Hot air ballooning is the most unique and romantic way to take to the skies; unlike any other form of flying, you have a 360 degree view of the world around you giving a real sense of freedom and an idea of what it must feel like to be a bird in flight. Until you’ve experienced it yourself, you can only imagine what it would be like to feel completely un-inhibited, to see the world as you know it shrink to the size of a model toy land; places that where once familiar to you will appear unreal, you will have a whole new perspective of distance and locations.

At Adventure Balloons you can choose your preferred location flying from Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Micheldever, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex. All you need to do is book online or call on 01252 844222 and you’ll have your dream ambition booked in 5 minutes! We recommend that you call for a final weather check the evening before your morning flight so that you can be sure that the conditions are right for flying. On the morning or evening of your flight you will even be invited to help with the preparations setting up the balloon ready for flight! You can expect your flight to last about an hour, however with the preparations, travel and champagne toast, the whole experience is more likely to last for about three and a half hours.

Our vouchers are valid for 12 months; however our flights run from April to October. Due to safety regulations, passengers must not exceed 18 stone and passengers must be able bodied enough to climb into the basket which is approximately 1.1 meters tall. Our minimum age is 8, and anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. We do not have an upper age limit; we only ask that you are of good enough health to fly. If you have any doubts at all, please confirm with your doctor who can advise if hot air ballooning appropriate for you. Those who are pregnant or under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be able to fly and we recommend flat shoes or walking boots along with clothing suitable for the time of year as you will need to walk through fields to get to the balloon.

Tell the world of a special birthday with a ride in a “Happy Birthday” Balloon!

For many people a ride in a hot air balloon is top of their list of things they would like to do someday…. Well why not make that special life ambition happen THIS year, either for yourself, or for someone close to you.  A balloon flight gift voucher is not only original but a very exciting present for anyone! Join your feathered friends in your own bird’s eye view of over our beautiful landscapes. Take in the breathtaking views, an experience like no other.  The joy of the ride is also experiencing the adventure side by side with your family and friends, sharing your fun.  Well now you can not only celebrate your birthday in a hot air balloon, but you can double the fun and surprise too with your very own ‘shout out’ unique “Happy Birthday” balloon! Adventure Balloons is in fact the only hot air balloon flights operator to fly a happy birthday balloon in the UK! The “Happy Birthday” Balloon experience started with a  2-4 passenger balloon, however due to high demand, we now have 2 extra balloons, each offering 16 passengers the chance to be together for this unique thrill! This offers the birthday person much more of a party atmosphere and the chance to share it with even larger groups of people, maybe the whole family, groups of friends or old school reunions!

Here at Adventure Balloons you can enjoy a flight over Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Oxford, Surrey or London, simply take your pick and then check flight availability with us over the phone on 01252 844222 or check dates online. Further more you can book your voucher in the same ways, the choice is yours. And remember the extra little surprise….a lovely glass of bubbly to sum up your magical day.

Back in the day, before the government regulated ballooning, Adventure Balloons began as a way to maintain Kim Hull’s hobby. With a real passion for the sport the company soon grew expanding into what it is today; the largest company in the country offering UK balloon flights.

The company first took to the skies in April 1985 and was at the time a rarity! However demand soon grew and by 1988 Adventure Balloons went on to purchase four passenger balloons, which were later followed by many others! In fact, here at Adventure Balloons we boast a fleet of seven hot air balloons each with capacities ranging from four to sixteen people! With this variety we can tailor the ride to suit your needs, whether an intimate, romantic flight, or a lively party, there will be a balloon to suit your day.

Introducing you to;

The “Stained Glass Window” – Its attractive design is used as the Adventure Balloons emblem and will also be featured on mugs, T-shirts and other balloon flight memorabilia.

The “North Sea Flyer” – Our sixteen person balloon which is no ordinary balloon for sure! We purchased this balloon from two millionaires who in fact flew across the North Sea in it for fun! The first 16 passenger balloon authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority to fly in the UK, this balloon has history!

The “Toucan Travel” – The beautiful Toucan Travel balloon is an aerial promotion tool for the Toucan Travel chain of travel agencies. The Toucan business is based in Hampshire, however the balloon will also fly in the Berkshire and Surrey areas and sometimes even London.

The “Happy Birthday Balloon” – In both a 2-4 person capacity and a 16 person capacity, you can book a balloon with HAPPY BIRTHDAY plastered all over it for your friend or loved one, or their party group!

With increasing demand, Adventure Balloons have worked closely with balloon manufacturers in order to develop new ideas which will improve both the enjoyment and the safety of passenger balloon flights. For example, our larger hot air balloons have internal partitions which not only separate the pilot and the fuel from the passengers but also ensure that passengers are in the best safety position for landing.

You can book flights with Adventure Balloons from various launch sites in Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Oxford and London.

Are you stuck for ideas on how to entertain your children, or your visitors this summer holiday? Maybe you can’t afford to go away on holiday this year but would like to create a memory for the family, something to get excited about, to talk about back at work or school? Well imagine the exhilaration of a hot air balloon ride? On most people’s ’10 Things to do Before I Die’ list, hot air ballooning will certainly add a sense of fun and adventure to your holiday season, plus you’ll find the build up to the big event almost as intense as the ride!

Adventure Balloons specialise in their wonderful talent of making their customers enjoy their day to the max. Our crew encourages passengers to get involved in the whole process from inflating the balloon to deflating it and we talk you thorough every step. We even reward our customers with a flight certificate, in flight photographs and a wonderful complimentary champagne toast at the end! We have a reputation for friendliness and are frequently complimented on our pilot skills at making the passengers feel comfortable, safe and maximising the fun.

Many people like to gain some kind of insight into what ballooning is like and find that our website is very thorough. We have many in flight photographs for you to view, customer testimonials and in depth write up’s of what to expect. You can even take a look at our ballooning videos which give you the best possible glimpse into hot air ballooning. Take a look at this London flight video for example.

You can make bookings on line, by e-mail or by phone – 01252 844222 and bookings can be made for a variety of different popular locations; Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Micheldever, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex.

Enjoy a day to remember with Adventure Balloons – the largest hot air balloon company in the UK since 1985!

The balloon crew are an integral part of a hot air balloon flight, making sure that the balloon is properly inflated, launches correctly and helping the pilot to navigate and land safely. There are many tasks which the balloon crew must complete to ensure a safe flight for both the pilot and there passengers.

Inflating and launching the balloon – there are two main positions that the balloon crew take for launching a hot air balloon; these are called the crown line and the throat. The crown line usually consists of one person, who acts as an anchor and stabilises the balloons envelop during the inflation process. Once the balloon is inflated enough the pilot will gather the crown line and ties it to the balloons basket.

The throat consists of two of more members of the balloon crew, who hold open the mouth of the envelope as the hot air is pumped in. Once the balloon is inflated and starts to come into an upright position, the balloon crew members will place weight onto the basket until all the lines are secured.

Chasing the balloon – Once the balloon has been launched, the balloon crew will load up the vehicles and chase the balloon. The balloon crew will navigate for the driver to ensure that they stay ahead of the balloon and will also assist the pilot as they come in to land.

Landing the hot air balloon – When the pilot is ready to land, the balloon crew will advise them on the best area and one member will try to locate the land owner to ask for permission. When the balloon comes in to land the crew member position themselves on either side of the basket and help to weigh the balloon down once it hits the floor. The balloon is then deflated and packed away.

Once the balloon has been packed away, the pilot, passengers and crew will take part in the certificate ceremony, where the traditional champagne toast is performed for another successful balloon flight.

The weather is the most important factor when deciding to launch a hot air balloon. As a balloon moves with the wind and is not steered directly by the pilot, the wind speed must be measured before launch. Good visibility is also key, as the pilot needs to be able to see any hazards that can compromise the balloon.

Storms and rain will prevent a hot air balloon from launching, as the lack of visibility and the risk of a lightning strike are increased and can damage the balloons material.

Before launching any hot air balloon, the pilot will check the local weather to find out if the forecast climate and wind speeds are ideal; this is done by keeping in touch with the local weather service, who will relay real-time forecasts to the pilot and balloon crew.

The hot air balloon will usually be launched early in the morning or close to sunset, as the winds are more stable and the climate is cooler; this helps the balloon and provides greater lift when the hot air is pumped into it.

A pilot will only fly a hot air balloon if the weather is ideal; this ensures the safety of the pilot and passengers as well as the balloon and balloon crew.

The way a hot air balloon flies is based on a very simple principal; warm air rises and cold air falls, so in order to get the balloon off the ground, heated air is pushed into the balloon until it is lighter than the cold air surrounding it creating lift.

A hot air balloon is made up of three essential parts; the balloon envelope, balloon burners and the balloon basket. Because a large amount of hot air is needed to provide enough lift so the balloon can rise and carry passengers, the balloons envelope is often very big and can hold up to 65,000 cubic feet of hot air.

The balloon envelope is made out of long nylon sections called gores, which are extremely strong and able to withstand the pressure of the heated air. The balloon envelope is often brightly coloured and displays the balloon company’s logo or advertising branding.

The burners act like the engine of the balloon, delivering hot air to the envelope when needed. To keep the hot air balloon in the sky, the balloon burners must constantly be heated to provide lift, but if the pilot wishes to land they will switch off the burners and open the parachute valve to cool the air, in turn descending the balloon.

The balloon basket is used for carrying the pilot, passengers and fuel for the balloons journey. The basket is usually made from Kooboo and Palambang, which is woven to make it extremely strong. These woven canes also absorb much of the impact when the balloon comes in to land.

For anyone who has a fascination with hot air balloons, joining a balloon crew is one of the most fulfilling and exciting jobs and a great introduction to ballooning. Before joining a balloon crew, you should know about the different positions and tasks involved in launching and landing a hot air balloon.

The first of these positions is the crown line. The pilot will usually choose a strong individual for this task as they will act as an anchor and use a rope to stabilise the balloon as it is inflated. Once the balloon is inflated the rope is then connected to the balloon basket.

The throat consists of up to three of the balloon crew members holding the throat of the balloon open as it inflates. The balloon is first inflated with cool air and then the air is heated with the balloons burners. The crew members will hold the throat open till the balloon starts to come upright and then place their weight on the balloon basket as it stands.

Once the balloon is launched, the chase crew loads up the remaining items and follows the balloon. The chase crew will try to stay as close as they can to the hot air balloon so they can assist the pilot whilst landing.

The landing of the balloon will involve the whole balloon crew, with one of them trying to locate the landowner to ask permission to land. Once the all clear has been given and the balloon comes in to land the crew position themselves on each side of the balloon, adding additional weight to the balloon and stopping it. The balloon is then packed away and loaded onto the chase vehicles and another successful balloon flight is concluded with soft drinks, champagne and certificate presentations.

Adventure Balloons is one of the longest running passenger balloon flight companies in the UK, and first offered their balloon flights to the public in April 1985. Back in the mid 80’s very few hot air balloon companies offered UK balloon flights, so demand grew rapidly and in 1988 Adventure Balloons added a four passenger balloon, followed by several other balloons and baskets.

Adventure Balloons has now got a fleet of over eight hot air balloons, which can take between four and sixteen passengers and has over 15 launch sites in the Home Counties and London. All of their balloons boast the unique ‘Stained Glass Window’ design, which is also used for the Adventure Balloons logo and on merchandise such as mugs, t-shirts and flight memorabilia.

As the demand for hot air balloon flights grew, Adventure Balloons began working with balloon manufacturers to develop and improve the safety and enjoyment for their passengers; keeping them at the forefront of design and technology in the passenger balloon flight industry.

The weather is the single most important factor to consider when launching a hot air balloon. Because a hot air balloon floats with the wind and is not directly steered by the pilot, both the weather conditions and wind speed must be acceptable in order to launch the balloon.

On the day of the balloon flight, the pilot will liaise with the weather service to gather information about the climate surrounding the proposed launch site. To predict the weather, the Met Office use another type of balloon called the weather balloon. This has various instruments attached to it that relay information to the Met Office, which in turn past the information to the balloon crew.

A hot air balloon flight will generally launch in the morning or evening, as the winds are more stable and cooler, ensuring that the flight is both safe and providing the balloon with greater lift.

Visibility is another key consideration, as the balloons pilot must be able to see all obstacles and potential dangers to the balloon. A hot air balloon will only fly if the weather is close to ideal and there are no storms or rain forecast; if the wind speed is too high the balloon will also be grounded.