Private balloon flight · Dubai
Private Hot Air Balloon Flight
A private morning built around a sunrise balloon flight over the dunes of Dubai, with a falcon display and breakfast at a quiet desert camp.
Long before Dubai wakes, the desert beyond Margham lies silver and silent, and the only way to take in its full sweep is from the air. This is a private morning built around a sunrise balloon flight: a driver collects your party in the dark, the burners breathe the great envelope upright, and you lift gently over the dunes as the first light spills gold across the sand. From around 1,200 metres the horizon runs unbroken, oryx moving below and the far towers of the city catching the sun. Back on the ground a falcon turns lazy circles overhead and breakfast waits in a quiet desert camp, the whole morning yours to savour.
- A private morning built around your party
- Sunrise flight over the dunes of Margham
- Views from around 1,200 metres up
- A falcon display after you land
- Breakfast in a quiet desert camp
- 01
Pickup before dawn
Your driver collects you from your Dubai hotel around half past four, the city still dark, for the quiet hour-long drive out to the launch field beyond Margham.
- 02
Briefing and inflation
At the field you watch the crew lay out and inflate the great envelope, with a short safety briefing before you step into the basket as the sky begins to pale.
- 03
The sunrise flight
The balloon lifts away without a sound and climbs to around 1,200 metres, the dunes unrolling beneath you and the sun breaking the horizon in a wash of gold.
- 04
Falconry and breakfast
After a soft landing a falcon is flown overhead in lazy circles, and breakfast is served at a relaxed desert camp with the dunes for a backdrop.
- 05
Return to Dubai
With the morning behind you, your driver carries you back to your hotel, usually well before the rest of the city has finished its coffee.
- Private return transfer from your Dubai hotel
- A sunrise hot air balloon flight
- Falcon display on landing
- Breakfast at a desert camp
- A flight certificate to take home
Not included
- Gratuities for the crew
- Personal purchases
- The flight runs only from November to April, when the desert air is cool and stable
- Pickup is very early; expect to leave your hotel around 04:30
- Minimum age is around five years, and the basket involves some standing
- Bring a light layer and closed shoes for the cool desert dawn
- Flights depend on wind and weather and may be moved for safety
Is this a private experience?
The transfer and the morning are arranged privately for your party, with your own driver and host from pickup to breakfast. The balloon itself carries a small group aloft together, as ballooning requires, but everything around the flight is kept to you.
When can I fly?
Balloon flights over the Dubai desert run from November to April, when the cool, stable morning air makes for safe and comfortable flying. They pause through the hot summer months.
How early does it start?
Very early. Pickup from your hotel is around half past four so you reach the desert and lift off as the sun rises, and you are usually back in the city by mid-morning.
Is it suitable for children or nervous flyers?
Children from about five are welcome, and the flight is calm and steady rather than thrilling, with the balloon drifting on the wind. There is some standing in the basket, so let us know of any mobility needs.
What language is the flight briefed in, do we get picked up for the 04:30 start, and how should we book given the early hour?
The crew briefs the flight in English and Arabic, and a Russian-speaking driver can be requested when you enquire, handy given how early the morning is. Pickup is from your Dubai hotel around half past four for the drive out to the launch field near Margham, so you are collected door to door rather than finding your own way there in the dark. Message the WhatsApp button or fill in the short form on this page to book, there is no online payment, we reply to lock in the date since flights depend on season and weather.
What our travellers say
Real impressions from guests on our private UAE tours.
Guests consistently give us top marks for the private format and the care of their guide.
The dune bashing was thrilling but our driver never made us feel unsafe, and the photo stops were perfectly timed for sunset.
Went straight from the helicopter pad to the yacht without a single dull minute. Best adrenaline day we have had in years.
Skydiving over Palm Jumeirah then quad biking in the same afternoon, the private schedule made it possible to fit both in.
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