Hot Air Balloon MarrakechPalms Ballooning Small-Group Flight
The Palms Ballooning small group balloon flight is a shared sunrise flight over the Palmeraie, the palm grove on the edge of Marrakech, capped at 16 travellers per shared departure. That is the smallest shared group stated among the listings compared on this site, and it is the main reason to pick this one. The outing runs 4 hours in total: hotel pickup, transfer to the launch field, unlimited tea or coffee while the balloon inflates, the flight itself, then breakfast with a flight certificate. It costs $115.77 per person, which sits above the cheapest shared flights but below the premium operators. This page sets out what the price covers, what the morning is like, and who should book something else. For the full spread of operators, compare hot air balloon flights in Marrakech on the homepage, and it sits alongside what a Marrakech balloon flight costs end to end.
About This Tour
Palmsballooning sells one shared product on Viator, the Marrakesh balloon in small group at sunrise, product 425344P2. You are collected from your hotel, driven to the launch site in the palm grove, and watch the balloon inflate with unlimited tea or coffee in hand. After a safety briefing you climb into the basket and float above the Palmeraie, past Berber houses with clay roofs, with the desert opening out at sunrise.
The booking data caps the shared flight at 16 travellers, the lowest stated shared cap among the listings compared here, with up to 12 travellers per single booking. The full outing is 4 hours. Breakfast and a flight certificate are included at the end, and the whole morning can be cancelled for free up to 24 hours before departure.
$115.77 per person for the standard shared flight, the only option priced for this listing.
4 hours total including pickup, transfer, breakfast and return. A fixed flight length is not stated.
Round trip hotel pickup included, or meet at the departure point. No clock times are stated on the listing.
The Palmeraie palm grove of Marrakech, over Berber houses with clay roofs and the desert at sunrise.
Breakfast included, served with coffee and/or tea. Bottled water is also included. No menu is published.
Full refund if cancelled at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure. 0% refund within 24 hours. Bad-weather cancellations follow the standard refund terms.
Check Dates and Availability
Shared departures are capacity-capped at 16 travellers per flight, so dates can sell out. Check live dates and prices for this listing below.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer The Palms Ballooning flight in short
The Palms Ballooning small group balloon flight costs $115.77 per person, runs 4 hours door to door, and caps the shared basket at 16 travellers, the smallest shared group stated among the Marrakech listings compared here.
Key takeaways
- Included: hotel pickup, breakfast, unlimited tea or coffee while the balloon inflates, bottled water and a flight certificate. See what the price covers.
- Not included: gratuities. The listing states no fixed flight length and no pickup clock times, so confirm both in writing. Details in what to settle before you book.
- Weight limit is 110 kg per person, and the flight is not recommended for spinal injuries, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health. See who this tour rules out.
- Want to weigh it against the rest of the market? Compare hot air balloon flights in Marrakech across every operator.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $115.77 figure is the from-price for the standard shared flight, the only priced option on this listing. The line-by-line breakdown below comes from the operator's own inclusions and exclusions on the Viator listing, so you know where the money goes before you book.
Included and excluded, line by line
Everything on the inclusions list is part of the $115.77: the drive to and from your hotel, the breakfast, the drinks, and the certificate. The single stated exclusion is gratuities, and the listing does not suggest an amount. One honest note: the listing is titled a sunrise flight but sells no separately named guaranteed-sunrise option, unlike some rivals, so the sunrise promise rests on the operator's scheduling rather than a paid product tier.
If sunrise timing matters to you, get the planned take-off time confirmed in writing, or look at a listing such as the AtlasMontgolfière flight, which sells a named Flight With Guaranteed Sunrise at 5:00 AM for $109.91.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel pickup and return | Yes | Round trip transportation from your hotel, or meet at the departure point |
| Balloon flight | Yes | Shared basket, up to 16 travellers per flight |
| Breakfast | Yes | Served with coffee and/or tea, menu not published |
| Tea and coffee before the flight | Yes | Unlimited while the balloon inflates |
| Bottled water | Yes | Included |
| Flight certificate | Yes | Included, no personalization details stated |
| Gratuities | No | Explicitly excluded, no suggested amount stated |
| Photos or video | No | Not mentioned anywhere on the listing, so assume not included |
How the price sits in the market
At $115.77 this is a mid-to-upper shared flight. The cheapest genuine shared flights compared on this site start at about $65, such as the MarrakeshBallooning sunrise flight at $65.47. The premium shared option, the Ciel d'Afrique flight, runs $178.03.
What you are paying extra for here is the group cap: 16 travellers against the 100 that the Sky Discovery Balloons listing allows on a shared departure, which costs only $1.17 more at $116.94. If a small group is worth roughly a dollar to you, this and the Sky Discovery flight cost about the same and make an interesting direct comparison.
| Operator | Shared cap | From price |
|---|---|---|
| Palmsballooning (this tour) | 16 | $115.77 |
| MarrakeshBallooning | Not stated | $65.47 |
| Ciel d'Afrique | 16 or 19 | $178.03 |
| Sky Discovery Balloons | 100 | $116.94 |
Sources: Viator listing 425344P2
The villages under the flight path see balloons most clear mornings of the year.
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing's own itinerary describes the morning in four broad phases. No clock times are published on this listing, and the total duration is 4 hours.
Hotel pickup and the drive out
Your morning starts with pickup from your hotel and a transfer by car to the launch site. The listing does not name the pickup hour or the transfer length. Because Morocco returned to permanent GMT on 20 September 2026, any pickup time a friend or an older blog quotes you may now be an hour off, so trust the operator's reconfirmation rather than old reviews.
If your hotel is a riad inside the Medina, ask at booking where the car can actually reach.
Inflation with unlimited tea or coffee
At the launch site the crew unrolls and inflates the balloon while you watch, with unlimited tea and/or coffee served throughout. This is the longest waiting phase of the morning and the coldest, since you are standing in an open field before the sun is properly up. This phase is where the small group cap of 16 shows: fewer people crowding the basket, the crew and the coffee urns than on the big shared departures.
Safety briefing and take-off
After a safety briefing you climb aboard. The listing's own words are to hold on tight as you take off and float high in the sky while taking in the sights. What you see is fixed by the flight area: the Palmeraie palm grove, Berber houses with clay roofs, and the golden desert at sunrise.
A fixed flight length is not stated, so treat the airborne time as a variable set by the wind that morning, which is true of every operator on the Marrakech balloon comparison.
Landing, breakfast and the ride back
After the flight there is breakfast, served with coffee and/or tea, and each traveller receives a flight certificate. Bottled water is included through the morning. Then the vehicle takes the group back to the hotel, closing out the 4-hour total.
The listing does not state a return time or where breakfast is served, so if the setting matters to you, ask the operator before booking.
The Flight on Film
A short film of a shared flight over the plain north of Marrakech. Third-party video embedded from YouTube. We did not film it.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states three health exclusions and two hard physical limits. Each one is a booking decision, and each has an alternative elsewhere on the site.
Weight limit of 110 kg
Maximum weight per person is 110 kg, stated under the listing's additional info. This sits between MarrakeshBallooning's lower 100 kg cap and AtlasMontgolfière's higher 140 kg cap, so if you are between 100 and 110 kg you are welcome here but not on the MarrakeshBallooning flight, and above 110 kg your option among the listings compared is the AtlasMontgolfière sunrise flight at 140 kg.
Not recommended for spinal injuries
Travellers with spinal injuries are advised against this flight. The concern is landing impact, which is common to every balloon listing. If a back condition is your reason for hesitating, read the safety page on whether a hot air balloon in Marrakech is safe before deciding anything.
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
Pregnant travellers are advised against this flight. This is the single most consistent exclusion in Marrakech, appearing on every GetYourGuide and Viator balloon listing checked, so there is no alternative operator to swap to. The practical answer is to postpone the flight, not to change operator.
Not recommended for poor cardiovascular health
Travellers with poor cardiovascular health are advised against this flight. Beyond these three stated exclusions, the listing rates the activity as easy and suitable for all physical fitness levels, and no minimum fitness demand is published. Wheelchair accessibility is not stated for this listing, so if access matters, ask the operator directly or consider the Sky Discovery Balloons listing, which is the only one of the Viator products checked that states all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible.
Minimum age of 3
The child age band starts at 3 years old, and at least one adult is required per booking. That is a lower minimum than the BallOOning Marrakech flight, which excludes children under 4, and a higher one than operators whose own FAQs imply younger children may fly. For a family weighing the options, the family trade-offs are set out on the private balloon flight guide.
What to Settle Before You Book
Four things are worth pinning down before you pay. None of them is a reason to avoid this listing, but all four are gaps in what the operator publishes.
Cancellation and weather terms
Cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure for a full refund. Inside 24 hours the booking is 0% refundable. The listing is flagged as cancellable in bad weather, so the operator can cancel on the morning, and the standard refund terms then apply.
Every balloon flight depends on wind, so book your first available morning in Marrakech and keep a second morning free as a buffer.
The pickup time and the clock change
No pickup clock time is stated on the listing, only that pickup is from your hotel or that you can meet at the departure point. Morocco set its clocks back one hour to permanent GMT at 2:00 a.m. on 20 September 2026, so the same moment behind any pickup time quoted in an older review or blog post now reads an hour earlier on the local clock. Confirm your pickup time with the operator after booking, and treat anything you read elsewhere with care.
The month-by-month sunrise table on the best time to fly guide shows how the local sunrise hour shifts through the year.
The riad pickup point
The listing offers hotel pickup but does not say what happens if your riad sits inside the Medina on a street too narrow for a car. Other operators publish a nearest-accessible-point policy. Ask this operator in writing where the pickup happens for your exact address before the booking is final, because a wrong assumption costs you the flight, not the fare, inside 24 hours.
Weight, flight length and what to wear
The 110 kg weight limit is published, but the flight length is not, so ask how long the airborne portion usually lasts and get the answer in writing. On clothing, Marrakech dawns are cold even in months with warm days: average January lows sit at 5.9°C and December lows at 7.4°C, while you stand in an open field before sunrise. Layers you can peel, closed shoes and a hat are the sensible kit, and the full packing list is on the what to wear guide.
Hour by Hour on the Day
The operator publishes the sequence but no clock times, so the steps below carry the stated durations where they exist and leave the times blank. The total outing is 4 hours.
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Hotel pickup
A vehicle collects you from your hotel for the round trip transfer. No pickup hour is stated on the listing, so confirm it with the operator after booking, particularly after the 20 September 2026 clock change.
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Transfer to the launch site
A drive by car from your hotel out to the launch site in the palm grove. The listing does not state the transfer length.
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Balloon inflation with tea and coffee
Watch the balloon inflate while unlimited tea and/or coffee is served. This is the coldest stretch of the morning, so keep a layer on.
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Safety briefing
The crew runs a safety briefing before boarding. No duration is stated.
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Take-off and the flight
Climb aboard and take off over the Palmeraie, floating above the palm grove, Berber houses with clay roofs and the desert at sunrise. No fixed flight length is stated.
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Landing and breakfast
After the flight, breakfast is served with coffee and/or tea, and bottled water is included through the morning. Each traveller receives a flight certificate.
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Return to your hotel
The vehicle transfers the group back to the hotel, ending the 4-hour outing.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of this listing against the rest of the Marrakech market, using only what the operator publishes and what it does not.
What we genuinely like
- The shared basket is capped at 16 travellers, the smallest stated shared group among the listings compared on this site
- Unlimited tea and coffee while the balloon inflates, which not every listing offers in unlimited form
- Hotel pickup and return are included, plus breakfast, bottled water and a flight certificate
- The rating sits at 4.89 from 628 reviews, strong for a listing of this size
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, the same standard terms as every rival listing
- Minimum age of 3, lower than several competitors that exclude children under 4
The honest downsides
- At $115.77 it costs about $50 more than the cheapest genuine shared flights, which start around $65
- The Sky Discovery Balloons flight costs only $1.17 more at $116.94, so the small-group premium over that listing is close to nothing, though that one pools up to 100 travellers
- No pickup or take-off clock times are published anywhere on the listing
- No fixed flight length is stated, so the airborne time is unknown before you book
- No guaranteed-sunrise product tier exists, unlike three rival listings that sell one by name
- The 110 kg weight limit excludes heavier travellers, and the health exclusions rule out three groups outright
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers over 110 kg, pregnant travellers, anyone with a spinal injury or poor cardiovascular health, or anyone who needs a published clock-time schedule and a guaranteed sunrise written into the product they buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Palms Ballooning small group balloon flight cost?
The standard shared flight is priced at $115.77 per person, and it is the only priced option on this listing. Gratuities are the only stated exclusion. For how that figure sits against every tier in the city, see the Marrakech balloon price guide.
How many people fly in the balloon?
The shared flight is capped at 16 travellers, the smallest stated shared group among the Marrakech listings, with up to 12 travellers per single booking. By contrast the Sky Discovery Balloons flight allows up to 100 travellers on a shared departure.
What time is the pickup?
The listing states no clock times, only hotel pickup or meeting at the departure point. Because Morocco moved to permanent GMT on 20 September 2026, any time quoted in older reviews is an hour off on the local clock, so confirm the hour with the operator. The sunrise table on the best time to fly guide shows when the sun comes up month by month. More on compare the other Marrakech balloon flights.
Is there a weight limit?
Yes, maximum weight per person is 110 kg. That sits between MarrakeshBallooning's 100 kg limit and AtlasMontgolfière's 140 kg limit, so heavier travellers should compare operators on the Marrakech balloon comparison rather than assume a single site-wide rule. More on the full Marrakech balloon comparison.
What happens if the weather cancels the flight?
The listing carries Viator's standard bad-weather cancellation flag, so the operator can cancel on the morning and the standard refund terms apply. Book your first free morning and keep a second as a buffer, as every balloon flight depends on wind. More on how operators handle this is on the safety page for Marrakech balloon flights. More on the Marrakech balloon price guide.
What should I wear for a dawn flight in the palm grove?
Warm layers you can peel, closed shoes and a hat. You stand in an open field before sunrise, and Marrakech average lows run from 5.9°C in January to 7.4°C in December even when the day warms up later. The full packing list is on the what to wear guide. More on when to fly in Marrakech.
Is the Palms Ballooning flight suitable for children?
The child age band starts at 3 years old, and at least one adult is required per booking. That is a lower minimum than the BallOOning Marrakech flight, which excludes children under 4. The activity is rated easy and suitable for all fitness levels, though the three health exclusions still apply to every traveller. More on what to wear on the flight.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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