Skilled pilots
Pilots explain the flight, answer questions and are repeatedly praised for calm, professional handling.
Hot Air Balloon Dubai | Sindbad Gulf Balloons
Port Saeed
Sindbad Gulf Balloons is a Dubai hot air balloon ride tour agency offering dawn flights over the desert, with extras such as a camel ride and breakfast after landing. Reviews often highlight calm pilots, smooth take-offs and the chance to watch the balloon being prepared.
Reputation Score
4.4
★★★★☆
158 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Smooth flights
Many guests describe gentle lift-offs and landings, including families flying with children.
Desert views
Flights can reveal sunrise, dunes, camels, gazelles and landscapes that are difficult to see from the ground.
Early pickups
One downtown pickup arrived exactly on time at 4am, useful for a dawn departure.
Clear briefings
Tea or coffee and a safety briefing are provided before boarding, while the preparation process is visible.
Family friendly
A reviewer flew with two boys, while another took a seven-year-old who enjoyed the experience.
Extra activities
Some packages or tours include a camel ride, camp breakfast and activities such as dune bashing or quad biking.
Tips for a Better Visit
Dress warmly. Bring a jumper or proper warm clothing: several reviews say the early morning air gets cold.
Check weather. Ask about the forecast before booking if sunrise views matter; cloud and wind have affected flights.
Expect dawn. Plan for a very early start: one pickup was at 3:15am and another at 4:30am.
Clarify extras. Confirm whether your booking includes the camel ride, camp breakfast, dune bashing or other add-ons.
Confirm cancellation. Before paying, check availability and the refund process, especially if your holiday ends soon.
Follow briefing. Listen carefully to the landing instructions, since reviews note that wind can change how the basket comes down.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Office 615, Makateb Building - Al Maktoum Rd
Port Saeed - Deira, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Popular Mentions
Falcon
Some guests get to see or hold a falcon after the flight as part of the wider desert experience.
Traditional Breakfast
A traditional breakfast after landing is mentioned as part of the celebratory end to the flight.
Common Concerns
Landing risk
A few reviews report hard or frightening landings, including one account of injuries after repeated impacts.
Weather dependent
Cloud or wind can reduce the sunrise views, shorten the flight or affect the landing.
Refund complaints
One cancelled booking review describes difficulty obtaining a refund and late cancellation notice.
Basic breakfast
One guest found breakfast was only a couple of cold snacks eaten in the jeep on the way back.
Desert litter
A reviewer says plastic boxes and breakfast packaging were left in the desert after the tour.
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The Bottom Line
Sindbad Gulf Balloons centres on dawn hot air balloon flights over the Dubai desert. A typical morning can include watching the balloon inflate, a safety briefing, roughly an hour in the air, and views of dunes, camels and sunrise. Several bookings also mention a camel ride and breakfast after landing, while some packages add dune bashing, quad biking or falconry.
The strongest pattern in the reviews is careful, friendly organisation. Guests describe punctual hotel transfers, pilots who explain how ballooning works, and smooth, calm flights. Families have taken children, including a seven-year-old and two boys, and found the experience reassuring.
Tea, coffee or biscuits before take-off are useful touches during the very early start. This is weather-dependent rather than a guaranteed sunrise postcard: cloud can obscure the sky, and wind has shortened one flight and contributed to a hard landing in another. Most landing reports are smooth, but a small number describe serious bumps and injuries, so listen closely to the safety briefing and ask how weather cancellations are handled.
One review also found the post-flight breakfast disappointingly basic, while another reported packaging being left in the desert. Confirm exactly which extras are included and allow for pickups as early as 3:15am.