At Adventure Balloons we specialise in hot air ballooning but what makes us stand out above the rest is that we don’t hand out rides like a conveyer belt. Our passion for ballooning drives us to enjoy providing our customers with unique experiences every time. Making you happy really does make us happy and so we always strive to tailor each flight to the individual. After 27 years of running passenger hot air balloon rides, we’re more in love with the ‘sport’ than we ever have been! There’s nothing as wonderful to us, than seeing the expressions and reactions from our passengers when we take them up on their first hot air balloon ride; it’s magic!

However it’s not just our dedication to customer satisfaction that makes us so popular; we have looked at every corner of our business so that we can bring you the very best in every area of your experience, from your researching, your choice of location and date to the booking process itself. Take a look at the features we have available for you.

Running Out Of Time? – Simply choose a voucher design from our range to arrive at the email of your choice in seconds! When you have selected your voucher type and design complete with your personal message. This facility is available 24 hours a day!

Birthday Surprise? – We have just the thing; take a look at our specialist HAPPY BIRTHDAY Balloons available for 2-4 people and for parties of 16! They’re over 100 feet high and we’re the only ballooning company to have them in the country!

Buy & Fly Now! – If you have a voucher, all you have to do is enter your location and the amount of spaces you require and we’ll give you available dates over the next 30 days! However if you do not have an Adventure Balloons Voucher you can find out available dates before you book too! Again, just select the location that you wish to fly from and the number of passenger spaces you require and you will then see all flights matching your requirements over the next 30 plus days.

Easy peasy! If you’d like to discuss the flight, book over the phone, ask questions and generally have some human contact, do feel free to call us, we’re always happy to help – 01252 844222.

So you’ve decided on Adventure Balloons as the operator to take you up on your first hot air balloon ride, but now you simply cannot decide which of the fabulous locations to opt for! Tricky one; all our locations are wonderful for their own reasons, we cover the fascinating Oxfordshire, York & Lincolnshire, fabulous Hertfordshire, you’ll see plenty in Berkshire, and plenty more in Essex Kent and Sussex, one of our favourites is North Hampshire and Surrey is simply beautiful. London is of course out of the question with this year’s London Olympics and Paralympics and also with the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. The Department of Transport have made it clear that for security reasons our flights will preclude for 2012. You can however book for 2013 is you’d like to see London from 3’000 foot in the air!

One of our favourite balloon flight paths is our South Hampshire location taking off from launch sites in Alton, Micheldever, Popham, West Meon and Winchester.

Depending on which site we take off from (which is determined by the wind direction and weather on the day of the flight), you may see the impressive Winchester Cathedral, the breathtaking rolling Hampshire countryside, the tranquil River Test and various small villages such as Laverstoke, Whitchurch, and the Candovers during the balloon ride. However, this too depends on which direction the wind is blowing. You may also see large estates such as Leckford on the River Test where Waitrose produce a lot of their food, the Mid Hants Steam Railway that runs from Alton to Alresford, and if you’re exceptionally lucky, you may even see a glider circling around Lasham airfield, or microlights flying from Popham airfield!

When flying from our South Hampshire launch sites we have to keep clear of Southampton Airport at Eastleigh, and also keep our passengers out of the Solent! So you can see why in order to provide you with a safe and enjoyable flight, the site chosen will depend entirely on the wind direction and speed on the day.

Why not visit the site where you can easily book now in any of our flight locations, you can even click here to see videos of our flights over Hampshire! However if you’re after a more personal touch, then call one of our team on 01252 844222!

Are you new to hot air ballooning? Have you been looking into taking the hot air balloon ride you’ve always dreamt of? Maybe you’d like to book the dream for somebody else. Well then aren’t you lucky! Many people never get the chance to experience the sensation of flying in a balloon as hot air ballooning remains on Britain’s top ten ‘Things to do before I die’ list and is often something which is left too late in life and a regrettably forgotten wish. However nowadays it needn’t be something which we only dream of; hot air ballooning is now highly affordable and makes a great alternative to that weekend break away which we’ve all done a million times before.

At Adventure Balloons we’re often told how people can be put off by the process of booking. Many people have found that they just cannot get the flight in the location they want, when they want it, and that they simply cannot seem to find the assurance that there will be any flights in their location when they choose. Without this knowledge, prospective customers are put off from buying their vouchers and the whole ordeal just seems too much.

However here at Adventure Balloons we like to make it as easy and straight forward for our customers as possible, that’s why we have features on our site such as ‘Dates’. This means that if you do not yet have an Adventure Balloons Voucher and would like to browse our flight availability before purchase, you can! Simply select the location that you wish to fly from and the number of passengers who will be flying and you will then see all flights matching your requirements over the next 30 plus days. You can then decide which dates best suit your requirements and get in touch to book or for more information. It doesn’t get simpler than that.

We have a long list of locations across Britain and a number of balloon options to suit your individual needs. When booking, you must tell us what it is you’d like from your flight. Is it a birthday celebration and if so, would you like to book a flight on our exclusive HAPPY BIRTHDAY balloon? Are you booking a romantic flight for two? Maybe you’ve a big group all ready and raring to take to the skies or are you a flexible flyer just looking to grab a space or two on the next flight? We’d like to know if you’re looking for an exhilarating experience or a peaceful, tranquil one, we’d also like to know of any individual requirements you have, like for example, do any of the passengers require specialist treatment? The more you can tell us the better we can make your overall experience. We have a real passion for hot air ballooning and strive to pass this passion and enjoyment onto our customers.

So if you’d like to book, simply visit the site to book online or call us on 01252 844222 to make bookings or to ask as many questions as you like.

Does the thought of seeing the earth and the land from another perspective entice you?

Are you eager to look down on the world like a bird with a complete and unhindered view of it all?

Does the thought of hot air ballooning excite you?

Then join the club; here at Adventure Balloons we have a real passion for hot air ballooning which is still very much alive and kicking after 27 years in the business! We are the largest company in the country offering UK balloon flights and now even operate specialist ‘Happy Birthday’ balloons! Our complete fleet has capacities which range from four to sixteen people so that we can create the perfect intimate and romantic affair, or a lively airborne party to celebrate a pivotal day!

We fly from various locations around London and the Home Counties and after many years experience it seems clear that our passengers seem to prefer to fly over a location which is familiar to them. It makes perfect sense when you think about it; say you grew up in the area, worked, or went to school there, you know the place well – on foot – however you want to see it from about and experience its true beauty! So why not take a look at our locations page to see if we cover the location of your choice? If not, why not give us a call and we can point you in the direction of one of the Balloons Over Britain hot air balloon flights member companies who fly in your location. All Balloons Over Britain members must past strict guidelines in order to carry the status and are fully certified with many years of experience and love for ballooning.

To book with us is simple, simple decide where you would like to fly and then whether you’d like to book quickly online or call on 01252 844222 to speak to a member of the team. When ordering online you can choose to have your order sent instantly by e-mail or by post and can even take a look at flight availability to get an idea of when you can take your flight! Flights start from as little as £89 per person and you have the choice of sunset or sunrise flight, weekday or weekend.

We fly people of all ages from as young as 7 to as old as 120! As long as children meet the right height requirements and you are fit and able to stand and climb over the basket, it would be our pleasure to give you this wonderful experience. Take a look at our FAQ for a complete guide to what to expect and what you need to know, along with a list of medical exemptions. However if you have any questions and you’d like to speak to a member of our team, please feel free to call our offices on the already mentioned telephone number.

Bon Voyage!

Are you thinking about booking a hot air balloon flight over our beloved capital city? Well I’m not surprised; with so much to offer in the way of architecture, historical buildings and cutting edge developments, London is sure to offer many surprises from 3’000 feet in the air! Well here at Adventure Balloons we’re proud to include London on our list of balloon flight locations.

However latest discussions with the Department of Transport have made it clear that security arrangements both at our launch sites and in London’s airspace required for the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics will preclude our Central London Hot Air Balloon Rides for all of the 2012 season. Worry not however, you can purchase vouchers for London balloon flights in 2013 from November 2012! What better plan for an extra special Christmas gift! Forward planning is always a good idea for grand gestures such as this, and with plenty of notice you’ll certainly raise the funds in time!

Vouchers start from as little as £89 per person and if a 2013 London hot air balloon flight is what you’re looking for and you need to budget for it now, then why not call our offices to find out exactly how much it would cost on the date/time of your choice? Make sure you give us details of how many people will be flying, whether you’re looking for a sunrise booking or a sunset, and whether you’re after a weekday or weekend flight. With just a little put by each month, you could have Christmas 2012 completely sorted!

However if you just can’t contain your excitement and you’d like to book a flight for this year, then why not consider our other locations; Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Micheldever, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex.

What’s more, you can even book one of our exclusive ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’ balloons (available in 2-4 persons or 16 persons for larger party flights) which are available on most of our balloon flights in Berkshire, Hampshire, Lincolnshire, Oxford, Surrey and York in 2012.

For more information simply visit the site or call us on 01252 844222.

Organise your ‘pick-me-up’ treat now and you can start the New Year with the knowledge that you have something very wonderful to look forward to. You can book as far ahead in the next 12 months as you like, pick a date which means something to you, or simply celebrate a birthday, Valentine’s day, an anniversary in style. Here at Adventure Balloons we pride ourselves on providing the most unbeatable service tailoring each flight to the individual, creating a moment that will stay with you a lifetime.

You can enjoy an hour’s flight in any of the following locations; Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Micheldever, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex. But that’s not where it ends; so that you can make a ‘day of it’ we encourage all passengers to help set up the balloon and take it down again so that they get a real feel for what’s involved in ballooning and how it all works. You will enjoy a champagne toast and finally a flight certificate to commemorate the day and give you a token to remember it by, as if the memory isn’t enough!

We also give you the opportunity to purchase your in flight photo which you can hang on your wall with pride or tuck away in the photo album ready to show your friends and loved ones, along with giving them the exciting story of your day with us. Adventure Balloons were in fact one of the first balloon companies to provide in flight photography for passengers on balloon flights and in 2007 we purchased the world’s top selling digital camera, the Canon EOS400D. We use this camera on all of our balloons to give our customers the highest quality of photography.

For those of you who are more technically minded we are using an f1.8 20mm prime lens to provide better quality images than the standard Canon 18-55mm lens. This way we can guarantee the most professional photograph we can be proud to hand over to our passengers.

If you would like to know more, or would like to make a booking you can do so on our website, or alternatively, you can call us on 01252 844222!

If anyone was going to cross the English Channel in a Hot Air Balloon it had to be Adventure Balloons and my how patient we were! Being the only UK balloon flights company to possess a ‘Happy Birthday’ balloon, of course we had to choose this for the trip!

We exceedingly patiently waited on standby from the beginning of October 2010 for the first Channel Crossing by hot air balloon since 2005! But low-and-behold, October and early November simply didn’t provide the North Westerly winds required to blow us to France by the shortest route (from Dover to somewhere close to Calais). In a normal passenger flight scenario, we leave room for enough gas to get us through an approximate hour flight. Making the crossing did not entail the addition of any passengers and so we obviously had more room for gas, however a crossing with a speed or direction in excess of 2 hours would be tricky and could even result in a rather unfortunate wet dip if the fuel ran out. Obviously not wanting to take this risk, we had to wait it out until the ideal weather conditions arose.

As you can imagine, the organisation and preparation required for an event such as this is quite staggering! It was all hands on deck! Another Balloons Over Britain member company Airborne Balloons (http://www.airborneballoons.co.uk/cross_channel.php) organised the event, leaving the matter of getting the balloon ‘ship shape’ in our hands. This involved the addition of further fuel tanks without compromising on space, radios, cameras, sandwiches and of course the essential ingredient, chocolate. We also had to organise immersion suits and a self inflating 4 person life raft (just in case) which was hired from http://www.aerosafe.co.uk/index.html. To save space the life raft was attached to the outside of the basket as was one of the fuel tanks!

Our hopes were raised on Monday April 4^th when weather conditions appeared spot on; however it wasn’t until a few days later that the event went ahead. At five o’clock in the morning we arrived in the dark at Lydden Hill Motor Racing circuit for the mass ascent and an attempt on the world record for the greatest number of balloons flying the channel! Palletways sponsored the event and were very hopeful. At 6am we had our safety briefing which was shortly followed by the very much anticipated balloon take off at 7:15am. Our balloon, carrying probably the youngest person to ever fly over the channel by balloon, then flew over Dover Castle, overtook the ferry as we sped along at speeds of up to 30knots at 1,000 feet (nearly twice the speed we could safely fly passengers) and having flown over Calais Harbour we landed at Calais Airport at 8.45am, covering about 25 miles in a hour and a half!

What an achievement and what a memorable morning it was!

If you’re reading this then I’m guessing you’re toying with the idea of hot air ballooning. Many people purchase a hot air ballooning trip for themselves as a sort ‘life ambition gift’. Most of us dream of hot air ballooning one day and sadly a great deal of those will never actually fulfil the goal; it gets put off and put off until frankly, it’s just too late. Those of us who take the leap and join the world of ballooning then realise just why so many of us Brits dream of taking to the skies in this way. It is an experience like no other, exhilarating, breathtaking, relaxing, inspirational, euphoric, tranquil and emotional even. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?

Ballooning is also a gift given to others. This could be as a birthday present, anniversary surprise, congratulations or reward gift, a romantic gesture, a Christmas present; for many their doesn’t have to be a reason! To receive those ‘golden’ tickets that will allow you the life time chance of taking to the skies in a hot air balloon, is in itself an exciting thing. Just picture the look on their face when they realise what’s in store for them!

At Adventure Balloons we cover various flight locations across Britain, for example Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex.

Our south Hampshire area is one of our most popular spots. Flying from Anstey Park in Alton, from West Meon, from Micheldever near the railway station and from the City of Winchester, there’s plenty of ‘flight paths’ to choose from. However do bear in mind, the exact course you end up taking is completely wind dependent! Our customers commonly see the impressive Winchester Cathedral and are in awe of its staggering beauty from above! Be seduced by the rolling Hampshire countryside, the River Test, the pretty little villages such as Laverstoke, Whitchurch, and the Candovers. You can often see the large estates of Leckford on the River Test where Waitrose produce a lot of their food, the Mid Hants Steam Railway that runs from Alton to Alresford, and many a time we’ve had the rather unusual experience of seeing a glider circling around Lasham airfield, or microlights flying from Popham airfield.

Book your chance to fly in a hot air balloon with Adventure Balloons and you will receieve a 12 month voucher which will entitle you to select your date from anytime (depending on which voucher you buy) over the 12 months following purchase! Book online or call us on 01252 844222.

Did we ever tell you about our BBC interview on the local radio station in the Oxford area? Adventure Balloons enjoyed yet another claim to fame via the radio waves where our very own Kim Hull appeared on the Malcolm Boyden’s breakfast show, giving the show the little extra lift (e’hem) they were looking for! But this wasn’t the first, Kim’s has acquired himself quite a repertoire of radio experiences having also taken part in interviews with Chris Evans on Radio 2 and Ellie Harrison on BBC 1!

Kim says;

“I thought Malcolm would want information about our ballooning predecessors such as local Oxford man James Sadler, who was the first Englishman to fly from this country n 4th October 1784 from Christchurch Meadows but he was more interested in the modern day experience of flying in a hot air balloon from Oxford. We were the first company to offer passenger balloon flights from Oxford’s city parks in 1995, persuading the council that it would be a good thing for tourists and locals alike. After the interview Malcolm asked listeners to call in to tell him about their ballooning experiences – ballooning is so reliant on the wind on the day that there is always a story to tell!”

The interview was rounded off with Kim’s usual mug gesture, where Malcolm was presented with one of the company’s giant balloon coffee mugs, perfect for a radio presenter! “We give these to landowners after we land” said Kim “They always go down well”.

Check out the above mug shot

Adventure Balloons are proudly the longest running passenger balloon ride company around London and the Home Counties. Flying since 1985, we have gathered a wealth of experience and passion for ballooning and are able to offer our passengers a supreme experience, and certainly one they’ll never forget. One thing we have learned for sure is our passengers consistent longing to enjoy a flight over an area which is familiar to them, and how this can have a significant impact on their enjoyment of the day. Here at Adventure Balloons we cover the following areas:

Oxfordshire – Balloons flights commenced in this area in 1995 and we were in fact the first hot air balloon flights company to work with Oxford City Council. Enjoy views over the countryside, colleges, the Radcliffe Camera, Carfax Tower and the many Musuems built in the distinctive stone. Also enjoy a birds-eye-view over Didcot Power Station, Farmoor Reservoir and Port Meadow.

York & Lincolnshire – Flights in York will take off from either the Knavesmire (York Racecourse) or often from beside the banks of the River Ouse at the Naburn Lock, just 4 miles south of the City of York.  Enjoy breathtaking views over York’s medieval city walls, Europe’s most spectacular gothic cathedral – York Minster, and of course the surrounding countryside.

Hertfordshire – Take off sites in Hertfordshire are Fairlands Valley in Stevenage, Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead, Cassiobury Park in Watford and Pendley Manor Hotel in Tring, all of which are  chosen to give passengers a mixture of towns, countryside and villages as you drift over Hertfordshire. Look out for the Jacobean Hatfield House, the elegant grounds of Knebworth Park, the M25, and the magnificent London skyline.

Berkshire – Flying from Berkshire since 1990, Adventure Balloons is the only balloon company flying from Reading’s Parks. With launch sites at Prospect Park and Kings Meadow in Reading and for some wind directions we use an alternative site at Padworth Village west of Reading on the A4; there is a choice which will cover the most beautiful areas Berkshire has to offer.

London – Flying from the capital, the ultimate hot air ballooning experience, you are sure to be stunned at how beautiful and peaceful London looks from above. Enjoy aerial views over Alexandra palace, Regents Park, Bedford College, Emirates Stadium, the London Eye, Wimbledon, the Albert Hall, Tower Bridge, Westminster, the Thames, Battersea, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and more.

Essex Kent & Sussex – Rides over Kent will be made from The Hop Farm Country Park near Tunbridge Wells, where you’ll find the impressive Oast Houses that were previously used in the local ale industry. Other sites include Bewl Water and Lamberhurst Vineyard but due to the proximity of Gatwick Airport and the Thames coast line which launch site we use will depend on wind direction on the day.

South Hampshire – Flying from Anstey Park in Alton, from West Meon, from Micheldever near the railway station and from the City of Winchester, you could see Winchester Cathedral, the rolling Hampshire countryside, the River Test, small villages such as Laverstoke, Whitchurch, and the Candovers and large estates such as Leckford on the River Test, the Mid Hants Steam Railway and more.

North Hampshire – With sites at Down Grange and War Memorial Park in Basingstoke, plus our own site at Hartley Wintney, you will see sights such as Tylney Hall Hotel, Wellington Country Park, Stratfield Saye (the Duke of Wellington’s Home) and Bramshill Police training college. You could also see small villages such as Odiham, Hartley Wintney, Crondall, Overton, Dummer and small towns such as Hook.

Surrey - Launching from Shalford Park in Guildford next to St Catherines Chapel and from the Burys in Godalming next to the River Wey, plus from Farnham Park, next to Farnham Castle. Look out for Guildford Cathedral, Frensham Ponds, Loseley House and Alice Holt Forest.