Pokhara to hosts Nepal's first International Balloon Festival

KATHMANDU, Oct 01:For the first time in Nepal, an international balloon festival will take place in Pokhara, the tourism capital. From December 24, 2024, to January 1, 2025, Balloon Nepal Pvt Ltd plans to host a festival celebrating Christmas and the English New Year.

The festival will cover three kilometers from Lauruk in Pokhara to Chankhapur in Pame. Bikram Bade, Chairman of Balloon Nepal Pvt. Ltd., stated that preparations for the festival are ongoing.

According to Bade, around 30 commercial balloon companies from all over the world, including Nepal, will take part in this festival, which is being held for the first time in Nepal. He stated that the event will be conducted with the goal of increasing tourism in Pokhara and Nepal as a whole, as well as promoting it internationally.

"The event will be held in the tourism capital of Pokhara to promote adventure tourism and boost the number of domestic and foreign tourists. Chairman Bade expects the tourism sector to become more active.

The festival is expected to boost tourism in the country, which has stagnated since the corona pandemic, by attracting more new local and foreign travelers to Pokhara.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta took place for the first time in America in 1972. This annual celebration in New Mexico features over 500 hot air balloons. The festival attracts approximately 1 million tourists from all around the world. Aside from that, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, launched in 1979 in England, is well-known around the world.

Other prominent balloon festivals include the Saga International Balloon Fiesta in Japan, the Mondial Air Balloons Event in France, and the Cappadocia International Balloon Festival in Turkey.

According to the organizers, professional pilots from several nations will fly hot air balloons every morning, afternoon, and evening during the festival. There will be approximately 500 commercial flights throughout the week-long festival. About three thousand people are scheduled to get on the flight. There will be around 300 non-commercial flights during the festival.

There will also be a tiny balloon show in Pokhara as part of the celebration. During this time, various national and local performers will perform. During the festival, numerous balloons will be flown simultaneously. On this occasion, Nepal's traditional and original culture, as well as cultural exhibitions from other countries, will be showcased. Aside from that, the event will feature a variety of exquisite gourmet dishes and amusing tourist activities. It is expected that the festival will cost Rs 68.3 million to organize.

Hot air balloons typically fly for 40 minutes. During the flight, one may witness a panoramic view of the Pokhara valley, which includes himalayan range such as Annapurna, Machhapuchche, and Dhaulagiri. Aside from the stunning views of sunrise and sunset, there will be night balloon glows, 20-minute firework displays every day, balloon races, concerts, numerous games, food courts, cultural dances, DJ music, and night camps.

Balloon Nepal Pvt Ltd was founded in 2016 and has been flying commercial hot air balloons in Pokhara since 2018. Last February, the company took part in the 'International Balloon Fiesta, 2024', which was hosted in Thailand.