding a camel as well as taking photos with a falcon on display. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience of Dubai!

Price: A1,350

Min age: 5

Rating 4.84 / 5 [625 ratings]

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Adventure Hot Air Balloon with Buffet Breakfast, In Flight Falcon Show and More

Dubai

Our Adventure package is for the ultimate desert experience in one go. Enjoy the perfect sunrise from our hot air balloon, then get whisked away to some adventurous quad biking, dune bashing, horse riding, have some amazing gourmet breakfast in the desert along with camel riding all in one day! The Adventure Package is inclusive of return transfers to & from within Dubai, Gourmet Breakfast in a Traditional Bedouin Camp, Dune Bashing, Quad Biking, Horse Riding, In flight Falcon Show plus Camel Ride.

Price: A1,450

Min age: 5

Rating 4.89 / 5 [186 ratings]

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Overnight Safari and Sunrise Hot-Air Balloon Ride

Dubai

Experience an African-style wildlife safari, camping in the desert, and a hot air balloon flight in this overnight trip from Dubai. Travel through Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a vintage Land Rover to look for animals such as gazelles, oryx and camels, and enjoy a 4-course dinner under the stars at a Bedouin-style camp. In the morning, sail above the Arabian Desert in a hot air balloon to watch the sun rise.

Price: A2,200

Min age: 5

Rating 4.79 / 5 [49 ratings]

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Destination guides

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Dubai

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

A desert city playground with a unique combination of Arabian culture, mega-malls and audacious architecture in a setting of year-round sun, sand and sea. Great family hotels and a ridiculous number of family attractions too.

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