Bedazzled with a hot air balloon ride

Kandalama-Dambulla, one of the most beautiful areas to fly over in the world

By Nizla Naizer

Sigiriya looks fabulous from the ground, but imagine what it must be like to see it from the air, just after dawn, the rising sun bathing the plains of the dry zone in gold and reflecting off the numerous ponds of the ancient rock fortress.
That is exactly what Adventure Asia offers with their Hot Air Balloon air safari over Kandalama-Dambulla. The Bottom Line caught up with Adventure Asia Director, Peter Stewart, an Australian national, he has been in the serious business of adventure for the last 21 years. According to Stewart, his international pilots with experience flying hot air balloons in over 16 destinations across the globe consider the Kandalama-Dambulla region of Sri Lanka among the top five destinations in the world.
“There is nothing like it, so much of culture with so much of nature,” he said. “We take off at around 6.30 am in the morning from a clearing near the Kandalama Lake and we fly above many of the ruins, rock plateaus, lakes, grasslands and trees. The villagers are waking up to a new day at that time so we see them staring up at us curiously while brushing their teeth or we find children on their bicycles following us on their way to school. There is plenty of wildlife too with monkeys and birds alert at that time. It’s an enchanting ride.”
Up and away
Stewart introduced hot air balloon rides to Sri Lanka in 2003, but he said due to the conflict in the North the demand for ballooning was not as high as he anticipated. “Naturally, people were worried about getting into a flying balloon when the terrorists were still waging their war. And 2008 was the worst year. With crazy fears of the balloon possibly being shot down we were able to only carry out only a couple of flights.”
However, the tides have now changed, he said. The Hot Air Balloon season in the dry zone of Sri Lanka starts in November, and Stewart said that within a week of marketing their flights they had received several bookings for rides. The balloon itself is majestic and colourful, soaring 40 metres high and 30 meters across, Stewart described it akin to a 12 storey building. Manufactured by Kavanagh Balloons, the only hot air balloon manufacturer in Australia, the giant balloon of 350,000 cubic feet lifts a basket fitted for 16 people, padded comfortably and separated into four cozy compartments. A fully trained pilot manoeuvres the balloon and Stewart explained that he ensures that the entire ride is filled with different experiences. He can take you as close as you want to go over the surface of a lake, through the trees or soaring above a rock temple.
Safety assured
So how safe is a hot air balloon ride? Stewart explained that in their years here, they had successfully carried 3000 passengers with no incidents. “Hot air ballooning is very safe,” he explained, “But that is a challenge we face when we market it to the local population.” He pointed out that while a foreign tourist would be adventure seeking and ready to jump into the balloon and go for a ride with no questions asked, the locals were more cautious and conservative. Having said that, he said that in the last few years close to half their passengers were local Sri Lankans. “And that is what we like to see. We even keep the prices lower than what we charge foreign tourists because we want more Sri Lankans to enjoy the beauty of their country,” he added.
The rides are priced at USD 230 for a foreigner and Rs. 17,000 for a local. The season which begins in November goes on till end April, and Stewart informed that a ride is booked once there are a minimum of eight passengers confirmed. Stewart explained that November is ideal because of the better wind and weather conditions. It is also the beginning of the winter season for tourists. He added that April was also popular among the locals because of the long New Year holidays after which they wrap up the season. “It all depends on the North Eastern winds,” he explained. “These winds are very strong and we do not fly the balloon during those conditions,” he explained.
He explained that depending on the number of bookings they can have a couple of flights in the morning starting at around 6.30 am from the Kandalama Lake. “The dining area of the Heritance Kandalama overlooks the lake so we usually have an audience of close to hundred cheering us on,” he explained, “And then the pilot takes you an a fantastic roller coaster ride.”
Landing with a bump
After flying with the wind over the countryside at an altitude of 2000-3000 feet the pilot guides the balloon to a clearing. Stewart explained that the landing was considered the most apprehensive part to passengers but there was nothing to worry. When it was time to land the pilot would pull one of his rope controls and cause the fabric or the crown of the balloon to contract, creating a dip or hole in the balloon which leads to hot air gradually seeping out of the balloon causing gradual descent. With minimum wind conditions the pilot can gently settle the basket on the ground. “It’s as gentle as sitting on your office chair,” he explained. But if there was wind, Stewart said that the accepted method of landing the balloon is to use the friction between basket and ground as the balloon touches the ground and is dragged away to come to a stop. “The weight of the basket is then used to stop. The passengers are briefed on the proper way to sit during the landing, there are ropes to hold on to in those seconds and the baskets are comfortably padded to ensure your comfort,” he said.
Apart from the hot air balloon rides, Stewart’s company offers a variety of adventure related activities for corporates and individuals not only in Sri Lanka but across South Asia. “We started our operations in Nepal in 1988,” he explained, “But with the Maoist insurgency we decided to diversify our footprint in Asia.” Although operations began during the ceasefire, things quickly deteriorated in Sri Lanka over the next five years, but Stewart is now confident that the country has turned around and adventure tourism will be here to stay.
So if there is an adventurer inside you who has always dreamed of going up on a colourful balloon, visit www.ad-asia.com for more information.