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Andrys Basten | profile | all galleries >> Egypt and Jordan 2009 >> Photos of Hot Air Ballooning over Luxor/Thebes & Valley of the Kings tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Egypt and Jordan Photos - Draft and preview | Petra photos - Walking the Ancient city in Jordan | Photos of Hot Air Ballooning over Luxor/Thebes & Valley of the Kings | VIDEO: Hot Air Ballooning over Luxor / Thebes

Photos of Hot Air Ballooning over Luxor/Thebes & Valley of the Kings

These are pictures from the hot-air balloon ride over Luxor (formerly Thebes) and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens that we took on October 30, only 4 days after the 6-month ban was lifted on balloon flights over Luxor due to some accidents last year, after which they tightened up the rules and pilot requirements as well as strictly limiting the number of balloons up at the same time. It was a beautiful ride.     Some are still-shots while others are smaller shots from the video I took, which you can view at Youtube.     The pictures were taken with the Canon SX10 IS.  

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*** ( For FULL images: PC's, press/toggle F11.  Mac's, maximize screen. ) ***


Taking the boat across the river Nile before 6 am
Taking the boat across the river Nile before 6 am
The balloon field - and our Sindbad balloon
The balloon field - and our Sindbad balloon
Getting it ready for flight
Getting it ready for flight
Preparing for liftoff but holding us down in the meantime
Preparing for liftoff but holding us down in the meantime
The guy holding down my area of the basket
The guy holding down my area of the basket
Saying a goodbye
Saying a goodbye
The assistants to his left
The assistants to his left
Lift off
Lift off
Up and away
Up and away
Note the number of people in the basket at the bottom
Note the number of people in the basket at the bottom
Bottom of the basket as we rise
Bottom of the basket as we rise
A view of the area  with Hatshepsut's temple
A view of the area with Hatshepsut's temple
Fields below and some passengers
Fields below and some passengers
Fields a bit clearer
Fields a bit clearer
Starting the morning - from my videoclip
Starting the morning - from my videoclip
Starting the morning - from my videoclip
Starting the morning - from my videoclip
On the desert side - from videoclip
On the desert side - from videoclip
Hearing pilot say Valley of the Kings is over the ridge
Hearing pilot say Valley of the Kings is over the ridge
The balloon is going down prematurely
The balloon is going down prematurely
We're almost in the sugar cane fields
We're almost in the sugar cane fields
She was less worried about that than some were.
She was less worried about that than some were.
The fertile section meets the desert area
The fertile section meets the desert area
The pilot and other side of the basket holding 20
The pilot and other side of the basket holding 20
Is this a Ramses II/III building?
Is this a Ramses II/III building?
Zoomed in to see it better
Zoomed in to see it better
Valley of the Queens, Kings, and Hatshepsut temple labeled
Valley of the Queens, Kings, and Hatshepsut temple labeled
Finally higher, from the video, with zoom
Finally higher, from the video, with zoom
A view of Queen Hatshepsut temple
A view of Queen Hatshepsut temple
Hatshepsut temple, zoomed in a bit
Hatshepsut temple, zoomed in a bit
Hatshepsut temple from hot-air balloon, zoomed in from another photo
Hatshepsut temple from hot-air balloon, zoomed in from another photo
The Glick family from the Nile cruise enjoying the Nile view
The Glick family from the Nile cruise enjoying the Nile view
Zoomed view of the Nile and Luxor and the cruise ships
Zoomed view of the Nile and Luxor and the cruise ships
The cruise ships & river w/ more dramatic sunlight
The cruise ships & river w/ more dramatic sunlight
From video, the Nile and our basket ropes
From video, the Nile and our basket ropes
The Glicks. Craig, Jodi, and Joan, from the Nile Cruise
The Glicks. Craig, Jodi, and Joan, from the Nile Cruise
Joan
Joan
Anita
Anita
Craig and Joan
Craig and Joan
The pilot asking if the trip was better now that we were higher.  Yes  :-)
The pilot asking if the trip was better now that we were higher. Yes :-)
Balloon cannisters and tag
Balloon cannisters and tag
So many on the basket I kept seeing new people
So many on the basket I kept seeing new people
Flames that kept us going
Flames that kept us going
Balloon passenger
Balloon passenger
From the video - looking toward Valley of the Kings
From the video - looking toward Valley of the Kings
Going lower for end of trip (50 minutes)
Going lower for end of trip (50 minutes)
The desert mountains ahead
The desert mountains ahead
Shooting the other side of the basket as we get lower
Shooting the other side of the basket as we get lower
The landing assistants run to to keep up with and meet us.
The landing assistants run to to keep up with and meet us.
Closer up with zoom lens
Closer up with zoom lens
Zoomed up even more (we weren't as low as it looks)
Zoomed up even more (we weren't as low as it looks)
The pilot's still looking for the right spot though
The pilot's still looking for the right spot though
We've found a good spot and the young ones gather
We've found a good spot and the young ones gather
Beautiful child, zoom lens used
Beautiful child, zoom lens used
About to land just past this field
About to land just past this field
Just before the landing spot
Just before the landing spot
Our landing strip.  This man video'd our lift off and landing.
Our landing strip. This man video'd our lift off and landing.