Hot Air Balloon Rides over Essex and Suffolk
Welcome to Essex Balloons and our flight provider, Virgin Balloon Flights, who will be taking you up, up and away on hot air balloon rides in Essex.
Virgin Balloon Flights is one of the longest running provider of balloon flights in the South East and brings the magic of hot air balloon rides throughout Essex from a variety of locations close to the towns of Colchester, Chelmsford, Billericay, Brentwood, Basildon, Harlow and Chipping Ongar.
Virgin Balloon Flights and Essex Balloons (a trading name of Adventure Balloons) have flown alongside one another in the South East for almost 30 years for the best ballooning experience.
Why Choose Our Champagne Hot Air Balloon Flights over Essex?
Virgin Balloon Flights, who took on the operation flying Essex Balloons passengers in late 2022, has been flying in the county for more than 20 years now.
Hot air ballooning in Essex is probably the most romantic way to fly and is a wonderful gift idea with a difference for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or just for sheer indulgence. Few can resist the attraction of watching a balloon float gently past on the breeze.
Ballooning feels free and natural. Despite being high in the air you will be surprised how secure you feel in a modern hot air balloon.
Purchase a flight voucher now and experience the freedom and romance that has made a flight in an air balloon the theme of adventure and legends.
Over the years we have accumulated a wealth of hot air ballooning knowledge about Essex that has contributed towards making our Prosecco, rather than Champagne hot air balloon rides over Essex an unforgettable experience. We have been approved by Essex Trading Standards and are part of their Buy With Confidence scheme.
Over the years we have accumulated a wealth of hot air ballooning knowledge about Essex that has contributed towards making our Champagne hot air balloon rides over Essex an unforgettable experience. We have been approved by Essex Trading Standards and are part of their Buy With Confidence scheme.
Enjoy the balloon flight
Whether a single person joining one of our groups or a couple sharing the experience together, all passengers are made to feel involved and welcome on our hot air balloon rides. We often have more than one balloon taking off with us making the event more exciting and ideal for photos. Essex Balloons offers not only a hot air balloon ride but also the opportunity to become involved in the preparation of the balloon before take-off and the pleasure of enjoying a glass of Champagne at the end of the flight.
Aerial view of the Blake House 2013 Maze at take off
Interesting buildings to see on Essex hot air balloon flights
A Morning or Evening Hot Air Balloon Flight?
Hot air ballooning is probably one of the most romantic ways to fly and few can resist watching a hot air balloon float gently by. All hot air balloons either fly in the early morning, shortly after sunrise or towards the end of the day in the early evening, normally a few hours before sunset. Typically this is the time when the breeze is most gentle and the air is stable, ideal for hot air ballooning. See Essex towns, villages and countryside from a new prospective either in the crisp freshness of an early morning flight or relax with an evening flight as the sun sets casting long shadows over patchwork fields.
The Balloon Flight
Our Champagne hot air balloon flights consist of welcoming our passengers to one of our take-off sites, preparing the hot air balloon and inflation. Flying for about an hour or so and landing to be met by the ground crew at the end of the flight. A glass or two of Champagne or soft drink to celebrate the occasion and transport back to the take-off site to complete the whole experience. Please allow 3 - 4 hours from start to finish. Throughout Essex we have several popular take-off sites. Billericay and Brentwood area, Chelmsford, Kelvedon near Witham, Braintree, Earls Colne near Colchester and Gosfield near Halstead. These are easy to find and have good parking.
Looking down on our hot air balloon in Essex
Fly on our Happy Birthday Balloon flights from Braintree
Our Hot Air Balloons
The type of hot air balloons we use are all the latest modern passenger balloons. They have large compartmented baskets that give a much greater feeling of stability and comfort, the larger the balloon the greater the stability and feeling of security. Currently in Essex we fly the largest passenger hot air balloon in Britain. Feel secure and relaxed as you float over towns and villages throughout the Essex and Suffolk countryside.
