Float the Fiesta!

The best seat imaginable for Albuquerque’s annual International Balloon Fiesta! You’ll float along the river, far from the massive crowds, as hundreds of balloons soar overhead!

With Albuquerque’s prevailing winds coming out of the south, many balloons fly directly up the Rio Grande. Three of our four events in 2011 featured a "splash and dash" right in the midst of our paddlers!

These early morning float trips begin at our facility in Bernalillo at 5:30 AM, where we'll provide hot coffee and a variety of fresh fruits and baked goods during the orientation. We'll then head out at about 6:00 AM, while continually monitoring the wind and weather conditions at Balloon Fiesta Park, often spotting the Dawn Patrol in the early morning sky as we drive unimpeded to our launch site. We'll choose our launch point in order to maximize our chances of seeing dozens of balloons soaring above, then time the launch to coincide with the mass ascension taking place at the Fiesta.

As with all guided trips, you can choose either a canoe or kayak, which includes PFD’s and all required equipment. You’ll be accompanied by a professional guide, and the views are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime!

2013 Schedule and Rates

All rates are per-person. Children under twelve who float along with a parent or guardian in the same boat do so at half price, and count as one-half of an adult. (Applies to children floating along with one adult in a kayak or two adults in a canoe).

Saturday, October 5th - Mass Ascension - $69.00

Sunday, October 6th - Mass Ascension - $69.00

Wednesday, October 9th - Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension - $69.00

Thursday, October 10th - Special Shapes Rodeo - $69.00

Saturday, October 12th - Mass Ascension - $69.00

Sunday, October 13th - Farewell Mass Ascension - $69.00

All the Details:

• Reservations are held via credit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and Diner's Club. For tours scheduled 8 days in advance or more, we require a non-refundable deposit of 50% down at the time of your reservation. The balance will then be charged to your card 7 days prior to your tour. For reservations made less than 8 days in advance, the full amount of the selected tour will be charged at the time of reservation.

• Each paddler must sign a waiver of liability  in order to participate. (Click here for PDF). A parent or legal guardian must sign for all minors under the age of 18.
• Although Quiet Waters Paddling Adventures is not responsible for evaluating a participant's skill or ability, we reserve the right to refuse rentals to those individuals whose skills do not seem suitable for the trip.
• Alcohol use is strictly prohibited. We will not transport anyone who brings alcoholic beverages with them to our facility.
• The trip starting time indicates the time our guests must arrive at our facility. As each trip requires viewing a short safety and instructional video prior to departure, please arrive promptly at the stated starting time. Late arrivals may "miss the boat"!
• As our guided trips do include a light snack or lunch, please let us know of any special dietary needs at the time of your reservation.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations 8 days or more in advance will result in the loss of your deposit, although we will generally allow you to reschedule without penalty. We're sorry, but cancellations within 7 days of a scheduled event are not refundable.

Although we generally float rain or shine, if a trip is canceled as a consequence of inclement weather, we will issue a either a full credit towards a future trip, or a full refund.

Please Note: Both Balloon Fiesta events and float trips are dependent upon weather and wind conditions. We'll be monitoring the conditions at Balloon Fiesta Park, and if a scheduled Balloon Fiesta event is canceled with sufficient notice, we will cancel our event and make every effort to contact all of our guests well in advance.

Balloons are more susceptible to wind conditions than paddlecraft, however. There's always a possibility that early morning wind conditions will change to the degree that the balloons do not launch. If this should happen, we regret that we cannot issue any refunds.