A Guide to Hot Air Balloon Rides in the City of Eternal Spring

TLDR: 1 hour and 15 minutes from Medellin you can find places to take a ride in a hot air balloon!  

Whether you’re traveling by yourself, with a partner, or with family, taking a ride in a hot air balloon is an amazing activity for any adventurous tourist! 

I know in some places taking a ride on a hot air balloon is like taking a train, but it’s not necessary to travel to Cappadocia to pursue this high-flying endeavor. 

All you need to do is visit the mountains of Antioquia, we’re seeing the green landscapes from above in a hot air balloon has become a main tourist attraction. 

If you’ve always dreamed of riding in a hot air balloon, it’s time to come to Medellín and make that dream come true! Read ahead to find out everything you need to know about balloon rides near the City of Eternal Spring. 

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Sopetran 

Located close to Santa Fe de Antioquia and Puente de Occidente in Antioquia, the town of Sopetran gets its fame for its history, Colonial architecture, and jewelry. The town is about 30 miles away from Medellín, or about an hour and fifteen minutes by car. 

Sopetran provides hot air balloon flights through a couple of different tourism agencies.  

If you’re interested in taking a trip, you can choose from two different forms of hot air balloon rides: 

• Captive Flight: During captive flights, the balloon reaches heights of around 200 feet, secured to the ground by safety ropes. 

• Free Flight: During free flights, the balloon isn’t anchored to the ground, but instead gets flown by a trained professional in charge of directing the balloon through wind currents. 

Trained pilots take maximum safety precautions while carrying out both types of flights in open spaces.

Generally, agencies offer flights of 15 to 30 minutes. Free flights can reach heights of up to 1,200 feet, where passengers can see the thick mountains and tropical jungles of Antioquia. 

The flights in Sopetran are made at dawn. So, you’ll be able to choose a time between 5:30 to 7:30 in the morning to enjoy your hot air balloon ride. Costs per person are usually around $452,200 COP or around $100 USD. 

Children ages five and up can partake in the experience, with up to three people in the basket per trip. If you want to celebrate a special occasion in the air of Sopetran, this is a wonderful option! 

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Tamesis 

The town of Tamesis in southwest Antioquia is recognized for its ecotourism and natural environment. There, hiking, rappelling, and other extreme sports are practiced thanks to the area’s water wealth. 

Visitors can also take a hot air balloon ride to appreciate the town’s natural attractions from above. 

Trips are run by Comfama, a family compensation fund in charge of different parks around Antioquia that provide different activities and wellness spaces. 

The hot air balloon flight in Tamesis consists of a ten-minute anchored flight ascending to heights of around 260 meters. Riders must be over four feet tall, and flights are carried out under strict schedules. Generally, they take place in the afternoon depending on weather conditions. 

Prices are very affordable, especially considering it includes an entire tour package. The trip is complete with a tour of the town, breakfast, lunch, hiking, and the balloon flight. 

For those not already affiliated with Comfama, the tour package costs around $282,000 COP. That’s around $65 USD per person, and can be done over one or two days (subject to change). 

My Experience in a Hot Air Balloon

While planning my trip to Santa Fe de Antioquia, I discovered a place near the colonial town that provides trips in hot air balloons, and I decided to book a ride of my own! 

After traveling an hour and a half to Santa Fe de Antioquia from Medellín in the early morning, I went straight to the site of the hot air balloon flights. 

Seeing the sunrise over the mountains of Antioquia is truly a unique and special opportunity. You’ll have to get up early to catch the sunrise between 6:00 and 8:00 in the morning. Still, the view is absolutely worth getting up early. 

Seeing light mist settle over the green mountains and hearing the birds singing at dawn as I rose into the sky left me in awe. 

The Best Hot Air Balloon Tour

I chose to fly with Premium Tours Medellín, an agency that offers different modes of flight, such as: 

• Captive: Elevation of the balloon in a vertical position with an anchor to the ground, ascending to 150 feet

• Free: Flight with air currents, without a defined route, up to 1,200 feet

• Shared flights: Operated on Sundays

• Exclusive flights: Operated only from Monday to Saturday

I took the shared flight in free mode with two other travelers looking for adventure just like me. The thirty-minute experience was very rewarding. I would absolutely do it again with family or to celebrate a special occasion. 

Premium Tours Medellín offers packages providing a pick-up at your current place of residence. Plus, they include breakfast, lunch, and a visit to the Puente de Occidente bridge. They also offer travel insurance, a must-have if you’re anything like me! 

Travel in a Hot Air Balloon in Medellin 

The city of Medellín and the surrounding areas truly have everything. That includes nightlife, artistic and cultural scenes, great hotels and restaurants, as well as amazing tours of the city and its outskirts. 

If you feel like your time to travel in a hot air balloon has come, do it in Medellín! You’re going to have a fantastic time if you choose this flight.

If you like this blog, you might like the Casacol Instagram page to keep up with all the new articles. Anything we need to update or correct? Care to contribute? Email us at blog@casacol.co