International Hot Air Balloon Festival to be held in Pokhara

POKHARA, Aug 05:An international hot air balloon festival will be conducted in Pokhara. Balloon Nepal Pvt. Ltd. is conducting the festival in and around the source of Phewa Lake with the goal of showcasing Pokhara internationally.

The festival will be held from the coming December 29 to January 2 marking New Year 2025, said Bikram Bade, Chairperson of Balloon Pvt. Ltd. 

About 20 to 25 balloons will be brought from different countries around the world during the festival that is estimated to cost Rs 6.5 million. 

The festival is being held with the support and collaboration of Nepal Tourism Board, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Gandaki Province Government, Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, Pokhara Tourism Council among others.

Pokhara Tourism Council Chair Pomnarayan Shrestha said that the festival will be a historic event for Pokhara, the tourism capital of the country and for the entire Gandaki province.

Sabin Maharjan, the proprietor of Balloon Nepal, said that when you fly in a hot air balloon you can see mountains like Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, full-sized Phewa Lake, Pumdikot Mahadev, Paragliding flying from Sarangkot and the beautiful scenery around Pokhara Valley.