Semi-Private Hot Air Balloon Flight & Cultural Tour – Lasithi Plateau

The tour begins with a pre-sunrise hotel pickup from select areas in the Heraklion region, with guests transported by minivan to the Lasithi Plateau — a broad mountain valley ringed by ridges and dotted with traditional stone windmills. On arrival, you watch the crew inflate the balloon and attend a safety briefing from the certified pilot before stepping into the basket. The flight itself lasts approximately 40 minutes. Without an engine, the balloon moves freely with the morning air currents, drifting over the plateau's green fields and the surrounding peak formations as the sun clears the horizon. Group size is capped at 4 to 8 passengers, so the basket remains uncrowded and the experience stays personal. After landing, the crew pours a traditional captain's toast of sparkling wine and presents each guest with a personalized flight certificate. A light breakfast box with local Cretan products follows before the group moves on to the cultural portion of the day. The afternoon visits a traditional pottery workshop where guests work at a potter's wheel alongside a local artisan, shaping clay using techniques that have been practiced on the island for centuries. The day closes with a guided tour of the Mythological Park museum, covering the ancient legends and symbols of Cretan and wider Greek mythology, before the return transfer drops guests back at their hotels. Note: exact pickup times are confirmed approximately 12 hours before the activity, based on seasonal sunrise calculations. Flights operate subject to wind conditions; the supplier reschedules or fully refunds if conditions are unsafe.