AlUla's landscape is as fascinating and monumental as its history - it is filled with heritage, adventure and magnificent stories. It offers a bounty of ancient and traditional charm with more than 200,000 years of human history. There is no other way to truly take in all its glory than with a sunrise hot air balloon flight with AlUla's official hot air balloon operator, Hero Balloon Flights. Feel the thrill as every one of your senses gets activated - from the sun warming up your skin as it lights up the landscapes to the exhilarating sound of the burners, followed by a quietness you can only experience 4,000 ft up in the air. Whether you yearn for an exclusive experience to share with only your loved ones or want to share the adventure with other travellers, our hot air balloon experiences will surely satisfy your wanderlust.
A Shared Flight with Hero Balloon Flights is SAR 995 per adult and SAR 795 per child. We also offer private hot air balloon flights with private transfers in our 8-person balloon, this is priced at SAR 9,995.
Depending on the weather conditions, each hot air balloon flight lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.
Your dedicated driver will meet you at your hotel in AlUla, drive you to the take-off site and drop you off after your adventure. Our Experience Consultants will contact you the day before your experience to confirm your pick-up location and time. We can meet guests at any hotel in AlUla or at Winter Park Visitors Center.
Pick-up times depend on the sunrise and differ throughout the year. Below is a guideline for estimated pick-up times:
January - Last pick-up at 6:05 AM
February - Last pick-up at 5:55 AM
March - Last pick-up at 5:25 AM
April - Last pick-up at 4:55 AM
May - Last pick-up at 4:30 AM
June - Last pick-up at 4:15 AM
July - Last pick-up at 4:25 AM
August - Last pick-up at 4:40 AM
September - Last pick-up at 4:55 AM
October - Last pick-up at 5:15 AM
November - Last pick-up at 5:35 AM
December - Last pick-up at 5:55 AM
The take-off time depends on the sunrise as we take off before sunrise to ensure magnificent views of the sun rising over AlUla's stunning canyons. Thus, pick-up times and take-off times will vary throughout the season. Our Experience Consultants will contact you the day before your experience to inform you of the exact pick-up time, which will be between 04:30 AM and 05:15 AM
Your safety is our top priority, and we will only fly if the weather conditions are ideal. Should we cancel a flight due to bad weather, we can either rebook your flight for any other day or provide you with a full refund. We will always try to communicate a cancelled flight the day before your experience. However, on the rare occasion that the weather turns bad once we have already reached the take-off site, we will drop you off back at the hotel with the option to rebook or receive a refund.
Your experience with Hero Balloon Flights only includes the pick-up, balloon flight, and drop-off. Food is not included in the experience.
You can cancel your hot air balloon flight free of charge for up to 24 hours before your booking. We will provide you with a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before your experience or don't show up for the experience, unfortunately, we won't be able to process a refund.
Early mornings provide the best flying conditions as the air is still cool and serene. This also ensures breathtaking sunrise views from thousands of feet up in the air. Because hot air balloons need cool air surrounding them to take off, we only operate during the cooler months of September to May. We operate seven days a week during this period if the weather permits.
Pilots are in a unique position where they can control how high the balloon flies and which direction it faces, but they can't decide which direction the balloon flies in, as they can't predict the exact wind direction. This means that each flight is unique and every day is a different journey. When choosing where they have to land, Pilots always try to land on a flat and empty area in the desert. Firstly to ensure the most comfortable landing. Secondly, to prevent incurring any damage to the natural environment.
When watching a hot air balloon land, it can feel very intimidating. However, rest assured that our experienced Pilots are extensively trained to land the balloon and basket in the safest and most comfortable manner. It is very normal for a balloon basket to hop a few times or even drag to a stop due to the momentum. This is not considered a crash landing and is normally over before you even realise it.
Wear comfortable clothes to get in and out of the basket easily. Please refrain from wearing high heels, trainers or sneakers are the best way to enjoy the experience. We suggest bringing something warm between December and February as the desert is quite cold before sunrise. Bring a hat and sunglasses to protect you once the sun is up.
Although flying in a hot air balloon is very safe, there are a few passengers that unfortunately won’t be able to join us: – Anyone who is differently abled and need a wheelchair to move around – Ladies more than 3 months pregnant – Children younger than 5 years old – Anyone who has had major surgery in the last 6 months – Anyone who has had a broken leg/arm in the last 6 months – Anyone who suffers from chronic back or neck pain
We suggest for all guests to use the facilities at their hotel or residence before being picked up. There are no bathroom facilities at the take-off or landing site. However, if you meet your driver at Winter Park Visitors Center, you can use the guest facilities there before your pick-up.