Ballooning in India

If you are fit both physically and mentally and are without any fear of height, hot air ballooning is your sport. You must be aware that the first balloon sent up in the air had a ship, a rooster and a duck as its passengers. But, soon after Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier undertook a flight in the year 1783 along with his companion Marquis d’Arlandes and landed safely, all the human fear was vanished forever. And since then, adventurers have been taking delight in the sport of ballooning. With each passing day, the adventure sport is becoming more and more popular and a hot-favourite of tourists from across the world. India invites a good number of balloonists every year. The Balloon Club of India, founded in 1970 in New Delhi, is an organisation of the first rank in India.

Gearing Up for Ballooning in India
You don’t require any special arrangement to start on a ballooning trip. Your clothing should be normal as you would wear on a hiking trip. You don’t have any seating facility inside the basket which is 4 feet high. If you are 2 in number, you can choose sport balloons, otherwise there are passenger balloons for a group of 12 people. Make sure that the balloon crew is there with you to keep track of your flight. Children can also enjoy the sport but need to be accompanied by elders. Sunglasses, caps, gloves and sturdy shoes are the items you should be equipped with. For specific ballooning equipment, you don’t need to search through the markets of India. Your travel operator will arrange for this all. You’ll need permits for your balloning trip. Don’t worry it will all be arranged in time. But, in any case, don’t forget to bring an extra roll of film with you during your trip of ballooning in India.

Famous Ballooning Sites in India
Ballooning clubs can be found in different parts of India including New Delhi, Guwahati, Bangalore, Dehradun and Jaipur. From ballooning in plains and deserts to ballooning through farms and forests and cityscape, adventurers have a good number of options to choose from. Some of the places where you can soak up the charm of this adventure sport are as follows.

• Agra in Uttar Pradesh
  
• Dehradun in Uttaranchal
  
• Haridwar and Rishikesh in Uttaranchal
  
• Guwahati in Assam
  
• New Delhi
  
• Bangalore in Karnataka
  
• Pushkar in Rajasthan
  
• Nagaur and Baneshwar in Rajasthan
  

Flying over the sand dunes of the Thar Desert magnetises a good number of adventure freaks. Particularly, during the Pushkar Fair and the Nagaur Fair, one can see balloonists enjoying their rides over towns and villages of Rajasthan. New Delhi is also quite famous as a ballooning destination in India. Apart from providing you with hot air balloons, the Balloon Club of India also organises the ‘Balloon Mela’ which proves to be a big draw for travellers.

Ballooning Facilities in India
First of the all, the flying crew (usually comprising a pilot and a navigator), studies the weather conditions. If the weather is in favour, the balloon is checked for the final time to ensure there are no technical faults at all. Next, the passengers are taken to board and the balloon takes off. Passengers stand in the basket as it continues to sway in the air. The crew has been provided with a compass and an altimeter. The average basket can carry 2-3 people while a bigger one can accommodate as many as 10 people. Travel operators have come up with interesting options balloon-cum-horse and balloon-cum-camel safaris. Tourists can also enjoy wonderful sights of the Taj Mahal (Agra) with River Yamuna flowing by.

Ballooning Tips for Travellers Ballooning in India is fun and game if you are properly equipped and well informed. Though there is a ballooning crew on board, there are a few things that you should keep in mind during your ballooning trip. Read the tips given below and plan a ballooning trip to India right now.

• First and foremost thing, there are no seats inside the basket. So, you should be ready to stand for about one hour.
  
• It is cautious not to take kids with you; the basket wall is 4 feet in height and you may need to lift them up in order to see. This may be disturbing for other passengers onboard.
  
• Winter is the best time to begin a ballooning adventure. Never set off on a turbulent day.
  
• If the velocity of wind exceeds 8 miles per hour, cancel the trip at once.
  
• Always choose an open stretch of land to avoid any hassle during taking off and landing.
  
• While you are descending, you should be aware of poles, spires and electric wires.