Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride

Up up and away!!!

Hot air ballooning Cairns was a fantastic morning over Mareeba and Atherton. The staff were extremely professional and very entertaining. It was the smoothest take off and landing I have ever experienced. Frank, our pilot, was very knowledgeable and we felt very comfortable in his capable hands. The entire staff of Brownie, Brian and Frank were wonderful. I highly recommend this experience

Amazing views

The trip was amazing. Took lots of photos and they email you photos they take for you to download. Very smooth landing and Josh and team members were great. Saw a beautiful sunrise and wallabies from up high. Highly recommend.

Hot air balloon experience

We had a wonderful time with Hot Air Ballon Cairns. The weather favored the day of our flight, and we were able to enjoy the wonderful views of the Tablelands. The crew were very friendly and helpful. The complementary snacks and drinks were scrumptious. Definitely a must try experience. Don't forget to bring your binoculars!

Great morning in the sky

This is my first experience to take air balloon, it was very nice more than I have thought . It’s one of the most precious experiences for me, and I recommend this trip!

The ballooning experience was exhilarating! Scenery was fabulous! Our balloon Skipper was excellent in explaining all!

This was a bucket list item! And will be remembered forever! The Skipper explained everything that he was doing as he was flying!

Memorable experience

An experience to remember! Great views along with the crew who kept us entertained the whole way! Worth every penny.

A ride through the clouds as the sun paints the sky

The thought of being picked up at 3:50 am was daunting. Yet, we signed up. A cosy bus ride through winding roads suddenly opens up over vast plains. And right there, firing up for an adventure, were 3 colourful giants. Some 24 of us, comfortably standing in one of them, the brightest of reds, watched it fill up. Safety instructions given, saying cheese for free photos, we braced for take off. The jerks didn't come and soon enough we slowly rose up and up and into the clouds. WOW. What a sight. The cool clouds were cancelled off by the warmth of the hot air filling the balloon. The vistas of the horizon, the Sun lighting up the morning skies, the earth below changing hues from darkish to a golden glow into bright green.. After about 30 minutes of oohs and aahs we slowly made our descent. The champagne and the little snack were great and we got memories and a certificate for keepsake too.

It's a MUST on your to do list!

A big thank you to funny Brownie, professional Bob and friendly Brian! We felt safe and happy! My mom and I really had an amazing experience with you guys! Best memory in Cairns! Highly recommended 100%!

What an experience.

From being collected by Brownie, who was so funny even that early in the day, through to the journey back to our hotel this was the perfect hot air balloon experience. It was more than just the ride, nothing was too much trouble, we felt safe and well cared for. I can’t imagine anyone could do it better, such a great day with very happy memories.

Cairns hot air balloon ride

Early start but well worth it for the experience and views. Felt very safe at all times. Staff very friendly and knowledgeable and eager to assist.

CAIRNS HOT AIR BALLOON SUPERB

Great staff, fun experience. Saw wallabys and kangaroos. After flight beverages and snacks a nice touch. The pilot was informative of the region and shared information about it.

Bucket list item checked

Our driver Brownie was so pleasant and accommodating considering he picked us up at 3:50 AM, and then our pilot Frank made this an experience of a lifetime by answering all questions, flying us over areas where we can see the animals hopping around in their natural habitat, then provided refreshments & certificates after the ride...simply amazing 👏🏽 😀 😉

Great morning!

Great staff who maintained a relaxed atmosphere - even with a cheeky cow after landing. Beautiful views.

And the entertainment was free !

A wonderful time with a great professional staff who made me feel completely safe and also had a fun and entertaining attitude. I might only balloon once in my life, but I can definitely say I've done it with the best. What a memorable experience !!

Awesome

It was an absolutely amazing experience. Initially We were a bit nervous but the crew made us feel so comfortable and made the entire ride go really smooth. Special mention To joe who drove us to the site, gave good information about the city and was very gracious to drop us at the hotel In time To check Out. Our pilot Neil/Bryan hope I got the name right he is a total Pro and gem of a person and so are the rest of the crew. It was really Fun to pack the balloon and have some nice champagne with snacks. A MUST try to everyone who visit CAIRNS.

Fab experience

Amazing staff and trip. Highly recommend a must do if you get the opportunity. One of the highlights of my time I'm Cairns

Hot air balloon Cairns

The overall experience was great. Tony our bus driver was funny and a great guy. Our balloon captain Bob was awesome as well. It was a great morning and i would highly recommend anyone to give it a go.

The best experience

The views were absolutely incredible. I’d highly recommend to anyone who wants unforgettable experience during staying in Cairns. The staffs were also friendly and professional.

Wow! What an experience!

Brownie was on the ball from the time he picked us up from our accommodation. Cracking jokes and funny is not what you normally get at 4am. Got to Mareeba, plenty of information was given while waiting for the call to head out. Looked like the wind had other ideas, but we got the call and zoomed straight out. Brownie gave us directions and we were able to climb into the basket fairly quickly. Roy and Brownie were running around getting the last minute things ready while Frank readied the balloon. The balloon left without a hitch. Absolutely breathtaking views over Mareeba. Frank gave some information about what we could see below. Finding a spot to land and actually landing is definitely a skill and Frank nailed it! Landing without a bump! The fun bit was getting out of the basket and then helping to get the air out of the balloon and putting it into the bag. Between the 23 of us we got it done! Then hitched a ride back to the bus and the boys promptly set up for yummy morning tea! Still cracking jokes, the boys took photos and we all enjoyed morning tea. Overall a fantastic experience, from the staff who cracked jokes and interacted well amongst themselves and tourists alike. Loved it! Will recommend it! Keep doing what you're doing, your awesome and we loved it! Thank you!

A must, if you're around Cairns/Tablelands

Excellent experience; even before pick up time they were already sending updates to keep everyone informed. The day was great with good weather and excellent visibility. bucket list experience for sure.

Well worth it

The views were amazing so quiet and relaxing and a lovely way to see the landscape. The crew were fabulous, friendly and welcoming highly recommend it.

YOU CAN FEEL GREAT EXPERIENCE!!

You can feel abrolutely amazing views！！ When I went this activity, I could see some animales kangaroos, wallabies and dogs!

Sunrise Hot Air balloon flight

Josh our balloon pilot was very knowledgeable about all the spectacular views from the balloon. Lunch was delicious. The whole experience from pick up to return drop off, was very professional and well worth the money. We'd definitely recommend this to our family & friends.

Absolutely brilliant

Absolutely brilliant. We had an amazing time. The staff and crew were fantastic and it was an unforgettable experience. Thanks Joe for making it so much fun (we now have Dancing Queen on repeat!)

Wonderful experience

This was a special experience for our family. I was blown away by the professionalism of the ballooning team. They picked us up from our hotel at 4.10am and drove us to Mareeba, where we watched the huge balloons being inflated, then hopped into the very large baskets for the flight. The early morning views of the Mareeba countryside were superb, with some cloud cover adding to the experience as we at times floated in the clouds. After a smooth landing, our group had a fun time helping pack up the balloon before celebrating with drinks and snacks. Photos were taken before, during and after the flight and emailed to everyone later the same day. The crew were entertaining, professional and at all times safety conscious - what a team! We were even able to add a trip to Kuranda via Skyrail to our package and were dropped off at the Skyrail terminal after the balloon ride.

Wise words about fear gave our 10yo a truly formative experience

Outstanding on all fronts. Considerate of travellers needs given the early start, clear & concise advice at all times, extensive knowledge & skills evident, great catering, amazing views for everyone. Most importantly, the team (Brian, Bob & Hitoshi) showed compassion w pragmatism when our son had a panic attack just before take-off. In addition to noise-reducing earmuffs for the burner sound, they were efficiently kind and supportive. Upon landing, Brian gave our son words of wisdom that will stay with him forever - a truly moving and formative moment. Words cannot express our gratitude for the pride our son now feels for having overcome his fear.

Fantastic and highly recommended

Me and my partner took a flight on the 26th June 2023. This was the highlight of our trip of Mareeba and Cairns. Rob 'Brownie' Brown the bus driver and Bob the balloon pilot were fantastic amd knowledgeable of the area. The views were amazing on sunrise and highly recommended to anyone

Best experience I've had in Australia

Everything was amazing and perfect. Couldn't ask for a better experience. Great price too for all you get. I'd do it again and again!

We highly recommend this to anyone young and old.

We enjoyed the whole experience with our pilot Franky longrass and his ground crew. They are very professional and we felt safe throughout the flight. We could not have asked for a better morning for our hot air baloon adventue, a cool, clear winters morning with low lying fog stretching out around us like an ocean with the tips of mountains peering through like islands in the mist, as we soared high above the tree tops and a beautiful sunrise lit up the sky.

Must do

Fantastic experience, views were amazing staff were awesome.. Frank was very knowledgeable about the area.

Wonderful experience and enjoyable trip with lovely staff

Spectacular experience. Lovely staff, one of the things to do in Cairns for sure! This is a must when you spend time in Cairns

blabo

awesome! it was wonderful time at the first time. I wanna ride hot ballon again. blaboooooo!!! Thank you.

Outstanding experience

Outstanding, beautiful, interesting experience. We enjoyed the balloon ride and commentary. We felt safe and in awe.

A must have experience

This was something I have wanted to do for a long time and the excellent team at Hot Air Balloons made the experience one that I will remember and recommend.

Just the smooth flught it...

Just the smooth flught it was awsome and the landing was perfect and on board commentary was awsome to

Hot air balloon at Cairns

Amazing experience. Once in life time opportunity. Thanks Frank and team for making it so beautiful. Great mountain and greenery. Starts early in the morning so that we can view the sunrise and ends with a glass of Champagne to celebrate in the highlands. Couldn’t have asked for better experience. You could spot some Kangaroos too…👍🥂

Breathtaking!

Excellent pilot and ground crew! Everyone was very professional, and made it an amazing experience! The flight was smooth and absolutely breathtaking. Can’t recommend this experience enough.

An amazing experience with spectacular views!

A fantastic experience , well -organised and found the video before the balloon flight helpful in explaining what to wear and expect.The crew were great, from pickup at the hotel by Tori to Bob who flew our balloon. Would recommend this to anyone as was very memorable!

Didn’t even realise this was a bucket list item for us until we done it - would recommend

Really enjoyed this experience. We hadn’t planned to do this on our trip (as we hadn’t thought about it before coming to Australia) but after seeing it and reading the reviews we decided to book it. My partner is afraid of heights and even he enjoyed it - you are safe and secure at all times. We were in good hands with Pilot Bob who is exceptional at his job and knowledge of the Tablelands and he was great at sharing information on how hot air ballooning works. It is worth the early start - seeing sunset from the sky. Tony, Roy and pilot Bob were great spirits and were never short of a joke. The glass of bubbles at the end were a good way to finish off. You get your pictures taken on the day and these are shared with you (free of charge!!) after the trip.

Amazing experience

I'm glad I listened to the other reviews - I am scared of heights but honestly the ride is so smooth, you hardly notice. There are also handles you can hang on to so that felt a little more secure. Really great staff. Definitely dress appropriately, you will be landing in a field and will help with the balloon afterwards.

Scared of heights but loved being up there

The experience was a great way to see the Atherton tableland with the pilot Josh and the land crew of Susie and Tony make the trip a memorable time . I would recommend this a trip for all

Unexpected bucket list item.

This experience was included in our travel package and while taking a ride in a basket hanging from a balloon was not on our bucket list it certainly was added then ticked. The experience from the pickup to the end was brilliant. We had Frank and he was just great, knew everything about piloting one of the biggest balloons you could fly in. He was that good he was picking his landing spot from what seemed to be 200-250 feet up and he landed what was a small bus within a metre of where he said. The ground crew were also excellent. Highly recommend this experience and would do it again.

Fabulous!

Fantastic experience! We had never flown before and my husband was nervous but everything was really professionally run. It was touch and go whether we would fly due to the wind, but we were lucky and were flying for an hour. It was amazing. We flew over lots of fruit fields and a highlight for me was to see the wallabies running around below. Landing was fun and after helping to pack up the balloon, we were treated to champagne. The official photos (which are complimentary) were also amazing. Would highly recommend!

Amazing and stunning views

I cannot tell you what am i feeling I recommended you have to try it. So good and chilled. Staffs are very nice and friendly.

Our Balloon Experience

Josh and the team were great. Josh kept up a very interesting commentary throughout the flight. We were picked up from our hotel at the exact time we were told the transport would be there. The whole activity was hassle free and a lot of fun.

Recommend

The hot air balloon experience was incredible. The crew and pilot were extremely accommodating and made the experience 10 times better. We have never done this before and it was amazing and we would highly recommend. The pilot was very knowledgeable and provided extensive information about the process of the hot air balloon ride and the landscape surrounding. The tour was concluded with a complementary glass of champagne or orange juice. The tour itself was amazing and we would definitely recommend the experience.

Fanstastic experience

An amazing experience, well worth the early morning start. So glad I did this on my visit to Cairns. The operators were friendly (and funny!) and made the whole experience from start to finish such an enjoyable time. Was initially concerned the number of passengers onboard (24) would mean it may be difficult to see out, but everyone had a "front" row position in the basket with awesome photography opportunities. Would 100% recommend this company and tour, and would love to do this again if I am ever back in Cairns.

UP UP AND AWAY

This was so amazing. We booked into accommodation just across the road at our pick up point while still dark. Watched the balloons fill with air. All the staff were very responsible and friendly making jokes and much laughter. The rise was slow and Gentle extremely relaxing. My Husband was extremely nervous about the whole experience prior but was really enjoying it once up there and couldn’t believe how wonderful it was. The views the safety all of it. On landing we were given champagne and orange juice. Really worth the experience would definitely do it again. Never once had a reason to feel fearful.🤗🌈

Soooooooooo AWESOME!!!

Oh my WORD!!! Tony is too funny and soooooooooooooo pleasant to be around! Frank, the balloon pilot and his team are stellar! My activity with them was the best while in Cairns. They are hardworking men that really desire a memorable experience for the tourist. Tony made a hot air balloon ornament from the champagne cork and wire. I have it now in the US (California) to accompany my wonderful experience with this company. You would do yourself a great injustice by not booking with this company specifically. The photos were top notch and we ended the morning with a nice glass or two of champagne bubbly!!!

Hot Air Ballooning Cairns

We really enjoyed this experience but thought that the communication could have been just a bit better as the weather was very uncertain.