There’s no more thrilling way to see the stunning undulating landscapes of the Eastern Ghats in Araku Valley than from a hot air balloon. As we silently float over fields of yellow niger flowers, interspersed with navigating streams and green valleys, Atiqah Khairudin from Malaysia, the pilot of my hot air balloon, exclaims: “This is the most picturesque vista from the ultimate vantage point — the air!” The windy skies make me a bit nervous, but Atiqah assures me that it is going to be the most exciting experience of my life as I take my first balloon safari at the Araku Balloon Festival. Tucked away in the lap of Nature and serenity, Araku is known for its pristine valleys, cultural heritage, stunning waterfalls gushing out of the hills and coffee plantations.
Atiqah adds, “This beautiful piece of jewel is such a discovery for balloon pilots. It can be a great way to showcase its beauty to people who want to experience the grand panoramic view from the hot air balloon.” Ours was the first hot air balloon to take to the skies and one of the most compact ones. As we sail over the tribal hamlets and agricultural fields, all around us the sky fills with more hot air balloons looking like tiny dots of colourful confetti. At the festival, some of the world’s most experienced ballooning pilots have come to explore the virgin skies of Araku.
Hot air balloons taking off in Araku
The winds have stabilised a bit, but the next challenge is to find a spot to land. Each balloonist has two radio sets — one for the pilot and the other for the staff below. While I find myself immersed in the magical scenes unfolding before me, Atiqah gets ready to land and sends a message from her radio set. “The most different way to fly a hot air balloon is to fly low and the most challenging part is to get a deal landing,” says the confident young pilot. By now, the winds have again picked up pace. Beneath us, there are just fields of yellow niger fields. As she prepares for the final part of the landing, I can sense a slight anxiety in her voice. “We are heading for a bit of an adventurous landing this time. Just hold on!” she instructs.
While I tightly fix myself to the corner of the basket, the balloon makes quite a strong impact on the field as we hit the ground. For a second, my heart is in my mouth. Within seconds, my anxiety meets the curious, excited faces of the villagers from the neighbouring tribal hamlet who run towards us to greet us with a warm hello. “This is the best part of ballooning. Wherever you land, you are always welcomed with such warmth,” remarks Atiqah, while we both get hold of the rope to pull the lovely yellow balloon to the ground.
(Araku Balloon Festival is an initiative of AP Tourism in association with E-Factor and SkyWaltz)
