Hot Air Ballooning With HodHod Soliman!
When I visited Luxor in December 2019 with my boyfriend, we had the opportunity to take a sunrise hot air balloon ride on the West Bank of the Nile River. I didn't ever imagine that I would ride on a hot air balloon in Egypt, I've never done a hot air balloon ride and saw that we can do this. THIS IS SO EPIC!!! You need to wake up early for it around 430 am. Yes, it is early but you will have the most spectacular time!
HodHod Solimon Hot Air Ballooning is one of the top things to do in Luxor. We did the 2 person ride and it was fabulous. If you can get the tour guide BAK then you will be in great hands with him. He told us all about the tombs we went over through the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queen and King Tuks Tomb. Tourism is down and it's not very busy, so you can book with them anytime, but I would email them just to make sure you can get a tour.
My Luxor Hot Air Balloon Ride
We arrived in Luxor a day before our Balloon Ride at around 5pm and you need to wake up at 430 am. So we had our alarm and we only slept for a few hours since of jet lag and we weren't sleepy. So the excursions for HodHod Solimon Hot Air Ballooning, we got picked up at your hotel in a medium-sized bus and a couple other travelers. It was a short bus ride that took us to the dock with all the colorful feluccas and other boats. All the boats are tied together so we can get to our boat which was interesting to see all the boats tied all together, even cruise ships are one by one next to each other.
We were served tea, cookies, and coffee while the other travelers arrived from other hotels and getting onto their boats. We got to the west bank after 5 mins on the boat ride across the Nile and we got to see the balloons rise up to the sky and inflating. Once we got onto our balloon which was last since we took the 2 seaters one, we then got into the sky and the sun started to rise.
They do have other group tours with 10-20 people on board, so I don't know how that experience was, we just did the 2 of us and our guide. The guide told us how to get on and off the balloon and what happens when we land. We had to be in the squatting position and hold on the ropes when we started to land. We got off one at a time or else the balloon will leave. It didn't take too long to get off and they had all the ground workers to help.
Is hot air ballooning safe?
Despite recent accidents related to hot air balloons that have happened in Egypt, I felt safe and of course, I chose the HodHod Solimon Hot Air Ballooning because they got 5/5 stars and some of the others were 3/5 or 4/5. I wanted to make sure we were super safe and was a great experience. I felt completely safe the whole time! Our Pilot was proficient and professional and no problems occurred on the whole trip.
Why Only Early Morning Flights?
The Hot Air Balloon companies in Luxor are permitted to fly from before sunrise until 2 hours after sunrise. This is when the wind current is most predictable and when they are cleared with airspace regulations.
Where do they Fly?
The balloons take off from the West Bank of the Nile and it takes about 30 minutes to get there from the pick up to the hotel and your boat ride to the West Bank. Our pilot can control the steering sometimes with the balloon, so sometimes you won't be able to see the tombs because the direction of the wind is blowing, but we didn't have a problem going to see the tombs. The guide said that sometimes they go the opposite and go towards the east side so you will see the Nile river and the farmers. That's probably the downside if you end up going the wrong way.
What Does it Feel Like?
If you are interested in booking an Egypt hot air balloon in Luxor, click here for rates.…
SO AMAZING TO BE IN THE AIR WITH OTHER BALLOONS! You will have an amazing time. Actually an epic time in the sky!
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