Hot Air Balloon Ride North of Marrakech, Morocco

Pickup is from your hotel in Marrakech, followed by a drive of about an hour in an off-road vehicle to the launch field at Jebilet, out on the plain beyond the city. A light breakfast with coffee, tea and juice is served while the crew prepares the balloon. You watch the envelope inflate: loose fabric on the ground one minute, a standing balloon the next. Then the burner opens up and the basket leaves the ground without you catching the moment it happens.

The flight lasts about one hour. Below is the open country outside Marrakech, and the Atlas Mountains stand along the horizon. Where the balloon goes is decided by the air rather than by the pilot, so the route changes every morning.

After landing you receive a flight certificate and share Moroccan tea. The group then continues to a traditional Berber tent for a selection of fresh local products, and the return to Marrakech is by off-road vehicle. For operational reasons, breakfast and tea may be served before or after the flight, depending on the best time for takeoff.

Two departure slots are bookable. The first flight leaves at 5 am from June to August, at 6 am from March to May and from September to October, and at 6:30 am from November to the end of February. The second flight leaves at 7 am all year. It is the cheaper option, but the sunrise is not visible.