Off the Map Travel will offer hot air balloon experiences in the Swedish Lapland to search for the Aurora Borealis from December 2020
Travellers visiting Swedish Lapland in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights can now take the viewing experience up a notch, with a new hot air-balloon concept by the founders of the Aurora Safari Camp. Jonas Gejke and Fredrik Broman are starting hot air balloon operations in Swedish Lapland along with ballooning expert Andrew Peart, who has been flying hot air balloons for more than 25 years over the African savannahs.
“This is a first,” says Jonathan Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel and Arctic Travel expert. “We’ve never heard of anything like this before and everything is pointing to this being the region’s next big highlight Aurora experience.”
The first aurora flight will take off in December 2020 and will be available through to April 2021 – with bookings due to open for guests in May 2020. The experience will see the balloon take off and ascend up to 40 metres into the air, where it will hover while remaining anchored to the arctic ice below.
For those more interested in the Arctic landscapes, the Lapland Ballooning team will also be running daytime expedition flights from its home base in Gunnarsbyn, Råneå River Valley over the Arctic wilderness.
“To experience the Northern Lights from the tranquility of the balloon in a remote wilderness region of Northern Sweden is a very special experience and one that will serve as a highlight for any luxury Arctic adventure,” Off the Map Travel’s Jonathan Cooper said. “Although the Aurora is never guaranteed, what better place to hunt for it than by ascending into the stars yourself.”
The full board 4-day 3-night Aurora in the Sky itinerary costs from £2,275 per person, not including flights. The cost includes meals, private transfers, accommodation at the Outpost and Aurora Safari Camp, snowmobile adventure with lunch on the Arctic circle, Aurora Hot Air Balloon experience and a Snowmobile adventure to the “meet the locals” experience.
The Lapland Ballooning experience is available for groups of up to six people and is recommended for guests over six years old. As flights will be weather dependent, it is also recommended that the experience be included as part of a multi-day stay to allow guests flexibility for their flight. Those keen to experience the new Aurora ballooning are advised to contact the team at Off the Map Travel for information about itineraries for next winter.