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    Northern Light Balloon Expeditions

    4.3 (87 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Reviews With Photos - Northern Light Balloon Expeditions

    Predawn pickup
    David D.

    I get a thrill when my vacation includes a trip in the air, be it in a hot air balloon or a helicopter. This time it was the third hot air balloon ride of my life. I had no problem getting up about an hour before dawn to prepare for the ride, as my excitement kept me sleeping with one eye open all night. We met our pilot, Doug, and our ground crew, Brandon, in the Bashas' parking lot in West Sedona. They drove us six passengers in a van to the launch site just past the west end of town. As the sun rose we watched six balloons prepare to fly. The field was covered with envelopes being heated with blasts of propane, as some of us helped the ground crew and some of us snapped pictures. Just after sunrise we were in our basket and rising gracefully off the ground. We drifted over the chaparral high enough to see all of Long Canyon, descended into a canyon I never knew about, and made our way over to Forest Road 525. Along the way I saw many new features in the land below us. Doug helped us keep our orientation, while he gauged the winds and executed a perfectly smooth landing on the road. After packing the balloon we proceeded in the van to the Loy Canyon Trailhead for the rendezvous of all the balloon crews and passengers for the traditional champagne breakfast and certificate awards. I had forgotten about this aspect of balloon rides, and it was a heart-warming treat. Yes air rides are special, balloon rides even more so. I look forward to doing this again some day.

    Sunrise take off
    Lesa T.

    Started off being picked up at front door of hotel at 5:30 a.m. by pilot, Ron. Along the way he gave good history and recommendations of area as we drive to balloon starting point. We picked up other passengers and crew chief, Chris. Arrived at starting point and what an amazing sight to take in the beauty of Sedona but the five balloons getting prepared to go up into the sky. Climbing into the basket was the most challenging part for a short girl but easy enough. The actual trip of hour and half was a wonderful experience. You couldn't even feel anything in the air. So peaceful! Afterward with entire group an Irish toast with champagne and yummy fritters served with real glasses and plates!! Pictures taken by staff and very attentive.

    Stephanie V.

    What a breathtaking experience! If you haven't made your reservations, what are you waiting for?! Our pilot Jeff picked us up from our hotel and gave us the experience of a lifetime. The whole Northern Light team is a crowd you will not forget and by the end, you will be toasting over champagne while feeling as if you are a part of something bigger. Who doesn't want to float over the world in a huge basket?

    Nicole M.

    Highly recommend this company to anyone visiting Sedona. Blair and Jeff were outstanding pilots. Our group included adults and one child, and they patiently fielded questions from all of us, and paid attention to what interested us most. (When the child in our group mentioned her love of animals, the pilots made sure they showed her every animal they could find and gave her background on them.) The ride was very smooth and included a graceful descent over Doe Mountain. Relaxing, inspiring, and ended with mimosas and a light breakfast.

    Over Sedona
    Hannah P.

    Spectacular! It's definitely a must do in Sedona, and you won't regret it. It is a bit early in the morning as we are in the air when the sun rises, they only do one ride per day in the morning. You get picked up in a van around 6:45 am and you'll be done at the latest 10:45. Our captain's name was Daniel, he was very friendly, was filled with lots of tidbits of information, and was just so calm in the flight that it put everyone at ease. Oh, and you can't drive yourself to the location, you either need to be staying at the few hotels they pick up from, or need to be at one of the hotels to be picked up at in the mornings. After the flight, they drive you back. One thing Northern Lights guarantees is that you will have at least one hour of time in the air. They even keep track of the time to be sure that you get your hour. Due to finding a place to land and other things we were in the air a total of 1:50, nearly double the time we expected to be in the air, so it was very nice. It was very surprising how calm the flight was, the takeoff and landing was so smooth that you wouldn't even know you were in the air until you looked down. It was daunting getting up so early in the morning, but it was beautiful to take off in the air at dawn and to view the sun peeking through the beautiful rocks of Sedona. Daniel was knowledgeable, gave us lots of interesting facts of Sedona and was happy to answer any questions we had. We also got to see some deer, coyote, and javelina from the balloon. At the end we got mimosas, a yummy donut, strawberries, and a certificate. It was very fun and an enjoyable experience. Don't forget to tip your captain! It was nice to be able to tip through credit card when you paid at the end. We debated what to tip, and even looked on yelp, but we decided on $60 or about $30 a person. This is about 15% so we felt this was fair. Take lots of pictures, and have fun!

    Megan K.

    Ballooning over Sedona is such an incredible and unique experience, and a great way to see the area. The nature of ballooning is such that the only direction they have control of is vertical, so they don't fly directly over peaks that would be difficult to land in, but they fly close enough that you get great views and can see great distances. We were thoroughly impressed by Northern Lights. They led an extremely efficient, safe and comfortable operation, with a friendly and trustworthy crew. Our Saturday flight had been cancelled due to weather, but they were very accommodating, and were able to re-book us for Sunday, when they flew five balloons at once. The van picked us and our flight companions up at our hotel shortly before dawn with balloon and basket in tow. All the flights for the day gathered at an open field in the Coconino National Forest, and immediately began to inflate the balloons. Within a half hour, we were instructed to jump in the basket, and before we knew it, and with little more instruction than "grab something to hold on to," we were soaring several hundred feet in the air. We had over an hour of flight time, soaring above fields and hills, with great sunrise views of the peaks beyond. Not having encountered any (non-domestic) animals during our three days of hiking, we enjoyed seeing several jackrabbits, deer, and a javelina from above. We appreciated flying at the same time as other balloons, since we could get great pictures of them, giving our hundreds of snapshots a sense of perspective. One reason we chose Northern Lights is that they have smaller baskets, so we had an intimate experience with one pilot and a total of seven passengers. A ridiculously smooth landing was followed by a congregation of all the flights for a champagne toast and a brief breakfast of strawberries and cream and pastries served by the crew.

    Donna M.

    A glorious Sunrise (optimal wind conditions) experience over Sedona Bird's-eye view / Calm / Smooth / Peaceful / Drifting quietly over the Desert Followed by a Champagne toast / strawberries & cream / fresh-baked pastries / What's not to?

    Corey I.

    This balloon ride was such an amazing experience; a great way to see Sedona! The flight was unexpectedly smooth and the view of all of the rocks and the sun coming over them was beautiful. We even saw some wildlife when we were relatively low - a quail, rabbits and a group of javelina. I'm so glad that we found this balloon company. The experience was unforgettable! And logistically - wonderfully executed. We were picked up promptly from our hotel, the balloon was set up quickly and we were up and away! Once we landed, our pilot (Doug) and crew chief (Matt) were very quick in packing up the balloon and basket and we were served breakfast with mimosas (you can't lose with mimosas). Amazing experience that's worth the cost! This is a must do.

    Trish M.

    First off, if you call and get the woman that makes you feel like you are putting her out, please don't let that first impression sway you from using them. I almost went to the competition because of her but realized she isn't doing the tour itself and I had been referred to them by a friend who had a good experience so I stuck with them. I'm sure the competitors are great and their phone person was wonderful, but we had Dan and Roger and they did it right. Dan really gave a wealth of information and Roger was so cordial and friendly we really felt comfortable with them and relaxed into and enjoyed the trip. The best reference you can give is whether you would use a company again, and I would in a skinny minute, in spite of my first impression. Enjoy!

    Johnny V.

    Our first air balloon ride. Doug(pilot) and Tom(crew and chase) arrived on time from our hotel. We piled into the truck and arrived on site. Upon arriving we found 5 other balloons getting ready. The whole time the crew were happy to explain the process. We got in the air and had a great time. We saw Sedona In a way you only see in pictures. After an amazing ride we landed and had donuts and champagne! For pictures of our expedition visit https://forestroad152a.wordpress.com

    Daniela A.

    First time in Sedona and also doing the balloon ride. If you haven't done this you should add it to your list. The experience was amazing, beautiful views, and all the crew members were nice, professional and fun. We got mimosas and certificates afterwards! Very happy with this Birthday present I got from my husband, he couldn't have made a better choice :)

    Lynette A.

    Second time in Sedona, first time balloon ride, we had an excellent time! The views are amazing and our pilot Daniel was fun , nice, very safety focused and knew a lot of history about the city and beyond that was great to hear about during our very smooth ride . I was a lil nervous at first , but take off and landing were great and in between you were floating like a feather.

    Ballooning over Red Rock

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    Jeff was an awesome pilot! The red rock views were spectacular! It was an unforgettable experience!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Northern Light Balloon Expeditions

    Review Highlights - Northern Light Balloon Expeditions

    Our pilot, Blair, was amazing and made our experience more enjoyable because of his knowledge about the area.

    Mentioned in 40 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Red Rock Balloon Adventures

    Red Rock Balloon Adventures

    4.8
    (301 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    An absolute bucket list experience and one we will never forget. From start to finish, the entire…read moreteam at Red Rock Balloons was incredible. You can tell how hard the flight crew works behind the scenes to make everything safe, seamless, and special, and their passion truly shows. Mark, our pilot and owner, was stellar; knowledgeable, calm, funny, and clearly someone who loves what he does. Floating over Sedona at sunrise was beyond words and honestly one of the most breathtaking experiences we've ever had. If you're visiting Sedona and considering a balloon ride, do it. Completely worth the early wake-up and every penny.

    100% recommend doing this amazing hot air balloon ride with this company! Everything went super…read moreorganized and professional and on time. Booking was super easy. You also could sign your waiver online. Check-in was easy and our flight was super smooth and amazing! Our pilot explained everything and we were prepared for landing and just told us what to expect and it was a smooth ride. I had such an amazing time and I totally was worth every penny. I can't wait to do this again and my next trip here! The ride from their office to the launchpad was about a 10 minute ride. I think we were in the air for about an hour and a half and then once we landed, they took us to a spot where we could have some champagne and relax, and then they took us back. The whole experience was four hours long. Book them!

    Photos
    Red Rock Balloon Adventures
    Red Rock Balloon Adventures
    Red Rock Balloon Adventures

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    Barlow Jeep Rentals

    Barlow Jeep Rentals

    4.6
    (157 reviews)
    2.8 mi

    We booked two ATVs that each fit two people. The staff were very flexible with timing and allowed…read moreus to push our reservation back by about 30 minutes, which we really appreciated. When you arrive, you sign a waiver and watch a safety video that goes over the basics before heading out. They provide helmets in a variety of sizes as well as goggles. Unfortunately, the goggles I received had a broken cushion. I didn't notice until we had already started the ride. I was able to push them up and keep them in place, but they should probably check through their equipment and replace items that are broken or worn out. There are two main routes you can take and have plenty enough time to do both: * Outlaw Jeep Trail: this trail is mostly flat and takes you out to the Honanki Ruins. There's a $5 fee to park your ATV there if you want to walk over to see the ruins. It's about a 10-minute walk round trip and a nice quick stop. There are also restrooms there, which is convenient. * Diamondback Gulch: this trail is much steeper and more adventurous with sections that go straight down and straight up. It's definitely the more thrilling of the two. They provide a map and a sheet with step-by-step directions so you know where to turn and stay on the correct path. They also have their phone number posted on the front of the ATV in case you need to call for help. Some feedback: 1. Replace or remove broken equipment. 2. It would be helpful to list suggested speeds for both courses. One driver was going around 30 mph, which felt a bit fast for the flat trail, but I wasn't sure if that was considered safe or normal. 3. Clearer instructions on the trail loops would help. We weren't totally sure if we completed the loop, and we noticed people entering the Diamondback trail from two different spots. Overall, the staff were very friendly, the ATVs were great, and the whole process was smooth and easy. It was a really fun experience. Four hours was a little long for me as a passenger, but I still enjoyed the adventure.

    We did a three hour devils bridge jeep rental yesterday and it was awesome! The people who help you…read moreare incredibly helpful and made us feel so safe before we headed out on the trail. At the end of the trail, near the old Sedona cabin, we found the perfect place to have a picnic and really soak in the surroundings. We had the absolute best day.

    Photos
    Barlow Jeep Rentals
    Barlow Jeep Rentals
    Barlow Jeep Rentals

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    Sedona Air Tours

    Sedona Air Tours

    3.7
    (95 reviews)
    18.1 mi

    We took the Hog Wild flight and it was totally amazing and spectacular. Pilot Nick was a great…read moreguide and took us to several spots of interest. Some of the ancient cave dwelling areas are only accessible by a grueling hike, but we saw them all. The 45 minute trip if well worth the time and worth the added expense over the shorter trips. On our first flight, we developed a warning light and had to land in Sedona after about half the trip. They got us back to Cottonwood and rescheduled us for the next day. The team couldn't have been more accommodating. On the second try everything was great and they went all out to ensure that we had a great experience. Super customer service and consideration for clients. We will definitely recommend and definitely do this again when we are in the area. The Sedona area is beautiful from the ground and fabulous from the air. Just do it!

    Wow, that was fun! Bucket list item no. 84 is for me to fly in a helicopter and I checked that box…read morewith Sedona Air Tours. Not only was the flight and adventure, but the pilot kept a continuous monologue of what we were seeing. So I walked off the chopper knowing more about Sedona's geology, native culture, Ponderosa Pines, how the elk come down the mountainside the snow piles up, and more. I wasn't expecting to see ruins of ancient cliff dwellings, but and was pleased when the pilot pulled along side - that was really cool. The entire experience was safe, well lead and informative. DO IT!

    Photos
    Sedona Air Tours
    My hubby and I landing from our adventures!
    My hubby and I landing from our adventures!
    Our pilot, Eric

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    Our pilot, Eric

    Northern Light Balloon Expeditions - hot_air_balloons - Updated July 2026

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