Hot Air Balloon Over Luxor

Over the years, Leo and I have been to many places that offered hot air balloon rides. We have always wanted to do it, but each time, we passed on the chance because it was expensive (usually around USD 200 per person) and we just weren’t willing to shell out the money. We saw hot air balloons a few months ago in Kenya over Maasai Mara but we just couldn’t justify spending USD 1000 for all six of us on a two-hour activity.

One of the many reasons that I am thankful for Leo is because we have compatible approaches to managing our finances. Neither of us is a reckless spender or impulse buyer. Neither of us is stingy or overly concerned about money. We spend when we should and save when we should. Luckily for us, our definitions of when we should spend or save happen to coincide. I would describe our approach as value conscious experience seekers. We like to get a good deal and we prioritize experiences over things.

When I saw that there were hot air balloon rides in Luxor, I did a bit of research. The prices seemed very reasonable and everybody was keen to do it, so we decided to book a ride.

That morning, we waited for the van to pick us up at 4:30 am. We were transported to a parking lot on the west bank of the Nile River to wait for another group who had also booked the hot air balloon ride. As an unexpected treat, we were able to watch the glorious sunrise over the Nile River.

After we waited a while and the other group showed up, the driver announced that the balloons were not allowed to fly today because of the windy conditions. To us, it just meant the hassle of having to do the same early morning wake-up routine again the next morning. For another couple in our van, they wouldn’t have another chance because they were leaving Luxor that evening. There wasn’t much left to do so we returned to the Airbnb to get a few more hours of sleep.

The next morning, we were ready for our 4:30 am pickup again. We crossed our fingers that it wasn’t too windy and hoped the balloon ride could go on as scheduled. As we were waiting for the van to pick us up, we noticed tens of colorful balloons floating up into the sky. It was a fantastic sight that created even greater anticipation for us to have our turn in the balloon.

We arrived at the hot air balloon launch site that was a bare plot of land beside farmland. Here, we could see many other balloons lifting off of the ground in succession. There was a bit of a scare and one of our family members was almost not able to go on the balloon ride. Luckily, the staff was resourceful and helped to find a favorable work-around.

Our family plus others who had arrived were herded toward a yellow balloon that was in the process of being filled with hot air. The basket was brought over on the back of a truck and set horizontally on the ground before it was attached to the balloon. A balloon has the capacity to hold 28 passengers, so besides our group, there were about 15 others. We went through a safety briefing, mainly teaching us the safe landing position, and then we hopped into the basket.

We watched another balloon nearby lift off. When it was our turn, the conductor turned on the fire and we gently began floating into the air. It wasn’t long before we could see the Ramesseum and Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple along with farmland divided neatly into little rectangular plots. The height of the basket was over EY’s head but she could see everything from a little cutaway peep hole in the basket that was perfect for her height. We rose higher and higher into the sky but it didn’t feel scary at all.

The conductor handled the balloon expertly and at one point, he let the balloon descend until we could touch the tops of the sugar cane that were growing in a field below. Then he turned the fire on and we floated up… up… up… into the sky.

The children asked why the balloon will float into the sky. Wai Gong (Grandpa) explained the physics of the hot air balloon. When the fire heats the air molecules, they become excited and move around. As they move around, they spread out and the air becomes less dense. The less dense air rises above the cooler, dense air. Thus, the heated air in the balloon will cause the balloon to float upwards.

After about an hour in the sky, it was time to descend. The duration of the ride was perfect for us. Any longer wouldn’t have made the trip any more enjoyable. The conductor let the balloon descend ever so gently into an empty field beside a plot of sugar cane. There were about 6 men on the ground ready to receive the balloon. The landing was so smooth that the balloon barely kissed the ground before the workers held onto the basket and the balloon itself draped onto the ground like an elegant ballgown.