Hot Air Balloon Marrakech: Sunrise Over the Plains

About This Experience

Sunrise Over
the Marrakech Plains

The plain north of Marrakech is flat, empty and quiet at five in the morning, and that is exactly what makes it one of the best ballooning sites in the country. You lift off as the sky turns, and within minutes you can see the whole Atlas range on one side and the city waking up on the other.

What the morning looks like

Your driver collects you in the dark, around an hour before sunrise. At the launch field the crew is already unrolling the envelope, and the burners sound like a furnace being lit. Passengers climb in, the ground crew let go, and the ascent is so gentle that most people only realise they have left the ground when they look down.

For the next hour you drift wherever the morning wind takes you, usually between 300 and 800 metres, sometimes low enough over a village to exchange waves with the people below. The Atlas holds snow from December to April, and on a clear morning the whole wall of it turns pink before the sun reaches the plain.

After the landing

Balloons land where the wind decides, so a four wheel drive follows the flight and meets you in whatever field you come down in. Breakfast is served in a Berber tent nearby: bread baked that morning, olive oil, amlou, msemen, eggs and mint tea. It is a proper breakfast rather than a token one, and it is usually where the conversation between passengers really starts.

What it costs and what to expect

A shared basket runs roughly 180 to 220 euros per person depending on the season, and a private basket for two costs considerably more. Children are generally accepted from around six years old, and the minimum height is set by the height of the basket wall rather than by age.

When to go

Flights run all year. Autumn and spring give the most reliable mornings and the best light. Winter is cold in the basket, around 3 to 6°C at dawn, but the visibility is the clearest of the year and the snow line is at its lowest. Summer flights leave earliest, because the balloon must be down before the heat builds.

Who it suits

Couples, families with older children, photographers, and anyone who wants one unforgettable morning without a long drive. It is not for anyone uneasy about heights, although the basket feels far more solid than people expect. Wear layers, closed shoes and something on your head, and bring a camera with a strap.