epsManila

My family really enjoyed a hot air ballooning tour from www.hotair.com.au/cairns last May 10, 2012. It was well worth the early wake-up call to be at the site before dawn, then watch the balloon being inflated in the dark, before seeing it float up slowly as the sun rose. Unfortunately, we were not in the first batch so we didn't get to see the sunrise from the balloon. We would have wanted our balloon to rise higher, like the first one, but one advantage of flying low was that we could clearly see the kangaroos jumping around in the fields. After landing in the middle of a sugar cane field, my daughters had fun in helping to deflate the balloon. It was an exhilarating adventure to cap our Australian trip!

Bokhara2

Magical experience isn't it, epsManilla? My first balloon ride was in the Hunter Valley and I remember hearing the 'thump' 'thump' as the kangaroos hopped across the paddocks in the stillness of the dawn.

Aaahhh ... must be time for another hot air balloon trip!

pat_woolford

Good reminder epsManila, its ages since have done that trip over Tablelands and Mareeba. Weather is invariably good, trips are rarely delayed or cancelled due to weather and it claims is to have the highest take-off rate of any balloon trip in Australia.

A very early start from Cairns before dawn by small coach but the balloon trip can easily be combined with Kuranda Train and or Skyrail returns.

AlanJG

Welcome to Fodors. Glad you had a good time. Where else did you go in Australia?

bekky

Spending quality time with your family will help you to get more interest to people to visit and enjoy.

AlanJG

bekky are you and the OP the one person or just colluding?