One of the most rewarding highlights of this year for my family. Youssef is a very dedicated kind guide and balloon captain. He picked us up from the main square on time. And he is very clear in his communication. His understanding off safety hospitality and service is shown in all the details. And has been made this from beginning to end a lovely comfortable experience. We lift off in our balloon in a group of 7 ( max 10) instead off the 25/30 cattledrive in one baskett other operaters prefer. And yes that makes it a big difference. Other balloons fly around 30 to 40 minutes while we where one of the first to leave the ground and gently landed again 58 minutes later.
My son and daughter felt nervous in advange but Youssef really reassure them. The costs are a bit higher compared to other operaters but it is such a different more exclusive experience. Youssef even surpassed expectations with a birthday cake for my daughter
Our local driver recommended his friend, Youssef of Ballooning Experience, to us when we asked him about a hot air balloon adventure. I am glad that we asked him for recommendation because it was an amazing experience with great service!
Youssef was punctual in picking us up at our Riad at 5:10am. (He actually came early.) He welcomed us to his 4x4 car each with a bottle of water. Like most of the Moroccans in the tourism industry, Youssef can speak in multiple languages. We were in the car with another couple who speak Spanish. Youssef switched between English and Spanish to talk with all of us. He briefly introduced to us how he has to estimate the landing location thus the boarding location during the ride.
The car ride from our Riad near the souk in Marrakech to the ballooning site was long (around 40min) but comfortable. Upon arrival at the site at around 6am, there were already some other tourists (around 15-20 people in total). We were offered pound cakes, coffee and Moroccan tea in a well decorated tent on the rooftop of a one storey building. (The building is their storage area I think, and washrooms.) The sky was quite clear and we got to enjoy our first breakfast of the day under the Milky Way. It was magical.
Our local driver recommended his friend, Youssef of Ballooning Experience, to us when we asked him about a hot air balloon adventure. I am glad that we asked him for recommendation because it was an amazing experience with great service!
Youssef was punctual in picking us up at our Riad at 5:10am. (He actually came early.) He welcomed us to his 4x4 car each with a bottle of water. Like most of the Moroccans in the tourism industry, Youssef can speak in multiple languages. We were in the car with another couple who speak Spanish. Youssef switched between English and Spanish to talk with all of us. He briefly introduced to us how he has to estimate the landing location thus the boarding location during the ride.
The car ride from our Riad near the souk in Marrakech to the ballooning site was long (around 40min) but comfortable. Upon arrival at the site at around 6am, there were already some other tourists (around 15-20 people in total). We were offered pound cakes, coffee and Moroccan tea in a well decorated tent on the rooftop of a one storey building. (The building is their storage area I think, and washrooms.) The sky was quite clear and we got to enjoy our first breakfast of the day under the Milky Way. It was magical.
At around 6:30am, based on the wind direction and speed, Youssef drove us and the other couple to an area a few minutes away from the building. We carried the balloon and basket at the back of the 4x4! He got out of the car at some point to feel the wind, and drove further. At the final site, he further tested the wind and stability with a party balloon. Youssef and other staffs started unfolding the balloon and filling up the balloon with a fan, then with fire. It was our first time riding a hot air balloon so we did not know that the fire would be so loud and close to us. It was scary at first but better when we were up in the air. The staff helped us enter the basket, and they were clearly mindful of who should be placed at which position inside the basket, and asked us to enter the basket in a particular sequence. The bigger guys entered first to be closer to the fire, while we as the youngest and smallest couple, climbed in vertically after everyone went inside.
Including Youssef as our pilot, there were eight people in the basket. It was a nervous moment when we tried to elevate because the balloon somehow didn't fill up the first time, and the crew had to refill it again with us curling in the basket. We managed to be up in the air in time and saw the magical perfect sunrise in mid-air. The view of the almost empty land below us was not spectacular but it was soothing to watch. Unlike ballooning in Turkey, there were not a lot of hot air balloons in the air, and they were quite far away from each other. It was more relaxing than breathtaking up in the air, but still is a once in a lifetime experience!
The flight was very stable we didn't notice the movement even we were flying at around 20km/hour and elevated to around 700m above ground. Youssef gently rotated the balloon during the flight so each of us in the basket can enjoy the view at different angles. While controlling the balloon, he still managed to chat with us in multiple languages and take photos for us. After around 50 min of flying, we landed safely. The crew helped us out of the basket, and Youssef further explained to us about our flight.
We rode the 4x4 back to the building, and enjoyed the second breakfast in the tent. It was a big Moroccan breakfast with bread and fruits. We chilled and chatted until around 9:15am. It was an amazing morning. The great service offered by the company didn't stop there.
Youssef was supposed to drop us off at our Riad but we asked him if he could drop us off at Bacha Coffee instead. He did not know the way but immediately looked it up for us and drove us there. However, the guard there told us the coffee shop was close! Youssef voluntarily further called the coffee shop to ensure that it really wasn't open, and brought us back to our Riad. On the way, he suggested other activities that we could do. We appreciated his efforts a lot!
Overall, we highly recommend Ballooning Experience. Youssef is a great host!
This hot air balloon journey beyond all expectations. Each moment was well worth it, from an early-morning start to the friendship between other travelers and, of course, the spectacular landscapes. Many thanks to Youssef(our excellent pilot) for making our experience so unforgettable. I definitely recommend this excursion to anyone looking for a special and amazing hot air balloon ride in Marrakech.