|
 Hot
air ballooning is new to Nepal. In fact, it was started
in the year 2000 on the increasing demand of the foreign
tourists. In the last decade, Hot-Air Ballooning and
Bungee Jumping have successfully replaced the traditional
adventure sports such as Trekking and Hill-Biking
in Nepal. The most interesting thing with the Hot-Air
Ballooning is that, it gives you a breathtaking view
of Kathmandu valley. On a clear day, it is a superb
way to view the Greater Himalayan Peaks.
Most of the rides start early morning as it takes
more than half an hour for hot air to inflate the
crumpled and dead cold balloon. As the burner guzzles
gas, the balloon starts to pick up slowly. The departure
is gentle and one hardly feels the ascent apart from
a mild nudge. The advantage of this magnificent form
of flight is that there is neither the hummer of engines,
nor any airplane wings to obscure the mesmerizing
and picturesque view.
The best months of Balloon flights are between October
and March. Though at times, when weather permits,
the ballooning season in Nepal stretches to April
too. The only dampener is the fact that these flights
are heavily dependent on the velocity and direction
of the wind. The landings are generally done in the
terraced paddies that stretch out across the fringes
of the valley. Most of these flights take off from
the historic town of Bhaktapur and, depending on which
way the wind blows, takes you on a trip that gives
you an eagle's eye view of Kathmandu town and the
valley.
Passenger Information:
Age:
There is no age barrier to enjoying our flights. However,
a detree of fitness is required as we may have to
walk through paddocks after landing. There are no
seats in the basket - therefore, standing for the
duration of the flight ( about on hour) is unavoidable.
We do not recommend bringing very small children.
The reason are twofold-the first being the comfort
and enjoyment oof the other passengers. The baskets
are quite small and young children often get restless
when in confined areas. The second reason is more
practical. The walls of the baskets are four feet
high, small children would have difficulty in seeing
over, unless carried by an adult ( an arduous task
for a one hour fight). We do stipulate that children
under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult.
When:
We take off soon after sunrise. Winds are usually
at their calmest then. Winter months provide the most
reliable conditions. We fly in the summer, but very
early in the morning.
Duration:
Normally we fly for about an hour, but this is at
the pilot's discretion, taking into account the winds,
temperature and weight carried on the day.
What to wear:
Dress as for hiking, including sturdy shoes or boots
plus sun glasses, gloves and a cap. It does not get
any colder in the balloon than on the ground.
Photography:
Our advice is to bring more film than you think you'll
need. There is so much to see, from an entirely new
perspective - you'll want to record it all to relive
later.
Payments / Refunds:
Payments must be made at least 3 days prior to flight.
As ballooning is dependant on favourable weather conditions
and safety is our first consideration and we will
not fly it conditions are unsuitable. If you are "weathered
out" you may rebook for this season or the next,
or receive a refund. |
