With the first rays of sunlight our nine story high balloon slowly comes to life. A sleeping giant decorated with the "all seeing eyes of Buddha" it ripples, stretches and slowly expand.
     Gracefully and ever so slowly, the balloon eases itself from the ground. The departure is so gentle that few passengers even realize that we are now floating above the red tiled rooftops of the city of Kathmandu. Majestically the balloon climbs. A stones throw away to the east is the ancient village of Bhaktapur. It is a collection of perhaps the most historic and holy Buddhist and Hindu temples found in Asia. Look towards the center of Durbar Square in Kathmandu and the gilded temple of Kumari dashes the sun’s touch into a fan of brilliance to be ever remembered. Above Kathmandu you look out to the highest mountain range on earth. There is no dusty Perspex, noise vibrating motor or airplane wing to spoil the most spectacular of all views.
     You may never climb Mount Everest but from the perfect safety and comfort of a wicker basket, in the oldest and most romantic form of flight, you will feel that you have reached the top of the world in effortless security. On Balloon Sunrise Nepal’s one hour balloon flight, Shiva’s creation becomes simply unforgettable.