Sharqiya Sands Hot Air Balloon Flight: 50-min Desert Views

The silence of the desert sounds different from high above.

A hot air balloon flight over Sharqiya Sands near Muscat takes you 50 minutes above the dunes with an experienced Royal Balloon pilot and up to 15 other passengers. The flight includes hotel pickup, bottled water, snacks, and coffee or tea afterward. You receive a commemorative medal when you land. Children from age 5 are welcome.

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. You'll arrive at the launch site in Sharqiya Sands while the crew prepares the balloon. A process that takes time, so arrive ready to watch and wait. Once aloft, the 50-minute flight carries you over the colored sand dunes and open desert. From that height, the landscape shifts from rust to gold to pale cream depending on the light and the angle of the dunes. The silence up there is the thing most people mention afterward: no engine noise, just wind and the occasional burner flame.

Royal Balloon's pilots are internationally certified and fly this route regularly, so the flight itself is steady and unhurried. The balloon rises and drifts with the wind rather than following a fixed path, which means no two flights see exactly the same stretch of sand. You'll have time to photograph, to look, to listen. The basket holds a maximum of 16 passengers, so it stays intimate despite the group size.

After landing, the crew serves coffee or tea and snacks while you're still catching your breath. You'll receive a commemorative medal before heading back to your hotel. The whole outing (pickup, flight, landing ceremony and return) takes about two hours from start to finish.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• 50-minute hot air balloon flight over Sharqiya Sands with an experienced Royal Balloon pilot.
• bottled water and snacks during the flight.
• coffee or tea after landing.
• commemorative medal souvenir.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 85 years) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 28

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 11 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Royal Balloon - Oman

Is this one for you?Small groups and families with children from age 5 will find the intimate basket size and the quiet flight itself suited to a morning or early-afternoon outing that doesn't demand a full day's commitment. The fixed 50-minute flight and included transport mean you're not arranging logistics or timing around other activities.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (5 to 10 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the actual time spent in the air?

The flight itself lasts 50 minutes. The full experience from hotel pickup to drop-off is about two hours, which includes time for the balloon to be prepared and the landing ceremony with refreshments.

What's included in the hot air balloon flight?

The flight includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, snacks, and coffee or tea after landing. You also receive a commemorative medal as a souvenir.

How many people fly together in the balloon?

The balloon holds a maximum of 16 passengers per flight, so the group stays small and the basket never feels crowded.

What is Sharqiya Sands and why fly over it?

Sharqiya Sands is a desert landscape near Muscat known for its dunes in different colors and the quiet of open sand. From a balloon, you see the scale and the color shifts across the dunes in a way that's impossible from the ground.