Hot Air Balloon MarrakechCiel d'Afrique Hot Air Balloon Flight
The Ciel d'Afrique balloon flight is a shared sunrise flight from Marrakech, priced at $178.03 per person on GetYourGuide for a 5:00 AM slot. Ciel d'Afrique says it has flown balloons in Marrakech since 1990 and runs 11 balloons, and this listing is the highest-priced shared flight compared on this site. For that money you get a 40 to 60 minute flight, a Moroccan buffet breakfast after landing, a flight certificate written in Arabic calligraphy, and round-trip transfers by 4x4, van or minibus. Photos are not included. This page sets out what the price covers, what the morning looks like hour by hour, who the listing rules out, and who should look at a cheaper option. You can compare hot air balloon flights in Marrakech side by side in the Marrakech balloon flight catalogue.
About This Tour
Ciel d'Afrique Hot Air Ballooning sells one shared product on the platform, a single 5:00 AM slot with a total duration of 4 hours. The balloon carries up to 16 or 19 passengers depending on its size, and the flight itself runs 40 to 60 minutes. Pickup is from any address within a highlighted Marrakech area, confirmed at checkout, and drop-off returns you to the same point.
The price of $178.03 per person makes this the premium shared listing among those compared on this site. It costs more than twice the cheapest shared flights, which start around $65.47. In exchange you get a stated 40 to 60 minute flight, insurance, tea and croissants before take-off, a buffet breakfast after landing and a calligraphy certificate. Photos are explicitly not included.
$178.03 per person, the only priced option for the date checked, shared flight
4 hours total, with a 40-60 minute balloon flight
Pickup from your Marrakech address, confirmed at checkout. Single 5:00 AM slot
Traditional douars, the Jbilet Mountains, the Oued Tensift Valley and, weather permitting, the Atlas Mountains
Traditional Moroccan buffet breakfast after landing, plus Moroccan tea, coffee and croissants before the flight
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, reserve now and pay later
Check Dates and Availability
Enter your date to see whether the single 5:00 AM shared slot is open. One priced option covers this listing, so there is no cheaper or later slot to pick.
Quick answer Ciel d'Afride flight in short
The Ciel d'Afrique shared balloon flight costs $178.03 per person, runs 4 hours door to door and includes a 40 to 60 minute flight over the Jbilet Mountains and the Oued Tensift Valley. Pickup is from your Marrakech address for a single 5:00 AM slot, with a Moroccan buffet breakfast and a calligraphy certificate after landing. Photos cost extra and are not in the price. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the flight.
Key takeaways
- See how this price compares with the cheapest shared flights in the city
- Check what to wear for a cold desert dawn
- Read when to fly to understand sunrise times and pickup windows
- Skip to what the price covers before you book
What the Price Actually Covers
The $178.03 covers everything from your hotel door back to it except photos. The table below sets each line of the listing against what you actually receive.
What is in the $178.03
Seven lines are listed as included. The round-trip transfer by 4x4, van or minibus is the first, and it applies only from locations within Marrakech unless otherwise stated. Tea, coffee and croissants before take-off, the 40 to 60 minute flight, the buffet breakfast after landing, access to the aeroboutique, the calligraphy certificate and insurance complete the list.
The 40 to 60 minute flight window is a stated longer window than the 40 minutes quoted on BallOOning Marrakech, a listing that otherwise follows the same template.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round-trip transfer | Yes | 4x4, van or minibus, from addresses within Marrakech only |
| Tea, coffee and croissants | Yes | Served before take-off |
| Balloon flight | Yes | 40 to 60 minutes, shared basket of up to 16 or 19 |
| Moroccan buffet breakfast | Yes | Served after landing |
| Aeroboutique access | Yes | Where the certificate is collected |
| Flight certificate | Yes | Your name in Arabic calligraphy |
| Insurances | Yes | Passenger insurance |
| Photos | No | Listed as not included |
| Lunch | No | Not part of this product |
| Gratuities | Not stated | The listing names no tipping amount |
Camel rides are sold as a separate extra or a combo package on most listings, not as part of the standard flight.
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing's own itinerary breaks the 4 hours into five parts. All times are durations given by the operator, and the single clock time stated is the 5:00 AM slot.
From pickup to drop-off
A driver collects you at your confirmed Marrakech address for the 5:00 AM slot. The transfer to the airfield takes about 45 minutes by bus or coach. Tea, coffee and croissants are served while the crew inflates the balloon, then you board a basket shared with up to 16 or 19 other passengers. The flight itself is listed at about 50 minutes in the itinerary, within the stated 40 to 60 minute window, and the route passes over the Palmeraie. After landing the group stops at a traditional village for tea, a 30-minute visit, before the roughly 45-minute drive back to Marrakech. Drop-off is the same point as pickup.
Weather decides everything. Wind can cancel any balloon flight on the morning itself, and the listing offers no specific weather promise beyond the standard 24-hour free cancellation window. Book your first possible morning in the city if the flight matters to you, so a cancelled attempt leaves room to rebook.
The Flight on Film
A flight filmed by a desert camp that works with Ciel d'Afrique, over the stony Agafay hills. Third-party video embedded from YouTube. We did not film it.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing names four groups as not suitable, and adds practical limits on footwear, luggage and pets. Check each against your own party before booking.
Stated exclusions
Children under 4 years, pregnant women, people with heart problems and people with recent surgeries are all listed as not suitable. Guests with reduced mobility can participate with assistance, which some listings do not offer. There is no stated weight limit for this listing and no stated difficulty rating, so heavier travellers have nothing in writing to check against.
On the shared-flight market compared here, MarrakeshBallooning publishes a 100 kg cap and AtlasMontgolfière publishes 140 kg, so limits vary by operator and this one simply does not state one. Ask the operator in writing if weight is a concern.
- Children under 4 years: not suitable, so families with toddlers should look at Marrakech By Air, which sets its minimum at 3 years old
- Pregnant women: not suitable, the single most consistent exclusion across every Marrakech listing
- People with heart problems: not suitable
- People with recent surgeries: not suitable
- Sandals and flip flops: not allowed, closed-toe shoes are the stated requirement
- Pets, oversize luggage, large bags and smoking: not allowed
What to Settle Before You Book
Four things are worth confirming with the operator in writing before you pay, and one is worth knowing about your wardrobe.
Cancellation and wind
You can cancel free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later keeps the booking flexible. The listing states no specific rebooking or refund promise for a weather cancellation beyond that window. Read the platform terms at checkout and screenshot them.
Every balloon flight in Marrakech depends on morning wind and can be grounded on the day.
Pickup time and the clock change
Morocco moved its clocks back one hour to permanent GMT on 20 September 2026. Pickup times quoted in older blog posts and reviews are an hour off against the current clock, and the 5:00 AM slot on this listing should be read on the new permanent GMT. Confirm your exact pickup time in writing after booking, because the listing itself only says pickup details follow at checkout.
Riad pickup point
Transfers are included only from locations within Marrakech unless otherwise stated. If you stay in a riad inside the Medina on a street too narrow for a vehicle, confirm before the morning whether the driver collects you from the door or from the nearest accessible point. Give the operator your exact address at checkout rather than a district name.
Weight limit and what to wear
This listing states no weight limit, unlike three competitors that publish caps between 100 kg and 140 kg. If any traveller is near those figures, ask the operator to confirm in writing that the basket can take them. For clothing, the listing asks for comfortable clothing, closed-toe shoes and no sandals.
Winter dawns in Marrakech average lows around 5.9°C in January, so layers, a hat and a jacket you can strip off once the sun is up are the practical answer.
Sources: GetYourGuide listing and Climates to Travel
The Morning Step by Step
Five steps from the listing's own itinerary, with the durations the operator states. The only clock time published is the 5:00 AM start of the slot.
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5:00
Slot start and pickup
The single priced slot begins at 5:00 AM. A driver collects you from your confirmed address within the Marrakech pickup area by 4x4, van or minibus.
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Transfer to the airfield
A bus or coach ride of about 45 minutes takes the group to the launch site.
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Tea and take-off
Moroccan tea, coffee and croissants are served while the balloon inflates, then you board a shared basket of up to 16 or 19 passengers.
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Balloon flight, about 50 minutes
The listed flight length is 50 minutes, inside the stated 40 to 60 minute window, passing over the Palmeraie with views of traditional douars, the Jbilet Mountains, the Oued Tensift Valley and, weather permitting, the Atlas Mountains.
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Village tea, 30 minutes
After landing the group visits a traditional village for tea.
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Return to Marrakech
A final transfer of about 45 minutes returns you to your pickup point, closing out the 4-hour total.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing against the rest of the Marrakech market.
What we genuinely like
- The 40 to 60 minute flight window is a stated longer window than the 40 minutes on cheaper shared listings
- Seven inclusions covering transfers, both meal services, insurance and the calligraphy certificate
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and reserve now, pay later
- A single 5:00 AM slot, the time with the best odds of flying at sunrise
- Guests with reduced mobility can participate with assistance
The honest downsides
- At $178.03 it costs more than twice the cheapest shared flights, which start at $65.47
- Photos are listed as excluded, so the balloon shots cost extra on the day
- No weight limit is published, unlike three competitors that state caps between 100 kg and 140 kg
- No specific weather rebooking promise is stated beyond the standard 24-hour cancellation window
Who it's NOT for: Travellers who want the lowest-price shared flight, families with children under 4, or anyone who needs a published weight limit should book a different listing.
Ciel d'Afrique Flight Questions
How much does the Ciel d'Afrique balloon flight cost?
The shared flight is priced at $178.03 per person on GetYourGuide for the single 5:00 AM slot, and that is the only priced option for the date checked. That makes it the most expensive shared listing in the Marrakech comparison, against cheapest-shared prices starting at $65.47.
How long is the flight and the whole outing?
The balloon is airborne for 40 to 60 minutes, and the full morning from pickup to drop-off runs 4 hours. The listing's own itinerary breaks that into a 45-minute transfer out, the flight, a 30-minute village tea and a 45-minute return, which you can see in the itinerary above.
Is sunrise guaranteed on the 5:00 AM slot?
The listing does not use the words guaranteed sunrise, and no balloon flight can promise weather. The 5:00 AM slot is the earliest departure time sold, which is what gives first flights their sunrise odds. Read how first flights differ from later ones before choosing.
Is it worth paying more than twice the cheapest shared flight?
You are paying for a stated 40 to 60 minute flight, a buffet breakfast, insurance and a calligraphy certificate. If budget comes first, the Marrakech By Air shared flight starts at $68.90 with a similar package shape. If the premium flight window and the operator's track record matter to you, the price has a logic.
Are photos included in the price?
No. Photos are the one item on the excluded list, so balloon and flight photos cost extra on the day. Budget for that if aerial shots matter, or check the alternatives in the price guide, since some listings bundle photo or video products differently.
Can children and pregnant travellers fly?
Children under 4, pregnant women, people with heart problems and people with recent surgeries are all listed as not suitable. Guests with reduced mobility can participate with assistance. Families with a 3-year-old should look at Marrakech By Air, which sets its minimum age at 3.
What happens if the wind cancels the flight?
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity gives a full refund, and the listing states no further weather-specific promise. Wind grounds balloons on the morning itself, so book your first available day in the city and keep a spare morning. The safety and weather guide explains how go and no-go decisions work.
What Passengers Said
This was simply incredible! I thought I would be a bit frightened but it was the most peaceful and special experience.
we loved the entire experience. everyone very professional and considerate. our pilot Arthur was fun, knowledgeable and clearly skilled.
A great experience from the start when we were collected from the allocated site to being dropped off. Very well organised, staff are friendly.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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