Hot Air Ballooning in Cairns
 

I am looking for some input on a hot air balloon trip in Cairns.

A little about us, we are on a trip from NZ through Australia via a cruise, but we are doing a few days before and after the cruise and we are spending like a day and a half in Cairns.

The day we fly in we are planning on taking the train and sky rail to/from Kuranda and then just realxing around town in the evening.

The decision we are trying to make concerns our second day. We came to Cairns to go to the GBR and so that is our main thing, but a friend told me the favorite thing he did on his trip to OZ and NZ was this hot air balloon trip. They offer a day where you do the hot air and then you can do the GBR. That is what I am leaning towards, but my hubby isn't convinced.

I am hoping to get some thoughts from you guys and if anyone has done the hot air ballooning even better.....

Here is a synopsis of the day if we hot air balloon and then do the GBR:
05.00 am Pick-up at hotel by a Hot Air Cairns coach for your special package tour, one hour transfer, pickup times confirmed on booking.
06.30 am Experience the fun & unique sensation of hot air ballooning in the Cairns Highlands (previously called the Atherton Tablelands). Enjoy the picturesque landscape at sunrise, enjoy 30 minutes flying time. Breathe in the wide-open spaces! We have Australias largest fleet of balloons and a fun and highly trained crew to maximise the fun of your morning.

08.00 am Return and Landing, balloon pack-up and lots of laughs.
08.30 am Come down to earth and enjoy breakfast at Tjapukai Cultural Park (cairns passengers), champagne, fresh juices, eggs & bacon, tropical fruits & a hot and cold buffet is all yours as you relax & look over the Skyrail valley.

Port Douglas passengers will take breakfast in Port Douglas before connecting to Quicksilver

10.00 am Transfer to the Wharf and board your high speed Catamaran, Complimentary Tea & Coffee available.
10.30 am Boat departs Trinity Wharf. Brief stop at Green Island on the way to Norman Reef part of the Great Barrier Reef (no time to leave the boat.)
12.30 pm Arrive at Pontoon, Snorkelling Equipment + Semi Submersible is included with this special package tour. Lunch is served from 1.00pm
03.00 pm Boat Departs Pontoon for cruise back to Cairns or Port Douglas
05.30 pm Arrive at Wharf, board Luxury Coach for transfers back to your hotel.

Any input would be appreciated.

brookeh, I've done it and its gorgeous. Have an early night though, Cairns pickups are about 4.45am.

You can easily combine ballooning with Kuranda and Hot Air Balloon has a package to cover it. The balloon takes off from Mareeba, the next Tableland town on from Kuranda. Breakfast is served at Tjakupai which is right next to the bottom Skyrail station. So its easy to take Skyrail up to Kuranda and return to Cairns on afternoon train.

This would leave you the next day for reef and you wouldn't be limited to a later-leaving boat.

Hi brookeh,
Do it! It's a fabulous experience! I went over the Hunter Valley (NSW) and absolutely loved it. We had a diverse group of 10 - from my 70 something mother to 9 yo cousin and everyone thought it was just the BEST!

As you go so early in the morning, you not only see the earth waking up to the dawn; you'll have the remainder of the day to continue with your plans.

:)

Thanks for the input. We fly in on Thursday (arriving at like 10 am), have all day Friday and fly out early Saturday, so if we do the hot air ballooning our only option is the late leaving boat to the reef or no hot air balloon trip. I think it may still be worth it, what do you think?

Only you can decide - but it would be for me :)

Sorry, didn't read your post properly, but agree with Bokhara. The balloon flight over Tableland, to me anyway, leaves the Skyrail and train trip back and forth from Kuranda for dead.

HMMM...interesting, so the balloon ride would be slithgly duplicative of the train/sky rail views. That is an interesting point. That may play into my husbands hand. Thanks for pointing that out!!

While I agree that hot air ballooning, in Cairns, or anywhere, is a wonderful experience, doing the combo balloon and reef will take away one-third or more of your time on the reef, the reason for your long haul up to Cairns. Most reef boats have you back on board by 2.30pm for a 3pm departure, for counts etc. You also won't get in the water for at least 15 minutes after arrival, leaving at best 1 3/4 hours for the reef itself. You can balloon anywhere, but only see the GBR this one time. I'm not sure when you're going to be there, but as it's a cruise, most likely very shortly or maybe November or so. Ballooning is best done with a big difference between outsie air temperature and balloon air temperature. One of the great things about ballooning is the silence, and when the difference is not great (relatively speaking), the pilot has to burn more often to maintain lift. That makes for an overall noiser ride, with the burners going off frequenly (and they are noisy!). So winter ballooning in Cairns is generally better than summer ballooning. I feel you should stick to the reef, and balloon elsewhere. In fact, have a look at some of the smaller boats that leave earlier, and give you more time on the reef - unless you want to take advantage of a semi-submresible, which means a big boat. Consider that a boat with 200+ people on board takes longer to get eveyone off and on, which means, usually, less water time. You have to be quick off the mark to the equipment bins to get off early, if you do go on one of the larger boats.

Thanks for all the wonderful input. I have been convinced to focus on just doing the GBR. That is why we decided to go to Cairns to begin with. THANKS.