Hot Air Balloon Festival Takes Off Near Golconda Fort

The festival, ticketed at ₹2,000 plus GST (excluding VIPs and media), was formally inaugurated by tourism and culture minister Jupally Krishna Rao at the Hyderabad Golf Club premises. Nearly 18 balloons carrying seven to eight passengers each rose into the sky in the early hours, marking the start of the event. The minister himself undertook a ride lasting nearly one‑and‑a‑half hours, covering about 13 km from Golconda Golf Club to the outskirts of Appajiguda, offering sweeping aerial views of Hyderabad.

Around 50 people, including ticket holders and VIPs, participated in the inaugural rides. “The balloons rising into the sky symbolise Telangana tourism reaching new global heights,” Jupally Krishna Rao said, urging that such festivals be held frequently to promote the state’s historic culture. He invited families, youth and children to take part, saying the event was designed to offer lasting memories.

In the evening, tethered rides of shorter distance are scheduled at Parade Ground. On Friday, 132 ticket holders experienced 50‑foot ascents conducted by the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC) in collaboration with SkyWaltz Certified Balloon Safaris. Nearly 10 balloons, each carrying about eight passengers, were arranged, while thousands gathered to watch.

Tickets for the Parade Ground rides had been sold earlier through BookMyShow, with banners announcing they were sold out. However, reports emerged of illegal ticket sales at inflated prices. TGTDC managing director Kranthi Valluri clarified that no counters were set up at Ravindra Bharathi and warned that such tickets could be fake. She said balloons would be shifted to Hyderabad Golf Club for morning operations and returned to Parade Ground in the evening.

Valluri added that the department is exploring the possibility of identifying a permanent location, similar to Jaipur, for regular hot air balloon rides in Hyderabad.