Hot Air Balloon flights resume after monsoon

KATHMANDU, Oct 08:Due to the rainy season, Pokhara's hot air balloon flight service was suspended due to the rainy season, has resumed operation from Friday.

Hot Air Balloon is an adventure tourist game. Bikram Bade, president of Balloon Nepal, stated that this game has recently become a popular choice among adventurous tourist.

The company has flown hot air balloons up to around 9,000 feet. From the balloon, you can see mountains like as Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, and other mountains, as well as Phewa Lake, the Pumdikot Mahadev statue, paragliding flights from Mandredhunga in Sarangkot, and the beautiful scenery around the Pokhara Valley.

The company is currently flying two balloons. The balloon will be flown by two pilots: Cleto from Spain and Harvey Alexander from the UK.

Bade stated that there will be a hot air balloon journey from Pame to Pokhara. According to him, the balloon would be flown in two shifts: morning and evening. Bade stated that the flight will take place between 5 and 9 a.m. and 3 and 6 p.m. According to the company, anybody over the age of three can fly in a hot air balloon.

The company has flown call sign 9N-AMW balloons with 8 passengers (without the pilot) and callsign 9 NV balloons with 12 passengers at a time.

In addition, the company is organizing an international balloon festival in Pokhara from December 24 to January 1, with the goal of celebrating Christmas and the English New Year in 2025.

Nepalese tourists would be charged Rs 11,000 for flying in the hot air balloon. Similarly, the charge for tourists from SAARC countries is $120, while tourists from other countries pay $150.