Experience the best of both city and rural ballooning as we drift serenely through clean fresh air with the beautiful city of Bendigo and the surrounding landscape beneath us.
A professional pilot and crew with a love of flying will fly up to ten people for an hour before enjoying a mouth watering breakfast and champagne at Bendigo’s renowned Boardwalk Restaurant.
Hot air balloon rides are an exhilarating experience. Being avid hot air balloon fliers who celebrate every important occasion on a hot air balloon we believe this is an out of this world way of celebrating your special day or sharing a once in a lifetime experience with your loved ones.
Our website is dedicated to hot air balloon rides and we have put together numerous useful resources for you to decide which services and packages in Victoria are the best for you. Including information about the regions circumvented and customer experience we are here to assist you discover the thrill of this airborne adventure. You may also want to check out Australian Ballooning Federation.
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The Experience
Before getting into the basic essentials of locations and services offered by Victoria based hot air balloon companies we would like you to accompany us on a hot air balloon adventure by sharing the peaceful yet elating experience of our rides with you. If you have been air borne on a hot air balloon you will definitely be able to relate with us, however if you are planning on flying in the near future this will give you a good idea of what to expect and increase the fun for you.
The adventure begins with your pilot choosing the perfect location of launching for you. Once the location has been decided and the pilot satisfied with the weather, the inflating ceremony of the balloon begins. There are quite a few companies who ask passengers to assist them with the inflation if they wish to participate instead of being onlookers. After the inflation the passengers along with the crew climb into the gondola, the pilot adjusts the temperature and voila the balloon gently soars into air without you sensing it lifting off the ground. Unlike other flying experiences a hot air balloon ride is serene and calm, even for those passengers who experience motion sickness.
With a myriad of feelings which fluctuate simultaneously between a deep sense of inner peace and excitement while floating over scenic valleys, there is nothing compared to a hot air balloon ride. It’s like entering another world where you are transported away from the daily stresses of life, protected by a shell of serenity.
To give you a small taster of what it is like.
Hot Air Balloon Companies in Victoria
Here is a list of the best hot air balloon services you may come across in Victoria. All these companies have been chosen due to their quality customer service, vast experience and an extremely helpful crew.
Picture This Ballooning
Awarded the 2013 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor; flying hot air balloons since 1996 they are a rapidly growing hot air ballooning business operating in Victoria. Focusing on Melbourne and Yarra Valley they offer highly professional services making hot air ballooning a memorable experience for their passengers.
• Melbourne:
Join Picture This Ballooning on an exciting yet serene flight over one of the most beautiful cities of this world. Watching the city of Melbourne come to life while quietly floating over its skyscrapers is actually a treat, worth the time and expenses invested.
• Yarra Valley:
The beauty of Yarra Valley is intensified during this hot air balloon flight. With the sun rising above the orange orchards, rivers, lakes and vineyards, it is truly a sight to behold.
• Mansfield:
Picture This Ballooning have announced launching sites from Mansfield offering special packages to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. A great opportunity to fly across this beautiful town in the foothills of Victoria, with deep forests and picturesque sceneries.
Picture This Ballooning are committed to safety and providing an enjoyable experience to their passengers. They are highly rated by their customers and offer special flights and packages which include champagne breakfast in their services.
Mildura Ballooning
Looking for adventure in Mildura? How about floating over the picturesque city of Mildura in a hot air balloon, with one of the best hot air balloon operators in Mildura. An accredited tourism company it offers a memorable trip of Mildura for its passengers.
Their local pilot makes certain you are briefed about the regions unfolding beneath you as you peacefully fly over Murray River. Enjoying the breathtaking beauty of vineyards, orchards and Mildura City prepare yourself for almost an hour of enchanting views accompanied by a scrumptious breakfast at the Enjoywine Restaurant.
Mildura Ballooning crew will pick you from Mildura City, bringing you to the launching destination. Depending upon the weather one of their twelve launching destinations will be selected ensuring your safety. Guided by their professional crew you have the option to either purchase a flight with champagne breakfast included within the package or simply opt for a joy flight.
So far Mildura Ballooning passengers have found their services highly professional with quite a few of them planning on arranging second rides with them. If you wish to experience the charming diversity of Victoria, Mildura is a must visit and Mildura Ballooning is definitely among one of the most reliable tour operator services there.
Hot Air Balloon Companies Operating Throughout Australia
Besides Victoria there are hot air balloon operators who are providing services in different parts of Australia including Victoria. The companies mentioned here have excellent services and come highly recommended by passengers who have benefitted from their services.
Global Ballooning
One of the best hot air ballooning services offered in Australia. They are vigilant about the safety of their passengers and make certain it is an enjoyable experience for them to remember whether they are airborne in a hot air balloon for the first time or are veteran fliers. Their locations in Victoria include Melbourne and Yarra Valley.
• Melbourne:
If you select Melbourne as your launching destination your meeting point will be, ‘Hilton on the Park’. Asked to converge an hour before sunrise their pilot will brief you about the flight, answering any queries you have and soothing your apprehensions if any. Once airborne you will have almost one hour to witness Australia’s second largest city wake up to a lovely morning while you view parks and sporting venues from the safety of your gondola.
• Yarra Valley:
A bird’s eye view of one of the most beautiful winery regions as the sun rises is a special treat. Confirm with the pilot of Global Ballooning the meeting time at Rochford Wines. For your hot air balloon adventure at Yarra Valley you will be briefed by the pilot about your flight and its destination before takeoff, and guided by him about the areas as you fly over them.
With Global Ballooning you have the option of gifting a hot air balloon ride to your friends and family through their gift vouchers. Apart from Victoria their hot air balloons destinations include Alice Springs, Cairns, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Avon Valley. Their packages include flights for adults and children with and without a champagne breakfast.
They have great reviews by their passengers who were content with their pilots and crew. Offering interesting information about the sites visited and managing hot air balloons deftly they are definitely recommended as one of the best ballooning companies in Australia.
Hot Air Balloon
Another great hot air balloon rides operator offering services throughout Australian including Victoria. Their destinations include Canberra, Byron Bay, Sydney, Cairns, Gold Coast, Port Douglas and Alice Springs.
Once you arrive at the meeting area you will be served complimentary coffee or tea while the pilot decides the best launch venue according to the weather condition. Once decided, the passengers are given a pre-launch briefing by the pilot where they get the opportunity to ask questions and assuage their hesitations about hot air balloon flights. After inflation where the passengers may assist; during flight the crew points out the prime areas giving information about their origin and other interesting facts associated with them.
Hot Air Balloon operates 4 days a week including weekends and their tours last approximately 3.5 hours with airborne time being almost one hour. Their packages include joy rides or extended rides with a champagne breakfast included.
Hot air balloon rides are one of the safest ways of navigating regions and enjoying their beauty. If you are still deliberating going on a hot air balloon ride, stop thinking! Go ahead, book yourself a ride and it will definitely turn out to be one of the most enthralling experience of your life.