To admire the earth from above, you don’t have to go to the popular tourist destination Cappadocia: in our country there are many places where you can fly in a hot air balloon. In spring and summer, festivals are held where a huge number of balloons rise into the sky. We talked about ten locations where you can book excursions or attend a cool event.
Festivals
Important point: prepare for your trip in advance and purchase tickets. Otherwise, you may run out of space, and you will have to admire the balloons from the ground.
Aeronautics Festival “Golden Ring of Russia” in Pereslavl-Zalessky
When: July 19 to 23, 2023.
Flights in the vicinity of Pereslavl are organized by the Aeronautics Federation of the Yaroslavl Region. You can come here just like that, make a single ascent on a balloon, but a much more colorful spectacle awaits spectators and festival participants. This is a great chance to see the ancient Russian city from above. Early in the morning and towards sunset, two dozen balloons rise into the sky, and you can not only take beautiful photos from the ground, but also get into one of the baskets.
The general start time is published in the Telegram channel. You can watch, take photos and chat with the teams without prior reservation. And if you want to fly yourself, you need to buy tickets on the Federation website. An excursion as part of a group will cost 10,000 rubles for an adult and 8,000 for a child from 7 to 14 years old. Individual experiences are more expensive: if the cart contains only the pilot and you, you will have to pay 30,000 rubles. You can save money by flying tethered: the balloon will rise into the air to a small height for a couple of minutes, while it will remain attached to the ground (cost – 1,000 rubles).
How to get there: the most convenient way to travel from Moscow is either by car (1 hour 40 minutes of travel) or by intercity bus. The journey will take 2 hours, tickets cost from 590 rubles* one way. You can also rent a car.
Where to stay
- Hotel “Pereslavl”, rating 9.5 out of 10, cost from 2,000 rubles* per night for two.
- Victoria Plaza Hotel, rating 9.9 out of 10, cost from 3,400 rubles* per night for two.
- AZIMUT Hotel Pereslavl, rating 8.9 out of 10, cost from 5,900 rubles* per night for two. Tethered balloon ascents are carried out on the territory of this particular hotel.
Festival “Sky of Russia” in Ryazan
When: from August 6 to August 14, 2023.
This festival will be held in Ryazan for the 21st time. Thousands of tourists and dozens of aeronautics athletes come here every year.
Balloons rise into the air early in the morning, starting from the left bank of the Oka. Evening launches also happen, but less often. They also hold concerts, competitions and, most importantly, the cult event “Night Glow of Hot Air Balloons”: the balloons stand on the ground and are beautifully illuminated from below by the fire of the burners.
Of course, anyone can take to the skies – by the way, it doesn’t have to be at the festival; tickets are sold for any time convenient for you on the website. You will spend about an hour in the sky, paying at least 8,500 rubles for a flight in the company of 2-4 other guests. And the cost of an individual tour starts from 19,000 rubles.
How to get there: The fastest and most convenient way to travel is by train. You will spend a little more than 2 hours on the way; the cost of a one-way express ticket starts from 830 rubles*. The journey by car will take at least 3 hours.
Where to stay
- Hotel “Ondine”, rating 9.0 out of 10, cost from 3,900 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Old Town”, rating 10 out of 10, cost from 4,500 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Sea School”, rating 9.3 out of 10, cost from 5,000 rubles* per night for two.
Festival “Volga Fiesta”, Nizhny Novgorod
When: August 16 to 20, 2023.
This summer the Volga Fiesta will be held for the seventh time. It will be possible not only to admire dozens of balloons over the city and rivers, but also to take to the air in a tethered basket or make a free flight.
In addition, two more spectacular events will take place in the vicinity of Nizhny Novgorod: from June 22 to 27, the city will host the International Commonwealth Cup in Aeronautics for the first time – during these days, 25 balloons will perform various sports tasks in the sky above the city. You can also admire the colorful balloons from August 25 to 27: they will rise into the air in Arzamas (2 hours from Nizhny Novgorod).
And if you don’t want to wait for the festival, you can just fly in a balloon any day. Excursions are conducted by the Sharnn company, the tour will cost from 8,500 rubles per person.
How to get there: by Lastochka you can get from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod in 3 hours 45 minutes. A one-way ticket costs from 1,200 rubles*.
Where to stay
- City Hotel Sova, rating 9.0 out of 10, cost from 4,400 rubles* per night for two.
- Mercure Nizhny Novgorod Center, rating 10 out of 10, cost from 5,700 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Nikitin”, rating 9.7 out of 10, cost from 7,900 rubles* per night for two.
Fly at any time
Istra, Moscow region
Where to book a flight: “Aerovals.”
From above you can admire churches, monasteries and the huge Istra reservoir. They offer only individual programs for flights, so there will be no strangers in your basket. You are allowed to take up to three people with you, and if you wish, you can order a buffet basket and champagne.
Participants meet in front of the New Jerusalem Monastery, leave the car in the parking lot and meet the crew of the balloon. The flight will last from 50 to 75 minutes, depending on the chosen program, and after that the entire team will be initiated into aeronauts and given commemorative diplomas.
Balloon excursions are conducted from May to November either early in the morning, at sunrise, or a couple of hours before sunset. A standard flight for two will cost 25,990 rubles.
How to get there: by car it takes a little over 1 hour to get to Istra.
Where to stay
- Ecotel “Snegiryok”, rating 8.2 out of 10, cost from 3,200 rubles* per night for two.
- Boutique Hotel “Voskresensky”, rating 8.9 out of 10, cost from 4,000 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Cherry Orchard”, rating 8.9 out of 10, cost from 5,000 rubles* per night for two.
Dmitrov, Moscow region
Where to book a flight: “Aerovals” .
Dmitrov with its white stone monasteries, bright roofs of houses and the Yakhroma River is very beautiful from the air. When the weather is good, dozens of balloons rise here. Choose from eight flight programs: if you want to save a little, you can join a group (in this case, a ticket will cost 7,990 rubles) or pay for an individual tour (25,990 rubles for two). And if you are planning a romantic date, Aerowaltz has a heart-shaped balloon – a flight for two costs 28,990 rubles.
Participants meet in a parking lot in the city, and from there they will be transported to the starting point by car. The route itself depends on the wind direction. During the flight, you can admire the Boris and Gleb Monastery, Yakhroma, Zemlyanoy Val and the Assumption Monastery. You will spend 50 to 75 minutes in the sky. Afterwards, everyone will be given a commemorative diploma.
Balloon excursions over Dmitrov are conducted both in summer and winter. From March to November, balloons rise into the sky at sunrise or 2 hours before sunset, and from December to February – throughout the daylight hours.
How to get there: by car. The journey will take about 2 hours.
Where to stay
- Hotel “Dmitrovgrad”, rating 8.5 out of 10, cost from 2,300 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Princess Frog”, rating 8.8 out of 10, cost from 4,600 rubles* per night for two.
- Guest house Pavlove Village, rating 9.6 out of 10, cost from 6,000 rubles* per night for two.
Pushkin, Leningrad region
Where to book a flight: “Balloon Flights”, Piter Polet.
There are several popular routes in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. You can fly over the palaces of Tsarskoye Selo by meeting your guide in Pushkin. Excursions over Volkhov and Staraya Ladoga, Vyborg and the Gulf of Finland are also popular. The exact route depends on the wind direction. Keep in mind that flying over the city is prohibited, but you can admire the surrounding area and nature without restrictions.
Balloons are in the air all year round. From spring to autumn, the flight takes place immediately after sunrise and before 7 am, as well as after 6 pm and before sunset. And in winter you can fly throughout the daylight hours. The balloon will rise to a height of up to 1,500 m. After landing, all participants will be initiated into ballooning and receive certificates.
The cost depends on the chosen company and program, the minimum you will have to pay is 11,000 rubles – this is the price for a flight in a group, there will be 4 more people in the basket with you, except the pilot.
How to get there: It’s more convenient to first get to St. Petersburg by Sapsan (the journey takes 3 hours 40 minutes, one-way ticket from 3,700 rubles*), and then to Pushkin by taxi or minibus (the ride is 25 km).
Where to stay
- Hotel “Kochubey Center”, rating 8.7 out of 10, cost from 4,700 rubles* per night for two.
- Art-hotel “Fort Kolesnik”, rating 9.7 out of 10, cost from 6,000 rubles* per night for two.
- Tsar Palace Luxury Hotel & SPA, rating 10 out of 10, cost from 13,900 rubles* per night for two.
Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai
Where to book a flight: “Our Sky”, Ussuri-Sky.
Flights take place all year round, in the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. The exact route depends on weather conditions and wind direction. You can admire the surroundings of Ussuriysk and enjoy the beautiful views. The entire program lasts about 3 hours, you will spend 60 minutes in the sky (or an hour and a half if you use the services of Ussuri-Sky). After the flight, a solemn initiation into ballooning takes place with champagne, as well as the presentation of memorial certificates.
The cost starts from 6,000 rubles (as part of an organized group). If you want to be in the basket alone or only with your friends or family, the price increases to 19,000 rubles (for one or two).
How to get there. From Moscow, first by plane to Vladivostok (round-trip air ticket from 25,000 rubles*, the flight takes about 8 hours), and then to Ussuriysk by taxi (the journey will take about an hour).
Where to stay
- Hotel “Ussuriysk”, rating 9.0 out of 10, cost from 2,300 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Chekhov”, rating 8.9 out of 10, cost from 3,200 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel Marco Polo, rating 9.0 out of 10, cost from 3,800 rubles* per night for two.
Krasnodar region
Where they fly: the villages of Psebay and Mostovskoy with views of the mountains of the Caucasus Nature Reserve and the gorge of the Malaya Laba River.
Where to book a flight: “Nasharu”, Sky Krasnodar.
There are several routes in the Krasnodar region, but in general you can fly almost anywhere, even in the mountains – the only thing is that you won’t be able to get to the sea, the winds there are too unpredictable. The exact route, as usual, depends on the weather.
The companies in the region have large balloons that can accommodate groups of up to 6 people, as well as unusual heart-shaped balloons (they only have room for two, not counting the pilot – a great option for a date or a marriage proposal) .
The flight lasts 1 hour. The cost depends on the chosen company and program, but you can focus on 8,000 rubles for a place in a group and 17,000 rubles for an individual excursion.
How to get there. The closest city to the locations from which balloon flights start is Armavir. To get there, you first need to fly to Mineralnye Vody (a ticket from Moscow and back costs from 16,000 rubles*, the journey takes 3 hours 45 minutes), and then transfer to the train. It takes about 2 hours to get to Armavir, express tickets cost from 930 rubles*.
Where to stay
- Grand Hotel Classic, rating 9.1 out of 10, cost from 3,600 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel Royal Riz, rating 8.7 out of 10, cost from 4,200 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Villa Club”, rating 9.5 out of 10, cost from 4,500 rubles* per night for two.
Veliky Novgorod
Where to book a flight: “Element”, “Aviaspirit”.
A hot air balloon excursion is a great way to admire the historical center of Veliky Novgorod with the Kremlin and the Volkhov River, as well as the beautiful nature in the surrounding area.
There are many program options, from group tours to individual flights. Duration – about 1-1.5 hours: it all depends on the wind speed. The balloon will rise to a height of up to 1,000 m. You can take photos and videos in the air, and also take drinks and light snacks with you in your basket. After landing, all participants will be initiated into ballooning.
The price depends on the chosen program. You will have to pay a minimum of 10,000 rubles; this is a group tour (besides you, there will be 3-4 more people in the basket). An individual flight in Veliky Novgorod will cost no less than 25,000 rubles.
How to get there: by train. You will spend 8 hours 20 minutes on the way, a one-way ticket costs from 2,200 rubles*.
Where to stay
- Hotel “Sadko”, rating 9.5 out of 10, cost from 3,800 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Park Inn Veliky Novgorod”, rating 9.3 out of 10, cost from 4,900 rubles* per night for two.
- Hotel “Bianki”, rating 9.5 out of 10, cost from 7,000 rubles* per night for two.
How to prepare for a hot air balloon flight
The flight lasts on average about an hour, and the balloon rises up to 2 km (but it is better to check the details with the company you are going to fly with). It can be chilly at this altitude even in summer, so it’s worth bringing a jacket. It is usually recommended to also wear long-sleeved pants and a sweater, plus bring gloves and sunglasses. If the flight takes place early in the morning, the grass will be wet, and it makes sense to choose rubber boots instead of sneakers. It is better to tie your hair up and put a cap on your head to protect yourself from the flames of the burners.
Before the flight you will be given a briefing and all the nuances and safety rules will be explained. Listen to them carefully, and also follow the captain’s orders in the air.
Most companies organize flights in the early morning, usually around 6 am, and in the evening, after 6 pm – at this time the most favorable conditions.
And most importantly, be prepared for the fact that everything can be canceled at the last moment. If a strong wind suddenly rises, it rains or fog forms, you will not be able to take to the sky in a hot air balloon.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
