The Flight
Hot Air Balloon flights with Sunrise Balloons take place in the valleys between Queenstown and Arrowtown with magnificent views of the unique terrain.
The Experience
As we rise to altitudes as high as 6000ft and drift with the breeze, you will witness quite possibly the best panoramic views of Queenstown and its surrounds - “The Hobbit” filming locations, Southern Alps, Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables mountain range, NZ’s finest golf courses and much, much more.
Our four distinct seasons offer beautiful scenery all year round, so make this your opportunity to get some of the most stunning photographs you will ever take
We encourage our passengers to assist the crew to inflate the balloon and also to help pack it away after the flight. Celebrate your once-in-a-lifetime experience with a glass of bubbles and pastries in the field after your flight.
Sunrise Balloons is a family-owned and operated company which has been flying in the region since 1998.
Transport is provided to and from Hotels and Campgrounds in Central Queenstown and Frankton Road, if your Hotel or AIR BNB is outside this area we will arrange a convenient meeting point. Launch site is only a 15 minute drive from downtown Queenstown! Passengers need to call Sunrise Balloons 45 minutes before pick up time to find out if flight is operating (weather permitting).
Flight Information
We pick you up and transport you to the launch site then carry out a safety briefing and weigh passengers.
The balloon is then inflated and passengers climb aboard for an approximately 1 hour flight, after the flight the ballon is packed away and everybody enjoys a celebratory breakfast before being transported back to their pick up point.
Flights are at dawn when the air is cool and calm. Pickup time is before dawn and varies according to the season, allow 3½-4 hours for the experience.
We have views of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski areas, Mount Aspiring in the Southern Alps and Mount Tutoko in Fiordland National Park.
We also see Lake Wakatipu, Lake Hayes, the Shotover and Kawarau rivers. Some locations used in "The Lord Of The Rings" can also be seen, for example, The Ford Of Bruinen; Dimrill Dale; The Gates of Argonath; The Pillars Of The Kings. Also visible is Mount Earnslaw, one of the great mountains seen in Isengard.
Our Balloons
- Kavanagh B-350
- Lindstrand 260A
- Kavanagh E-260
- Kavanagh E160
Safety
Our experienced pilots are CAA certified and flight tested annually.
As with any aircraft our balloons receive an annual check and Review of Airworthiness.
To make your flight as safe as possible we monitor weather conditions continually and if it is not suitable the flight is cancelled.