We went with Black Hills Balloons earlier this summer and are very happy we did. We booked a few months in advance. They suggested we book the trip earlier in our vacation incase it needed to be cancelled due to weather we could reschedule. We called the night before to confirm and the weather was good so we met the next morning around 5:30 am. They toss up a small balloon to see which way the wind is blowing and then determine what the route will be.
We started southwest of Custer State Park and flew over the Black Hills National Forest. We were up in the air around 6:30 and the ride itself was about 50 minutes. We then had champagne, cheese and muffins with the staff and participants in the other balloon. The story they tell about why we have champagne after a hot air balloon ride is quite interesting and really added to the trip. We were back between 8:00 and 8:30.
I must have come up with my own preconceived expectations of the trip which somewhat disappointed me:
1) That we would be going up at sunrise - we went up about 1 hour after sunrise. But in order to be ready to go we were up early enough to watch the sunrise and it was gorgeous!
2) That we would see Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Wild Life Loop – we didn’t fly that direction so all we saw was Crazy Horse quite far in the distance.
I am the type of person who doesn’t like heights, is slightly claustrophobic, and gets motion sickness and I was not bothered in the least. We were very high up (I think they said over 1000 feet), but it is more a feeling you get in an airplane vs climbing a high latter or looking over a high balcony/window. I think the balloons hold up to 12 people and you are divided into groups and stay in your own section of the basket, it was a little cramped, but I think the fact you are completely open from the waist/chest it didn’t seem so bad. Being outside and getting fresh air also made it seem quite open. We had a very smooth ride so I did not feel motion sick at all, but I don’t know if that is typical of all rides.
Other that being disappointed by my own expectations the trip itself was fabulous and I would highly recommend it. It was expensive for a family of four, but we considered it a trip of a lifetime. We always wanted to do a hot air balloon ride and the price itself is comparable to back home, so to have this experience in one of the most beautiful places in the world was well worth it.