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Hot Air Balloon Bled
Explore Bled from a different perspective
Try something new
A unique experience
Pricing
Included in price
Transfer from your location in Bled
1 hour flight
English speaking balloon pilot
Glass of champagne, coffee or tea
Pickup location and time
Description
Have you ever wondered how insanely beautiful Lake Bled must look from above? Wonder no more. Here’s your chance to find out in the best possible way – by hot-air balloon!
As hot-air balloons rely solely on the wind, it’s difficult to predict exactly where our adventure in the sky will begin, so a take-off point will be arranged a day or two in advance. But don’t worry, although these change daily, we have plenty of options to make sure you don’t miss out on the main highlights.
Arriving at our take-off zone, you can also take part in the balloon preparations. After approximately 20 minutes, everything is set and we’re off. Our flight path will take us over the wonderful Bled Castle perched proudly on top of its glorious cliff. The sight of stunning Lake Bled is memorizing, so get ready to be amazed. We then drift on towards the town of Bled and neighbouring towns of Lesce and Radovljica. As we float around softly, the views of our surroundings take us into a world that can only be described as magical. Triglav National Park is stretched out in front of us and the majestic Julian and Karavanke Alps rise up in the background like giant reminders of nature’s powerful splendour. The Sava river Valley with its tiny villages only adds to the scenic flight, as the lush forests of Jelovica Plateau greet us with their peaceful presence.
After about an hour, the pilot lands the balloon safely and the ground crew begins packing our transport vehicle away. This is followed by a traditional Balloon Ceremony with a glass of premium Slovene sparkling wine. Like in the days of old, when only a select few could travel by hot-air balloon, you will be awarded a Certificate of an Honourable Baroness or Baron, before being taken back to Bled for a traditional kremšnita cream cake and coffee.
Things to know
Early mornings offer the best conditions for hot-air balloon flying, since the air is cold and stable. During the warmer part of the day, the sun heats the air above which causes thermal activity and more unstable air, meaning unstable flying. However, in the mornings, the coldest part of the day, the hot-air balloon inflates and launches easily, while stable air offers much calmer flying. Besides, watching the sunrise from way up high is especially beautiful.
Hot-air balloons usually carry enough fuel to fly for about 1-2 hours, however the air temperature, the carrying weight in the basket and weather conditions influence the flight’s duration. We try to get about an hour up in the air with each flight.
Actually, it won’t. The coldest part of the experience is at the launch, in the layer of cold air that sets on the ground during the night. Once we are above this layer of cold air, temperature rises and the flight should be quite comfortable for you. You won’t even feel the wind, because the balloon moves with it.
The experience of flying in a hot-air balloon is much different to standing on a roof or a really high bridge. It will feel like solid ground beneath your feet, so you won’t get the vertigo feeling. As we will be propelled by the wind currents, you won’t even feel the wind blowing. The balloon basket does not swing or rock and is completely safe.
We always put your safety first and if we decide the weather is not suitable for flying, your flight will be cancelled. In that case, you will receive a cancellation notification and we will try to reschedule your flight to another day. If you are unable to reschedule the flight, we offer a full refund.
We can’t give you an exact answer, as the landing site depends on the aforementioned wind conditions. Our pilot will carefully plan the wind forecast before the launch, to ensure that the wind doesn’t take the balloon to an unsuitable landing area. He will use different air currents to steer the balloon towards a good landing spot, so our landing will be safe and smooth. We will land in a field or a meadow and we have agreements with the landowners to use their properties.
The ground crew follows the balloon’s path. The pilot is in constant contact with the crew and they should arrive at the landing location at roughly the same time. We will take you back to the take-off location (or your own) right after the balloon is packed.
We normally fly at an altitude between 50 and 500 meters (160–1700 feet), which is the best height for nice views and taking pictures, but it all depends on the weather conditions.
Solo travelers can book this experience. However, if a group hasn’t yet formed, one of our agents will inform the solo booker that an additional fee, equivalent to the cost of two participants, is required to secure the booking. Should a group form on the day of the activity, we can refund the difference to the solo traveler.
Our experiences are priced per person, as listed. However, some experiences have a minimum requirement of 2 participants. Solo travelers can still book these experiences but will need to cover the cost for two participants. If a group forms for the same experience, we can refund the difference in cost to the solo traveler.