About Ballooning, India

About 50,000 cubic feet of hot air fills a giant nylon balloon to which a basket is attached. Hot air ballooning is becoming a great adventure option in India. To learn to pilot a hot-air balloon you need to be at least 16 years of age and physically fit. Depending on how quickly you master it, training takes three to six months.

Facilities for ballooning are available for amateurs and professionals across the country. A festival balloon mela is organized in Delhi every year and anyone can take a joy ride. The Ballooning Club in India organizes numerous international balloon festivals and demonstration flights annually.

The first ever hot-air balloon took to the sky in 1783. However, with the advent of air planes, flights ’by lighter-than-air’ machines went out of fashion until it was revived in the last century as an adventure sport.

The best time to indulge in ballooning is after sunrise when the winds are at their calmest. Winter months provide the most reliable conditions, but during summer it is better to take off early in the morning. The duration of ballooning flight can change at the pilot’s discretion, taking into account the winds, temperature and weight carried on the day.

A balloon can move as fast as the wind blows, but high wind landings always require skill and experience. The passenger capacity depends on the size of the balloon, but usually it varies from 2 in sport balloons and up to 12 people in passenger balloons. The balloon crew tracks the flight and are usually there when the balloon lands.

There are no seats in the basket - therefore, standing for the duration of the flight, about an hour is unavoidable. The walls of the baskets are usually four feet high. Adults should accompany children under 12 years.

Clothing should be exactly the way you wear during a hiking trip that includes sturdy shoes or boots plus sunglasses, gloves and a cap. Remember, it does not get any colder in the balloon than on the ground. Always bring an extra film for photography. A balloon can rise up to 800 feet and above, while joyrides for groups may be restricted to heights between 200 and 500 feet.

There are ballooning clubs in Guwahati, Dehradun, Bangalore, Delhi and Jaipur.

Balloon Ride Over The Taj Mahal: Hot-air ballooning in India is being given a new dimension by some travel agents/tour operators. They not only operate joy flights on the balloon but also conduct interesting tours like balloon-cum-horse or camel safaris. They also offer a view of the Taj Mahal from a balloon, with the Yamuna flowing by. The sight is not only an exciting but also a thrilling experience.

Ballooning In Rajasthan: The undulating sand dunes are ideal for ballooning buffs. People can even travel short distances between towns or historic resorts in these hot air balloons. The best attraction, of course, is to coast over fairs as Pushkar, or Beneshwar or Nagaur in a hot-air balloon.