The International Hot Air Balloon Festival started at Siran Pame, near Phewa Lake, from December 24 to January 1, 2025.The BYD International Balloon Festival aims to boost Nepal’s adventure tourism and economy. Organised by Balloon Nepal Pvt. Ltd. The event is being organised by Balloon Nepal Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with the Pokhara Tourism Council.
The festival is taking place in a three-kilometre stretch from Lauruk to Changkhapur in Pokhara Metropolitan City-24. While hot air balloons typically fly up to 9,000 feet during regular flights, the participants abide to a limit to a height of 5,000 feet during the festival.
The flyers can enjoy stunning views of the sunrise and sunset, as well as panoramic views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri mountains, and the Pokhara Valley.
In the festival, pilots from Thailand, Vietnam, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Lithuania, France, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Italy, Australia and Brazil are participating. In the festival, around 17 hot air balloons from 15 countries are taking to the skies over Pokhara.
Besides the balloon flights, food stalls and entertainment activities are organized. Likewise, musical performances held every day throughout the event. Popular artists like as Raju Lama, Elina Chauhan, Deepak Bajracharya, Kuma Sagar and Kabita Nepali are invited to perform in the festival to entertain participants and audiences. In addition, traditional dances including Kumaridance and Bajrayogini dance will also be featured, on New Year’s Day.
Balloon Nepal Pvt. Ltd., the organiser has been operating hot air balloon flights commercially in Pokhara since 2018. The event this year is supported by Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal Tourism Board, Gandaki, and the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Gandaki Province.
Organisers expect to conduct 500 commercial flights during the week-long festival. The fee for Nepalese passengers is Rs. 11,000 per person. SAARC and Chinese nationals need to pay $120 per person, while residents of other countries need to pay $150 per person.
On the opening of the hot air balloon festival, authorized dealer of BYD electric vehicles to Nepal CimexInc has launched BYD M6 electric car.
The 7 seater car is a long waited electric vehicles appropriate for tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. This vehicle is considered to be good for family use as well.
