The 5 Best Companies for Balloon Adventures in Dubai
One of the most amazing things that you can do when you’re in Dubai, both as a local and as a visitor, is to see the Arabian desert.
And the best way to take in the beauty of this landmark is from above, more specifically from a hot air balloon.
Thankfully, Dubai knows what’s up and has a number of companies that offer this fantastical experience. So we went and tried out their offerings to give you Dubai’s best providers of balloon adventures.
How much does going on a balloon adventure in Dubai cost?
The cost of going on a balloon adventure depends on the number of people in your group, the extra activities you will be doing, and the length of the adventure.
To get you started, we made a table of the balloon adventure companies that we included in this list along with the price range of their balloon adventures
How We Picked Dubai’s Best Balloon Adventures Companies
Before we get right into it, here are the factors we considered for our entries on this list:
1. Hot Air Balloon Dubai
| Criteria | Rating |
| Range of Packages | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Complementary Experiences | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality of Journey | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Providing a premium hot air balloon adventure, Hot Air Balloon Dubai is known for its sunrise flights that take passengers to see the Hajar mountains against the dusk sky.
This balloon adventure company currently has 3 packages with an additional private flight package with its price only available upon request.
The standard package is the barest necessities type available, which we think is not worth it if you are ever going to have a memorable balloon adventure.
Meanwhile, the adventure package got us a 60-minute hot air balloon ride, a falcon show, an amazing breakfast, and some desert sports activities.
And speaking of activities, it’s got horseriding, camel riding, dune bashing, and quad biking, which is a great set, but we just wish it offered something more unique; a somewhat cultural activity would have done the job.
When it came to the service, we loved having our guide with us. He was more than happy to take our pictures, which were beautifully angled, and expertly told us the lay of the land.
We also loved chatting with him, offering us insights and sharing with us the Emirati culture in the context of our activities.
Overall our journey was an amazing one with Hot Air Balloon Dubai. Despite the lack of documentary features, we absolutely loved our guide and the package structure definitely felt holistic.
Pros
- Excellent guide
- Some of its packages offer a well-rounded experience
- Great range of sports desert activities
- Well-rounded journey
Cons
- The basic package type is not worth it at all
- Complementary experiences need some cultural aspect
- Only the most expensive package type provides documenting the experience
Customer Reviews
Absolutely amazing morning spent with their Adventure package
“Absolutely amazing morning spent with their Adventure package. An experience, unlike non-other. Get out of the city and enjoy the UAE! Everyone (from our guide to the captain to “Bird Man” (Tesla’s Family), catering crew, balloon handlers, etc… everyone!) was professional, polite, and welcoming. You never know what to expect or the quality you’ll receive on such packages. Don’t hesitate, to book today! We did pay an upgrade to do open quad bike riding, but that was only an option as I wanted to experience this. Otherwise, the quad bikes are in a small coral, perfect for kids and or beginners.” —Amy, Google Reviews
That was one of the best adventures in our life!
“That was one of the best adventures in our life! Flight in a hot air balloon is an amazing experience, the views were breathtaking. Everything was perfectly organized. It is definitely worth its price.” —Paula Kamińska-Mosoń, Google Reviews
2. Balloon Adventures Dubai
| Criteria | Rating |
| Range of Packages | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Complementary Experiences | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality of Journey | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
As the longest-running balloon adventure company in Dubai, Balloon Adventures Dubai is an expert in creating the most memorable hot air balloon experience ever.
It has 3 balloon adventure packages, including its signature experience package and an upgraded version of this.
We love how its signature experience package, which is the most basic one available, has so much included in it that there is almost no need for any other packages.
It includes an amazing drone show before the balloon ride, an exciting land rover ride through the desert, a camel ride, and an Arabic gourmet breakfast to end it all.
Its upgraded version has a more relaxed approach to the journey with a private breakfast in a luxurious camp and a leisurely nature drive.
The activities that come with these packages create a well-rounded experience. We love how we can pick between sporty activities and more relaxing ones, making its adventures quite adaptable.
The service was obvious that it was quite experienced. We were big fans of how expertly the crew and the guide handled everything.
We do wish that our guide was livelier and more friendly though. We felt that he was quite burnt out from what he was doing.
Overall, the journey was great and covered all the bases. We just wished that its signature packages had a documentary feature in them so we wouldn’t worry about photos and videos.
Pros
- Jam-packed range of services
- Complementary adventures can either be sporty or relaxing
- Experienced service
- Well-rounded journey
Cons
- The guide can be friendlier
- Packages do not have a documentary feature
Customer Reviews
We were cared for and guided from the booking until drop off
“Amazing experience! We were cared for and guided from the booking until drop off. Arrangements are top-notch. Can’t ask for more. Lovely supportive driver/guide Naeem. Very attentive! The crew and pilots have gone above and beyond to make our morning. I do recommend this experience. I would say it is a must for tourists and for residents to rediscover Dubai ❤️🌅 🎈 thank you ❣️” -Yuliia Paslon, Google Reviews
The team is super professional and courteous
“We are so glad we decided to include the hot air balloon experience after spending the night in the desert.
Seeing the sunrise while you are gently floating through the skies with only the desert, the sun, and the sky as witnesses is simply a moment we will always treasure.
The team is super professional and courteous!!” – Martinelli Lens, Google Reviews
3. Sindbad Balloons
| Criteria | Rating |
| Range of Packages | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Complementary Experiences | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality of Journey | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
This award-winning hot air balloon adventure company has been trusted by more than 80 thousand customers and is known to be the safest hot air balloon adventure agency in Dubai.
It has 5 packages that range from a simple straightforward hot air balloon flight that takes you up to 4000 feet into the air to a full-on adventure that includes falconry, camel riding, and dune bashing.
We are not really big fans of its most basic package because simply having a hot air balloon flight that lasts around 30 minutes is never worth it in our opinion.
And when it comes to its complementary adventures, while we do like that it has a great set of sporty activities, we do wish it had more unique offers, and maybe perhaps some cultural ones as well.
We think this way because this is such a great chance for both tourists and locals to discover and rediscover the beauty of Dubai’s culture and country.
When it comes to its service, we love how enthusiastic our guide and crew were. We love how they shared our excitement for the whole thing and took extra steps to make sure we were having a good time.
Overall, we loved Sindbad’s hot air balloon adventure. It covered all the bases, and the staff was there to elevate it to the next level.
Pros
- Has a wide range of packages
- Great set of sporty activities
- Enthusiastic excellent service
Cons
- The basic package is not worth taking
- Activities lack a cultural or relaxing aspect to them
Customer Reviews
Truly an invaluable memory for life
“4:00 am wake-up call, headed to the Margham Desert to catch up with the sunrise at an altitude of 3,300 ft, then descended as low as 4-5 meters above the ground to admire the scenery of the desert. The ride lasted for about 2 hrs, it combined adrenaline and tranquility. Truly an invaluable memory for life 🌵thank you Captain Orlando!” —Adrian Velarde, Google Reviews
We had the most wonderful and magical flight
“We had the most wonderful and magical flight. Our captain Orlando was extremely professional, explained everything, and was also super nice. We totally recommend Sindbad, you made this experience unforgettable, thank you!”—Manon Deguette, Google Reviews
4. Dubai Ballooning
| Criteria | Rating |
| Range of Packages | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Complementary Experiences | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality of Journey | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
One of the top-rated companies on TripAdvisor, Dubai Ballooning delivers excellent adventures with its professional pilots with a combined experience of over 45 years.
It has 3 packages including an amazing overnight VIP tour that we tried out. We love how this package saves the hot air balloon flight for last.
The buildup starts with a ride into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, followed by falconry, and then capped off with our arrival at the camp where we enjoyed some cultural performances during dinner.
The balloon flight was made sweeter because of all of this, making this kind of flight the climax of our journey.
Although we wished the VIP tour had a much more jam-packed itinerary because we were looking forward to some dune bugging and camel riding that we usually get on these experiences.
When it came to the service quality, we love how professional and lighthearted our pilot was.
He kept us updated on everything, including how hot air balloons work and the wind direction, so we ended up learning a few things.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Dubai Ballooning, and the best part about it is all of its packages provide a full flight video via our email, so we didn’t have to worry about our videos.
Pros
- Amazing VIP adventure package
- Complementary adventures are carefully planned
- Excellent service
Cons
- The most basic package is not worth it
- Needs some sporty activities
Customer Reviews
What an amazing experience!
“What an amazing experience! First time going on a hot air balloon ride and it was phenomenal! Our pilot Orly was so professional and had a great sense of humor, he was constantly updating us about the wind directions and how hot air ballooning works and it was good fun hearing the insights. Seeing the sunrise from that altitude was breathtaking! Thanks a lot to the team for making this such an experience for me and my family. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an experience of a lifetime!” —Djaha Amoin Diane, Google Reviews
We’re so happy we picked Dubai Ballooning.
“What an awesome experience! We’re so happy we picked Dubai Ballooning. All the staff was amazing, especially our guide, Stephen, and our pilot, Capt. Donatas. They all made everything so much fun! From the balloon and vintage Land Rover ride to the delicious breakfast at our camp, and even the camel ride, they made sure we had the best experience. You cannot go wrong with them. They delivered on all their promises. We can’t recommend them enough! Until next time😄” —Ibou Dieye, Google Reviews
5. Platinum Heritage
| Criteria | Rating |
| Range of Packages | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Complementary Experiences | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality of Journey | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
More than just a balloon adventure, Platinum Heritage takes guests back in time for an immersive safari experience based on how Arabians lived before the city of Dubai was built.
It has 3 collections of up to 9 packages, with each collection focusing on 3 different aspects.
The heritage collection focuses on cultural and historical activities, the platinum collection is all about that tranquil and luxurious experience, and the overland collection takes guests through the safari and the mountains for an adventure.
Needless to say, the packages and the complementary adventures cover all the bases and even provide some pretty unique experiences.
We especially loved spending the evening around the bonfire in a traditional majlis setting after a long day. On top of that, we got to sleep in a private room made out of Arabic stone dwellings inspired by the Bedouins.
We had a problem with our service in terms of our pick up. The driver was late and almost made us miss our schedule, and some of the activities were far too short for us to completely enjoy.
Despite that, our pilot and crew treated us amazingly during the balloon flight. They kept our moods light with some humor and took the extra steps to get us comfortable.
Overall, we loved our experience with Platinum Heritage. It is obvious it pulled out all of the stops to create a memorable experience even though some parts of it felt rushed.
Pros
- Has a wide range of packages to choose from
- Complementary adventures are a mix of cultural, sporty, and relaxing activities
- Pilot and crew treated us amazingly
Cons
- Our pick-up was late
- Some parts of the adventure felt rushed
Customer Reviews
What an amazing and adventurous experience my family and I had today with Platinum Heritage.
“What an amazing and adventurous experience my family and I had today with Platinum Heritage.
Our guide/driver Travis was amazing.
Very courteous and friendly!
The camp ambiance is the best we have seen in a long time.
The food selection is fantastic.
Very happy with the experience!
We also took a photo package and the photos came out awesome!” — A J, Google Reviews
The staff does a good job sharing the culture with us during our visit
“What an experience! The food was absolutely amazing, we did the hot air balloon ride and camel rides which were so cool and stunning. Our pilot was funny and professional and made the experience even more fun. The staff was aware it was our honeymoon and treated us, first class. They were genuine and thoughtful. The staff does a good job sharing the culture with us during our visit which was cool, we ate food and enjoyed the shows.” —Davis Smith, Google Reviews
FAQs about Balloon Adventures in Dubai
We hope this helped you find your favorite balloon adventure company in Dubai. Also, if you’re looking for more ideas on what to do in the city, then check out these articles: