This Marrakesh sunrise experience is worth waking up for

I had a full schedule of activities planned for my trip before arriving in Marrakesh — from a visit to a local Berber village to a food tour through the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square. After a late arrival due to a flight cancellation, I found myself scrambling to rearrange tours once on the ground in Morocco. While the hot air balloon experience initially caught my eye, my husband’s fear of heights ultimately guided us toward other adventures.

Through a series of fortunate events, we ended up on a hot air balloon with dramatic sunset views and a panoramic view of the Atlas Mountains. This unplanned experience quickly became the most magical experience of our trip. If you’re planning to visit Morocco, here’s why this Marrakesh sunrise experience is worth waking up for.

How the experience begins

The hot air balloon experience starts with a pick-up at your hotel in Marrakesh, where you’ll drive about 45 minutes to where the balloons take off from. There are dozens of approved, certified hot air balloon providers in the area, but I chose Marrakesh Dream Ballooning based on the start and end time of the experience.

Some hot air balloon experiences start later in the morning, which may be attractive if you like a little extra sleep. However, I believe it’s worth waking up in the dark to time the experience perfectly so you can watch the sun come up from your balloon. The views are breathtaking regardless, but watching the sun come up over the mountains is a magical sight that’s almost tough to describe in words.

Once you arrive at the site, the staff welcomes you with Moroccan mint tea, coffee, and sweet bread. From here, you’ll wait as the staff prepares the hot air balloons for flying.

Tackling a fear of heights

Fear can hold you back from experiencing some of the best experiences of your life, but it’s important to remember that fear is a “mind over matter” concept. Even for my husband, who often finds even mild heights (like walking on the second floor of a mall) scary, the hot air balloon ride was smooth and relaxing. If this experience is on your bucket list but you’re still conquering a fear of heights, remember that these balloons are operated by licensed pilots. Each pilot has strict rules and regulations they must follow, including how high they’re allowed to fly.

Throughout the experience, our pilot explained each step of the process and what to expect. It was clear that safety was a top concern. I found that understanding the functions of the hot air balloon made the experience far less scary. From take off to landing, you’ll spend about one hour on the balloon. Unlike a flight on a plane, the balloon glides so smoothly through the air — you almost forget that you’re moving. Instead, I found myself focused on admiring the spectacular views and checking out the dozens of other hot air balloons in the sky.

Once you land, a 4×4 will pick you up to take you back to where you started from. From here, we were provided a traditional Moroccan breakfast inside a Moroccan caidal tent, which included a huge spread of pastries, fruit, and honey.

Tips for a Marrakesh sunrise experience

I strongly believe that knowledge and research can help you feel far more prepared for an experience like this Marrakesh sunrise experience. I recommend doing research, reading reviews, and finding a hot air balloon provider you feel comfortable with to help ease your fears before flying. This unexpected experience truly became a highlight of my visit to Morocco (and had me questioning where my next hot air balloon experience will be).