Hot Air Balloon Ride over Luxor, Egypt

it's only about a 15 minute drive from your Luxor Hotel to the launching pad for some two dozen hot-air balloons that take to the skies each morning at sunrise.

The wake up call comes early; in winter, sunrise is at about 6:15. But it's worth it.

On arriving at the flat lift-off field, guests watch the balloons being fired up, each being filled by gusts of fiery hot air that rise into the balloon and light it form inside so that it shines like a giant colored light bulb in the dim morning light.

The balloons hold up to 24 guests, who climb into the basket and divide into four small compartments. The pilot gets his own spot in the middle, and just as the suns rays are making their first appearance over the hills of the Sahara Desert, the balloons silently and smoothly lift off.

What to See on a Hot-Air Balloon Ride Over Luxor, Egypt

The wind determines how fast the balloon moves, and whether or not it actually soars over the Valley of the Kings, where some of Egypt's most spectacular and famous tombs are located. (Most visitors will head to the Valley of the Kings later in the day.) In addition to looking down on the temples and over to the sandy mountains and ridges of the Sahara, balloon riders can watch as villages start to wake up and go about their daily business. And all the while, other balloons are floating in the distance, each on its own path.

Rides are usually about 45 minutes long, depending on conditions. Please contact us if you wish to include it to your package tour.