Your hot air balloon flight will generally last about an hour depending on prevailing winds and landing availability.

Please refer to our current rates and packages page. Value for money in terms of the beautifully scenic areas in which we fly, you will not find better. Occasionally we have last minute specials and discounts available, so please do contact our booking office for more information.

Discover Ballooning launches from one of three launch fields in the Hartbeespoort and Magalies River Valley area. Your launching site will be confirmed prior to your flight date. We are able to launch from anywhere in the country, as well as most surrounding countries provided the area is suitable for hot air ballooning and that we can get permission from the local authorities. Please contact us for any special requests.

We regret, strictly no children under the age of 12. We consider it unsafe for pregnant women to fly. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Passengers with health considerations accept the responsibility to consult a doctor before embarking on a balloon flight. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss these with us before booking.

You should wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. It is advisable to dress in layers as it can get quite chilly on the launch site but once up in the air you will be surprised at how warm it is, especially under the burners. Casual clothing and flat shoes are ideal, and natural fibres are preferable to synthetic fabrics. Do not wear nylon. You may want to wear a hat to shield your head from the heat of the burners. Gloves, scarves and beanies are recommended during winter. Don’t forget to bring your camera and binoculars.

Yes. You will need to phone and book beforehand so that we can check availability. If you have a specific date in mind you should book more than the usual few weeks in advance. Balloons are limited to the number of passengers and weight they can carry.

Balloons are limited to the amount of weight they can carry. Please be prepared to provide your weight when booking for this reason. It is very important to provide your accurate weight, regardless of what it is, as your safety depends on it.

The number of passengers a balloon can carry depends on the size / cubic capacity of the envelope, which in turn determines the size of the basket underneath. It also largely depends on the weight of the passengers flying, air temperature and altitude.

No two flights are the same. We fly wherever the wind decides to take us that morning. The wind blows in different directions at different altitudes, so to some extent the pilot can search for different wind currents by manoeuvring the balloon up and down. Larger balloons have turning vents which allows the balloon to turn on its own axis.

We have a ceiling of 7500ft above sea level at Hartbeespoort Dam; that is about 3500ft above the ground. Any good balloon flight will include a bit of low level flying, skimming the treetops, and some high altitude flying for you to get a good bird’s eye view of the surrounding area, Brits, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The first hours of daylight are the best time to fly as the air is stable which means very gentle surface winds and no thermals. As the day progresses, the winds and thermals get stronger. It is possible to fly just before sunset but flights are often much shorter, and flights all too often are cancelled or postponed due to weather.

Ballooning is considered to be the safest of all aviation sports. This is mainly because we will not launch in unfavourable weather conditions.

There are three main components to a hot air balloon. The basket is woven out of wicker. It is exceptionally strong and is able to absorb the shock during bumpier landings. It is built with steps (square holes in the sides of the basket) to be able to climb in and out of the basket easily and has rope handles to enable the crew to load and offload the basket during transportation of the balloon. The envelope is the large colourful part of the balloon that most people associate with hot air balloons. It is made from anti-porous treated rip-stop nylon with load bearing webbing tape. The burners burn the propane gas which heats the air inside the envelope to cause lift. The burner is attached to the basket and the envelope by wires, support poles and carabiners. There are hoses which feed propane into the burners from the cylinders.

The envelope of the balloon is stored in a canvas bag. It is unrolled and spread out on the ground. The crew then attaches the envelope to the wicker basket and burner frame. Petrol fuelled fans are used for cold inflation, which is the process of blowing air into the envelope to partially inflate the balloon. This allows enough space at the mouth of the balloon to use the burners to heat the air inside the envelope. After enough air in the envelope has been heated, it will begin to rise above the basket.