Sunrise
Luxor Hot Air Balloon at Sunrise
Forty-five minutes over the West Bank as the sun comes up over the Nile.
A Luxor hot air balloon ride at sunrise shows the West Bank as no other view can: the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Hatshepsut against its cliffs, the Colossi of Memnon, and the green line of the Nile and its villages, all coming into the first light.
You are collected from your Luxor hotel or Nile cruise before dawn and taken to the launch site for a safety briefing. Flights take off at sunrise because the winds are calmest then. The flight lasts about 45 minutes with a certified English-speaking pilot, and you receive a flight certificate after landing before being driven back for breakfast.
Two honest notes. First, balloons fly only when the weather allows. If the authorities cancel flights, the ride cannot go ahead that morning, so book it early in your stay to leave room to fly another day. Second, baskets are shared with other passengers; the price is per person. Ask us about basket size and the operator when you enquire.
Pair the flight with the West Bank tour that same morning, and you see from the ground what you just saw from the air.
- Travel time
- Short transfer to the launch site before dawn
- Time at sites
- About 45 minutes of flight
- Group
- Shared basket with other passengers
- Transport
- Transfer vehicle to the launch site
- Departure
- Before sunrise; exact time confirmed the day before
- Meeting point
- Your Luxor hotel or Nile cruise
- Guide languages
- English
- Best time to go
- Early in your Luxor stay, to leave a spare morning if weather cancels the flight
- Intensity
- Easy
What the day includes
- Sunrise over the Nile and the West Bank
- Views over the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple
- About 45 minutes in the air with a certified pilot
- Flight certificate
Places you visit
- Luxor West Bank
- Valley of the Kings
- Temple of Hatshepsut
- Colossi of Memnon
- Nile
Included
- Pickup and drop-off from Luxor hotels and Nile cruises
- 45-minute balloon flight
- Certified English-speaking pilot
- Safety briefing
- Flight certificate
- Taxes and service charges
Not included
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Meals and drinks
- Entrance tickets
- Included: the flight
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.
- Tour format
- Shared
How the day runs
Before dawn
Pickup
From your hotel or Nile cruise.
Launch site
Safety briefing while the balloons inflate.
Sunrise
Flight
About 45 minutes over the West Bank, the temples and the villages.
Landing
Flight certificate, then transfer back.
Questions about this tour
What happens if the flight is cancelled for weather?
Balloons in Luxor fly only when conditions allow, and flights can be cancelled on the morning. Book early in your stay so you can fly on another day.
Is the balloon private?
No. Baskets are shared with other passengers and the price is per person.
How much does it cost?
$120 per person, or $119 each for groups of 8–10, in US dollars.
Can children fly?
Passengers must be able to climb in and out of the basket unassisted. Ask us about age limits for your date when you enquire.