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Flight Experiences in AlUla
An oasis valley in Saudi Arabia's northwest, once a caravan stop on the incense road, whose sandstone cliffs hold the Nabataean tombs of Hegra, the ancient Dadanite and Lihyanite capital of Dadan, the rock-cut inscriptions of Jabal Ikmah and a restored mud-brick old town.
Why here
AlUla is one of the few places on earth where you can float in a balloon over a UNESCO World Heritage Site at first light. Hero Balloon Flights runs sunrise ascents that lift you to around 4,000 feet above the valley, where the Nabataean tombs of Hegra, the sandstone canyons and the green ribbon of the oasis all resolve into a single view that is impossible to grasp from the ground. The flight lasts about an hour and the light does the work, moving from grey to gold across the rock as the sun clears the escarpment. Baskets are capped at roughly two dozen passengers, and there is an afternoon option when winter conditions allow, so this suits anyone who wants the aerial perspective without any flying experience of their own.
Best months
Balloon flights are weather dependent and can be cancelled at short notice for wind, so build in a spare morning. Operations run through the cooler months, roughly October to March, and pause over the hot summer. Pickup is very early, typically between 4:30 and 5:30 am from the Winter Park visitor centre, timed to the sunrise.
Getting there & around
Book directly through the operator at ksa.heroballoonflights.com or via the official Experience AlUla platform, ideally for early in your stay so a weather cancellation can be rebooked. Flights meet at the Winter Park visitor centre in AlUla; an air-conditioned vehicle carries passengers to the launch field, and breakfast follows the landing. A moderate level of fitness is needed to climb into and out of the basket, and the ride is not suitable for those who are pregnant or have back or heart conditions.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Hero Balloon Flights Saudi
OutfitterHero Balloon Flights Saudi is the Kingdom's first commercial hot air balloon operator, launching its inaugural AlUla flight on 1 October 2023. Part of the Hero Experiences Group, whose ballooning arm has won the World's Leading Balloon Ride Operator title at the World Travel Awards, it runs sunrise and afternoon trips of about an hour at up to 4,000 feet over Hegra's tombs and the surrounding canyons. Flights leave from the Winter Park visitor centre with about two dozen passengers per basket.