The night before
Confirm your exact pickup time and location with the operator — riads inside the medina sometimes need a slightly earlier pickup to allow for narrow-street access. Set two alarms; pickup windows in Marrakech are tight and balloons cannot wait for late guests.
What to wear
Layers work best. Pre-dawn temperatures typically sit between 10–15°C, cool enough for a light jacket, but the basket warms quickly once the sun is up and the burner is running. Closed, flat shoes are strongly recommended — the launch field and landing site are uneven ground, and heels or sandals aren't practical.
What to bring
- Camera or phone, ideally with a wrist strap — the basket can jostle slightly on landing
- A light jacket you can remove once the sun is up
- Sunglasses for the flight back down toward the horizon
- Cash for tipping the pilot and ground crew, if you choose to
If you're nervous about heights
This is one of the most common concerns first-time flyers raise, and also one of the most consistently resolved in reviews. A hot air balloon moves with the wind rather than against it, so there's no sensation of speed, no turbulence, and no sudden drop. Pilots explain each stage of the flight as it happens, which helps most nervous flyers settle within the first few minutes.
During the flight
You'll stand for the full flight — there's no seating in a standard balloon basket. Hold the basket's edge rope during takeoff and landing as instructed by your pilot; for the rest of the flight, you're free to move around and photograph in any direction.
After landing
Expect a short walk from the landing site to the breakfast area — comfortable shoes matter here too. Breakfast typically runs 30–45 minutes, giving you time to relax before the return transfer.