Hyderabad to host hot air balloon festival with morning rides, night glow shows from January 16

Hyderabad will host its first large-scale hot air balloon festival from January 16 to 18, with a mix of long-distance morning flights and evening night glow shows, marking a new addition to the city’s tourism calendar. The event is being organised by the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC).

Speaking to The Hindu, Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Valluru Kranthi said that the festival, being organised at this scale for the first time in Hyderabad, will feature 15 international-standard hot air balloons, with foreign pilots arriving along with their own registered balloons. The event will be spread across three days, with flights scheduled both in the mornings and evenings.

In the mornings, passengers will be flown over distances of around 8 to 10 kilometres. These flights will take off from one point and land at another, with each ride expected to last about 30 to 40 minutes. “The exact take-off locations cannot be fixed in advance as they depend entirely on wind direction,” said Ms. Kranthi.

Telangana tourism has identified three tentative locations, including Hyderabad Golf Club near Golconda Fort, Jalamandalii Park near Gandipet and another area near Himayatsagar. Because of the constraints, morning rides will be limited to around 30 to 40 passengers per day,” she added.

Evening events will be held exclusively at Parade Grounds, Secunderabad, and will be open to the general public. These sessions will feature night glow balloons, where the balloons ascend and descend at the same location, creating illuminated visual displays. She said that with multiple short flights possible, around 100 to 120 people can be accommodated each evening, amounting to roughly 300 to 400 slots over the three days.

Ms. Kranthi said booking mechanisms are being planned through online platforms such as BookMyShow or the District app. While morning slots will be managed separately, evening rides are likely to be priced at around ₹500 per person.

From 15 countries

All pilots and balloons participating in the festival are from overseas, representing around 15 countries, mostly from Europe. The pilots hold valid licences.