October 11-16, 2023
6 DAYS
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is unmatched anywhere else with the multitude of delightful shapes and sizes and the brilliant colors against the blue sky. With or without balloons in the sky, October is the ideal time to visit Northern New Mexico. You’ll delight in peaks and rivers on fire with golden aspen and cottonwood trees, warm Indian summer days under shock-blue skies and crisp, starry nights scented with pinon smoke.
Optional Add On: Our passengers will have the option of a HOT AIR BALLOON ride with Rainbow Ryders. Call our office for pricing and to make your reservations. This will sell out – and it is highly recommended! This is a sunrise flight, launching along with the Mass Ascension participants. What an experience!!
Highlights
- International Balloon Museum
- Fiesta Park – Albuquerque, NM
- Covered VIP area for seating, buffet & cash bar
- Morning Special Shapes Ascension
- Evening Glowdeo
- Flying Competitions
- Fireworks shows
- Tram Ride to Top of Sandia Peak with Lunch
- Free time for Old Town Albuquerque and other attractions
Pricing
TBD
Deposit: $100 pp (due at time of booking)
Travel Protection: Call for a quote
Final Payment due by August 25, 2023
Day 1
Depart Springfield, Missouri for Amarillo, Texas. Tonight we will enjoy a light get acquainted dinner at our hotel. (D)
Day 2
Today we head to Albuquerque and Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum. At the museum learn about the earliest ballooning and how it has progressed throughout history. Find out what types of weather it takes to fly these massive, colorful and complex balloons. Enjoy free time this evening by exploring Old Town Albuquerque. (B L)
Day 3
Rise early and head to Fiesta Park for the mass ascension of nearly 800 hot air balloons. The magnificent colors against the endless expanse of blue sky is totally awesome. After the launch, enjoy a tram ride to Sandia Peak, riding high above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain at a distance of 2.7 miles. Lunch is provided on the top of Sandia Peak. Return to our hotel for free time to rest or do a little shopping in Old Town. This evening it’s back to Fiesta Park for the Balloon Glowdeo. Walk among the balloons and talk with the operators. Learn how they inflate their balloons and what it takes to keep the balloons from leaving without the driver. Dinner will be in the Chasers Club VIP that offers a buffet, seating and rest rooms. A fireworks show concludes the evening. (B L D)
Day 4
Return once again to Fiesta Park to watch the hot air balloon Dawn Patrol, another Mass Ascension and a Flying Competition. After the last balloon has made its way across the horizon, it’s time to depart Albuquerque and begin our journey back home. Our lodging will be in Elk City, Oklahoma tonight where Sunnyland will treat you to a Farewell Dinner as a way of saying “Thank You” for traveling with us. (B D)
Day 5
Return to the Ozarks by late afternoon with fond memories of magnificent vistas, brightly colored balloons and a new appreciation for the complexities of hot air ballooning. (B)
Note regarding weather:
Albuquerque is a prime location for a balloon festival because of its dry conditions, location in the mountains and mild wind conditions. However, sometimes weather simply does not cooperate. Safety is of the utmost concern for the balloon operators and if weather conditions are not appropriate, some activities may be delayed or even canceled. Sunnyland schedules multiple days for the balloon fiesta to account for this contingency. We cannot guarantee the balloon activities and there will be no refunds should balloon activities be canceled due to weather conditions.