Hot Air Ballooning – see the Cairns sunrise

Hot air ballooning is a romantic and soft adventure experience which is considered by many to be the best way to see the gorgeous North Queensland sunrise. Balloons gently rise from the ground at daybreak. The view from a hot air balloon is spectacular, and the experience is one you will remember.

What makes hot air ballooning so magical is the balloons float gently with the wind, and for this reason ballooning is conducted at sunrise when the wind is at its calmest. The sensation of lifting off the ground is exhilarating, in many ways it feels like your body is flying by itself. Some guests have described their ballooning experience as "the best morning they've had in Australia" .

In Cairns, hot air ballooning operations are conducted among the rolling hills of the Cairns Highlands at various locations near the township of Mareeba. Of the many hot air ballooning locations around the world, the Cairns Highlands climate is considered to be the most ideal for hot air balloons as pilots are able to launch their hot air balloons almost every day of the year. The mountains of the Great Dividing Range act as a wind buffer against the fresh sea breezes resulting in Cairns having less cancelled flights than any other location in the world.

Two operators conduct hot air balloon flights from Cairns, Hot Air Cairns and Raging Thunder. Both companies have beautiful balloons, provide breakfast with your flight, transfers to and from the house and take mid-flight photos so you can take home a gorgeous photo of yourself in the air.