No Worse Than Cappadocia: Where to Fly in a Hot Air Balloon in Russia
YasyaCappadocia managed to make hot air balloons its 'trademark'. People come here specifically for beautiful photos with them in the background, and the rest of the landscape, ancient cave churches, have become more of an addition to the main attraction. But it turns out you don't necessarily have to fly to Turkey for such a show: hot air balloons are 'right here at home'! We found several places in Russia where you can also fly in a hot air balloon, and the views around will be no worse than in Cappadocia.
Yaroslavl Region
Lake Pleshcheyevo, where surfers and kiters ride, the quiet Trubezh River, 5 monasteries, 40 churches, 12th-century earthen ramparts – all this is part of the flight program in Pereslavl. And all you need to do is drive 120 km ! Thematic festivals are also held here – "Golden Ring of Russia" on July 16-20, 2025, and "Golden Autumn" in Suzdal on September 5-7.
Who flies: Yaroslavl Region Ballooning Federation
Cost: from 9,000 ₽ per person
Caucasian Mineral Waters
In Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, and Yessentuki, you can fly year-round. The route in Kislovodsk includes a descent into a gorge about 200 meters deep, and from above Zheleznovodsk, you'll see a panorama of Yessentuki, Lermontov, Zheleznovodsk, and Inozemtsevo.
Tip: the best view of Elbrus is here.
Who flies: Aerostat.club, Stavropol Krai Ballooning Federation, "Aeronaut" Ballooning Club, "Balet. Life as a Flight"
Cost: from 12,000 ₽ per person
Ryazan Region
Every year, the "Sky of Russia" ballooning festival takes place here, featuring competitions (with a whole Russian Cup awarded!), and daytime entertainment – concerts, master classes, a fair, food courts. In 2025, the event will run from August 3 to 11, with pilots participating in the so-called Air Games on the 8th, 9th, and 10th. One evening will be dedicated to the most spectacular part of the festival – the glow. After August 12, anyone interested will be able to fly in hot air balloons.
Who flies: Ryazan Region Ballooning Sports Federation
Cost: from 10,000 ₽ per person
Altai Krai
Not everyone gets to see the foothills of Altai from above. But if you go to Barnaul and take to the air in a balloon, anything is possible. Free and tethered flights are available here year-round.
Who flies: "Vzletay Altai" Ballooning Club
Cost: from 12,000 ₽ per person
Pskov Region
From June 12 to 15, the International Balloon Meeting will take place in Velikiye Luki, and the Russian Championship will once again be held here. Balloons take off from the Velikiye Luki fortress. It looks especially beautiful when the baskets fly low over the water surface of the Lovat River.
Who flies: participants of the International Balloon Meeting
Novosibirsk Region
To soar over the Ob River and look down at the surrounding forests and the city below – for this, you first need to buy Moscow – Novosibirsk tickets. And then it's a matter of technique: book a flight on Kupi.com, dress appropriately, and hope the weather doesn't let you down.
Who flies: "Siberia" Ballooning Club
Cost: from 14,000 ₽ per person
Krasnodar Krai
From a hot air balloon basket, the foothills of Adygea, the gorge of the Malaya Laba River, and the mountains of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve are clearly visible if you start from the villages of Psebay or Mostovskoy. There are other takeoff locations, for example, the stanitsas Dinskaya or Novotitarovskaya.
Flying in Sochi is the most challenging: the proximity of the sea with its unstable weather and winds plays a role. But the views over Krasnaya Polyana are a fairy tale! In Sochi, there are three places for hot air balloon flights – Gorki Gorod, Solokhaul Park, and Olympic Park in Adler. These are so-called tethered flights. Free flights usually start from Lazarevskoye.
Who flies: SkyKrasnodar, "Aerokuban", "Dzk Krasnodar" Aeroclub, "Nasharu"
Cost: from 6,000 ₽ per person
Leningrad Region
Flights directly over St. Petersburg are prohibited, but in the region, there are no problems. Over Pushkin and Krasnoye Selo – it's common, over Vyborg, Shlisselburg and Lake Ladoga, the Gulf of Finland, Volkhov, Staraya Ladoga or Syasstroy – by special request. Of course, late May and early June are the best times for a flight thanks to the white nights. However, if you prefer sunrises and waking up at 4 AM is fine for you, then choose early morning balloon rides.
Who flies: "Balloon Flights", Flight Dream
Cost: from 12,000 ₽ per person
Moscow Region
Here you can fly in the Dmitrovsky and Istrinsky districts. From the balloon basket, you'll see golden-domed cathedrals, the white walls of the New Jerusalem Monastery, river bends, green fields, and the reflection of the sky in the Istra Reservoir.
Who flies: Touch the sky, "Flight Territory", "Aerowaltz" Aviation Training Center, "Aerollama" Club
Cost: from 9,000 ₽ per person
Primorsky Krai
If you've bought flight tickets to Vladivostok, you can continue your flight in a hot air balloon. The launch will be in neighboring Ussuriysk, though. But you'll get a more detailed view of the city. However, if you're lucky with the weather, you can also fly over Vladivostok. It costs more, and you'll spend more time in the air, but you'll take off from Russky Island and land on the other side of Ussuriysky Bay – in Shtykovo or Bolshoy Kamen.
Who flies: "Our Sky" Ballooning Club, Ussuriysk Ballooning Club
Cost: from 10,000 ₽ per person
What You Need to Know
Hot air balloons fly either at dawn or just before sunset. Specific weather conditions are required for flights: no precipitation, wind less than 3 m/s, good visibility for more than 200 meters. Ideally, it should be calm. A flight usually lasts about an hour, but you need to add time for travel, preparation, landing, and the return journey to your morning or evening plans. The route is almost always a matter of chance. A balloon flies where the wind blows, so the starting and finishing points do not coincide.
What to wear for a flight: comfortable clothes and flat-soled shoes. Balloons usually take off from a field, and walking on heels through grass is not the most pleasant prospect. Air temperature changes by 6 degrees per kilometer, but you are unlikely to ascend high enough to feel such changes.
