Marrakech Activities
Hot air balloon Marrakech: float above the plains at sunrise with the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, then enjoy a Berber breakfast and a flight certificate.
Overview
Balloons fly at dawn, when the air is cool and still. You are collected from your hotel before first light and driven about forty minutes into the countryside, where tea and coffee are served while the crew inflates the balloon. Watching the envelope fill and glow with each burst of the burner is part of the experience.
Then you climb into the basket and rise gently with the sun. For about forty-five minutes to an hour you drift over villages, fields and dry riverbeds, with the snow line of the High Atlas to the south. After landing you are welcomed in a Berber tent for a traditional breakfast of bread, pancakes, olive oil, honey and mint tea, and given a certificate signed by your pilot.
Detailed programme
Before dawn
A driver collects you while it is still dark and takes you out to the launch site north of the city.
Pickup is early, usually between 5 and 6 am depending on the season, because balloons fly only in the calm air of dawn. Dress warmly in winter.
Dawn
With tea or coffee in hand you watch the envelope fill with hot air, then climb into the basket for a gentle lift-off as the sun appears.
The pilot gives a short safety briefing and shows the landing position. The basket has high sides and separate compartments.
Sunrise
For around 45 to 60 minutes you drift over villages, fields and dry plains, with the Atlas Mountains along the horizon.
A balloon moves with the wind, so there is no sensation of speed or swaying and most people who dislike heights feel comfortable. Flights depend on the weather and may be moved to another morning if conditions are not right.
Morning
After landing you sit down in a tent for breakfast with bread, pancakes, honey and amlou, receive your flight certificate and return to Marrakech.
You are back at your hotel by late morning, with the rest of the day free. Private baskets for couples or families can be requested.
This is a private experience, so times and stops can be adjusted to your arrival, your pace and the season.
Ask About This ProgrammeThe experience
Why choose this experience
There is no engine noise and no sense of speed, only silence between the bursts of the burner. It is the calmest adventure you can have in Marrakech.
Why Choose This ExperienceWhat’s included
Not included
Good to know
Location
Frequent questions
Very early: between about 5:00 and 6:30 depending on the season, so that take-off coincides with sunrise. You are usually back in Marrakech by 10:30.
Balloons fly only in safe conditions. If the pilot cancels because of wind, rain or fog, the flight is moved to the next suitable morning.
Most people are surprised by how gentle it is. The balloon moves with the wind, so you feel no wind and almost no motion, even if you are uneasy with heights.
Yes. It is arranged for you and the people you travel with, so the timing and pace are yours.
Send us a message on WhatsApp or by email with your date and the number of people. We reply with availability and the price, and nothing is charged for enquiring.
Yes. It can be booked on its own or added to any of our private tours that pass through Marrakech.
What to know before you book your hot air balloon Marrakech, and what else to do nearby.
Sunrise Hot-Air Balloon over Marrakech is one of 14 private Marrakech activities on our list. Other Marrakech activities include Marrakech Guided Tour (half or full day), Moroccan Cooking Class (3–4 hours), Palmeraie Quad Bike Experience (2–3 hours) and Hammam & Spa with Massage & Hotel Transport (2–3 hours).
The best things to do in Marrakech start with Jemaa el-Fna Square (the beating heart of the medina), Koutoubia Mosque (the 12th-century symbol of the city) and Bahia Palace (painted ceilings and tiled courtyards). Other things to do in Marrakech include Ben Youssef Madrasa, El Badi Palace and The Souks; our Marrakech travel guide covers each one.
Our Marrakech excursions include Marrakech Guided Tour (half or full day), Moroccan Cooking Class (3–4 hours), Palmeraie Quad Bike Experience (2–3 hours) and Hammam & Spa with Massage & Hotel Transport (2–3 hours). Every one of our Marrakech excursions is private, so the start time and pace are yours.
