8 Day Hot Air Balloon Festival In Southern Italy (Sept/Oct 2024)Join The Soiree Balloon Society At The Paestum Balloon Festival

Approximately one-third of each day will be devoted to our balloon adventure. The remainder of each day we’ll enjoy quality sightseeing with our private guides and fine dining in superb settings.

No. On each adventure we stay in one hotel, and explore the region each day by balloon and private car.

No. Our balloons are used for local, low level sightseeing only. Most flights are around an hour to an hour and a half. We do not travel in the balloons. In the Alps our longest flights are 3 hours.

We are in the air approximately an hour and a half, except during our winter trips when our adventures are longer. Our balloon related activities occupy approximately a third of each day, including transfer to the take off site, inflation of the balloons and the wonderful happenings that occur at our celebrated champagne landings, shared with delighted villagers.

Absolutely not. Age is no barrier to enjoying our entire program. Our youngest guest was six years old and our most mature, 93. However all guests must be able to get in and out of the basket and be able to stand for a few hours unassisted. You can see our “physical requirements to go ballooning“

Is there a feeling of motion in the balloon?
No. In the calm conditions in which we fly there is nothing that makes the basket sway. It hangs motionless in the air mass in which it is suspended. If a candle is held as we fly, it will not flicker. Tranquility and calm are words frequently used by our guests to describe the sensation they feel in our balloons.

Will I sit or stand in the basket?
We do not have chairs or seats in the balloons.  All guests stand. However, many guests lean on the side of the basket at times.

Our areas were chosen for their moderate weather and gentle wind patterns necessary for successful sightseeing in our balloons. Our trip dates coincide with the best weather in each of our areas. Our experience is that weather has permitted 85 percent of our flights to operate on schedule. In the event a flight is postponed due to weather, your hosts and drivers will be standing by with alternate plans for enjoying the day.

Our goal is to create a full appreciation of the areas in which we fly. Whenever possible, we drift low enough to reach out and caress the treetops or to speak to people on the ground in little more than a speaking voice. It is a wonderful sensation to watch the beautiful countryside gently slip by, just beneath our feet. For directional control there are times when the balloon will ascend over 5000+ feet above the ground.

Our highly skilled pilots are able to adjust the balloon’s direction of drift by climbing or descending, to take advantage of layers of air moving in different directions.

We plan to fly once each day, excluding departure days.

We have 1 staff member per group of 2 guests.

With our beautiful balloons and all the magic they produce, the number and quality of great photographic opportunities is remarkable. The views are spectacular. You are welcome to bring a camera or your phone. These days, our pilots get pretty epic photos daily with just their cell phone cameras. Our pilots take 50-100 each flight and they fly daily! Expect to take a ton!

We pride ourselves on an outstanding safety record. Seattle Ballooning’s Soiree Balloon Club prides itself on a roster of world-class pilots, meticulously selected to ensure the utmost safety and exceptional experiences for our passengers. Our team boasts the reigning United States Women’s National Champion, a top-ranked junior pilot in the nation, and even the first-ever world championship competitor hailing from Israel. With this unparalleled talent, we sets a sky-high standard for excellence, ensuring that every flight with us is a journey guided by the most accomplished and skilled aviators in the world.

Yes! Our trips are based in Gstaad and Chateaux Doex, one of the lowest major ski areas in Europe, and well known for its mild winter weather. At only 3,100 feet above sea level, Gstaad is approximately one mile lower than Aspen and Vail, and enjoys much warmer winter temperatures. Average high/low temperatures in the Gstaad region are 39˚F/29˚F in January and 48˚F/30˚F in February. In fact, it can get quite warm. At noon on a sunny day, it is not unusual for our guests to remove their outer jackets.

Contributing substantially to your comfort is the fact that the balloons are always moving with the air mass in which they are suspended. Thus there is no wind to chill you. For further comfort, the warmth is radiated downward from the balloon’s heater. You will also find the balloon baskets quite spacious and comfortable.

In general, winter winds in the Alps are the most gentle of the entire year. Cool winter air lying in the valleys is much more stable than the warm air of summer, and remains relatively calm for long periods of time. Soft breezes of less than 10 mph are the norm. Approximately 85 percent of our flights operate on the published daily schedule. In the event a flight is postponed due to weather conditions, your hosts and chauffeurs will whisk you off by private car to enjoy some of the many attractions of the area.