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This was the first time we took a balloon ride and it exceeded expectations. Details about the trip and how to prepare were clear and overall communication went smoothly. Once at the launch site the crew took care to explain procedures for take off, flight, and landing, and these were reviewed again at points. The flight was smooth and effortless. We simply glided along while enjoying breathtaking views of the Ithaca skyline, Cayuga Lake, and surrounding hills. The ride was 100% safe so if you're at all skittish about heights have no fear. Landing was smooth and topped off with a toast of champagne, local beer, or a soft drink (whatever your preference). I highly recommend Souther Tier Balloon Tours for this experience. Go on. You know it's on your bucket list just ready to be scratched off.

I would highly recommend this to anyone in the area who is looking for something exciting and different to do. It is expensive but well worth the money. Dar and his crew are amazing so friendly and professional. They walk you through everything and make you feel safe. We went on Thursday 10/19/23: the view was amazing fall foliage was beautiful. We saw so many deer. I wish the crew took a picture of the balloons as it was going up with everyone in it that they could send to us. That would be cool to have. I never realized how much work it takes to get the balloons in the air. It was amazing start to finish. I can’t wait to do it again.

What a delightful experience! The staff were knowledgeable, experienced, and professional. It was our first hot air balloon ride, and the team getting us into the air helped make us feel comfortable and safe. Once in the air, the pilot provided details of the landscape. Upon landing, we celebrated with a champagne toast. Highly recommend!!

It was pleasent experience. Good communication. Good views. Definitely a must try.

This was a great birthday gift for my girlfriend. I was terrified but Dar took care of us and we had an awesome experience. Would highly recommend to take this tour. Especially during autumn.

Second lift off for me. Absolutely amazing. The owner Dar does a spectacular job making everyone feel comfortable and safe.The ground crew are amazing. Dennis shares his wealth of knowledge of the area during your transport. Won't fly with another company. Southern Tier Balloon Tours 5 STARS! AWESOME

We loved everything about our ride with STB tours on a beautiful Autumn morning. Dar and his crew are personable, knowledgeable, and highly skilled. The whole experience was exhilarating from beginning to end. We also appreciated that Dar contacted us to reschedule our ride a few days prior to our original Friday afternoon trip which was likely to be cancelled because of bad weather moving in.

Wow!! what a great experience! It was a beautiful day to fly!! The trees were turning beautiful colors!! Dar and the crew were awesome to work with!! They were polite, knowledgeable and very experienced crew!! We highly recommend the Southern Tier Balloon company to fly with!! Thanks for a wonderful experience!! Oct. 5, 2023

Great experience! Pilot was very knowledgeable and the view was beautiful with the fall foliage. Highly recommend!

My family and I had a great experience with Dar and crew taking us up over Ithaca where we had a great view of Cayuga lake, the Apple Harvest festival in downtown Ithaca, Cornell, and the rolling farms and hills around Ithaca. It was all of our families first time in a hot air balloon and it went really smoothly. It felt like a very personal experience with Dar also helping us catch a view of our own points of interest as well.

Great crew and smooth ride. Experienced operator and crew. Highly recommend

Dar and crew were great! Such a great experience, highly recommend!

I would HIGHLY recommend these guys. Dar and his crew did amazing for our birthday celebration everything was very well communicated and coordinated and super professional. They were very accommodating and knowledgeable about the area. We will be using them again for sure

Absolutely amazing! Took my mother for her 80th birthday and we were not disappointed! Dar was an amazing guide, and we felt very confident and comfortable with him, as well as the ground crew. Would absolutely recommend!!

We had an amazing time-- it was a wonderful experience. Bring a hat, as suggested. My only suggestion to the staff -- my husband and I both agreed we would have preferred to spend more time at higher altitudes than so close to the ground.

Always a great experience!

Recently (about 10 days) had the chance to go on one of STBs Tours with Mr Farzad and down to earth crewman. And as for someone who has never been on a hot air balloon ride before… Let me tell you, it was well worth every second of it. From the buildup of the team staging the balloon and getting it ready launch where we had to lie down horizontally in the basket, too fully flying experiencing the wonderful views of Ithaca, to the thrilling adrenaline pumping descent and landing experience (that one will get you clinching everything just before Dariush yells “Brace for impact” hahaha. The whole experience was pretty awesome. The guys were so friendly and down to earth and you could ask them anything. I even love the little champagne tradition that you have at the end after you’ve had a good flight and you toast to the next one. It’s just an all-around cool experience to go and be a part of if you’ve never been and fully suggest anyone going and doing it if they can do it! P.S. Hoping to take my parents at some point as well!

Such a fun and unique experience! One we will definitely never forget. Dar and his crew are awesome and I would highly recommend!

Southern Tier Balloon and Dar were top notch! Three ladies celebrating very special birthdays took the private tour and oh, the views we saw! What an incredibly peaceful experience. Dar's helpers, two wrestlers from Cornell, were so helpful and very personable. Do not hesitate to book Dar and his tour. You will not regret it!

Amazing experience for all the family

INCREDIBIL !! MINUNAT !! Nu pierdeți ocazia unei astfel de experiențe !! SENZAȚIONAL !!

STB was incredible from the moment we arrived. I would recommend this experience with them. They put us at ease and made this ride smooth, safe and one of the most spectacular things I have ever done.

An experience that was absolutely worth it! Crew is super friendly and efficient, and Dar is an amazing balloon navigator and guide. Ride was smooth and I had people in my party who are terrified of heights, but they didn’t feel afraid at all after the take off. Views were gorgeous- make sure to trust them when they say the weather will be good!

Phenomenal experience. Dar is a great pilot and his crew is top notch. I highly recommend you do it yourself.

Definitely a bucket list dream come true! I had the best time flying over gorgeous Ithaca with my friends- such an unforgettable experience. The staff was super knowledgeable & friendly- If you haven’t gone yet you’re missing out!

This was a great experience! I highly recommend this to anyone in the area. The pilot was friendly and clearly loved what he does and the views were incredible 🫰🏽

Such a great experience. Floating high above the treetops and low over Cayuga lake, the views are awesome! Our pilot Dar was terrific. I plan on doing it again in a few weeks from one of their other locations.

Beautiful experience! Dar is a very skilled and knowledgeable guide! The trip was beautiful across Ithaca! Would recommend wearing a hat as encouraged by STB and perhaps ear plugs. Will definitely fly again!

Cannot recommend enough. The flight was amazing and Dar, Dave, and Brittany made sure we had an amazing time.

My husband surprised me on my birthday and I could not have asked for a better ride. Dar and the crew, Brittany and Dave, were amazing! If you are considering a hot air balloon ride, I would highly recommend this company!

Just finished an AWESOME ride over ithaca NY. Great ride. Fantastic fun. I'd give 6 stars if I could.

As a person that doesn’t do well with heights, this was an amazing experience. Just while walking towards the meeting spot for starting the balloon ride, the STB crew were very friendly and welcoming. Getting to meet the crew and help set up the balloon was a very unique experience. In the rush of hopping in the basket and bracing myself for takeoff, I didn’t notice how fast we got a couple hundred feet in the air. It was so smooth and relaxing, and the views were amazing (even with some smog in the air). It definitely would be worth to go again for different seasons and views. Overall great experience made better wi try great people.

This is hands down one of the coolest ways to experience New York. Also I felt extremely safe and comfortable with the pilot. I fly paragliders all over the world, and usually like to trust myself in the air, but you can tell Dar is dialed. I could just sit back and enjoy the view, because safety is at the forefront of his mind. If you’re a little unsure, just do it, these guys know what they’re doing.

A fabulous flight with great views

We loved our first ever hot air balloon ride!! Dar was very communicative and patient with us, navigating the whacky weather, he kept in contact over the days of our finger lakes trip…we were so happy to make it happen even with the many thunderstorms

Our evening balloon ride was spectacular, and the staff was very knowledgeable about the balloon and also the area we flew over. They are very attentive to your physical needs, as well as your overall safety.I highly recommend this company.

We had the best time on this bucket list activity. It was so neat to get a birds eye view on the area. The crew was professional, friendly, and willing to answer any questions we had. You can tell they all love their jobs.

This was one of the best of many hot air balloon experiences I have had! From travel-to-launch, preparation, launch, flying and landing, it couldn’t have been more smoothly handled. The entire team from pilot to ground crew were personable and great to be with. The pilot provided a fun and varied flight from high above the gorgeous view to skimming through treetops. As an Ithaca resident, I plan to provide future out-of-town guests with this fantastic experience!

We had an amazing time! Professional, safe, amazing crew. Our whole family loved it. Such incredible views and really fun. 10/10 recommended!!!

Dar and his crew were fantastic! Dar was very knowledgeable and funny too! Highly recommend flying with him!

Amazing experience! Dar Farzad is very thorough in preparing you, and his crew is truly expert in their teamwork. I am 76yrs old, and would have liked a rope ladder to get into the basket, but other than that, with some help it was truly an uplifting experience! Post Script: Dar explained why even a rope ladder would be dangerous...

We checked off our bucket list tonight with an awesome flight! The team was friendly and professional and prepared us for everything we needed to know. Thank you for a great experience!

Amazing ride and professional crew! Finished it off with a glass of champagne. Will definitely ride again!

Had a great flight with Dar and some friends! Conditions were great and the flight was smooth, very professional and was a breathtaking experience.

Paid for a private flight and was glad we did. It was a great experience with just the three of us. Dar is an incredible pilot and constantly interacted with us during the flight. We flew under, in and above the clouds for 12 miles. He answered all my stupid questions and even pointed out a great "burger joint" from around 3500 feet that we ate dinner at after the flight. (Glenwood Pines). The ground crew was entertaining and efficient. The ride back to our car was a lesson on Ithaca thanks to Max. A great time!!

My girlfriend and I went up last weekend and it was an incredible experience. Kynan was our pilot and not only did he make the take off and landing seem effortless, but he came ready with fun Ithaca related facts and landmarks to make the tour even more one of a kind. The views were spectacular! Great for mental photos and of course actual photos :). Truly a fantastic adventure!

I had an amazing flying experience! 😍 Kudos to Dar and his crew.

Totally phenomenal!! The entire crew was so professional and fun. Everyone should add this to their bucket list!!

My wife found out about this place and it was three(my wife, my father and myself) us who went for the ride. They are very meticulous in ensuring you have a great time for your ride. They reached out to us via email multiple times to confirm about the whereabouts of the flights and weather conditions. The best part they do not charge you unless you have completed the flight as they understand the weather can be unpredictable. Their staff is super friendly and helpful. If you are doing this for the first time or 100th time I can assure you this will be the greatest ride you will take. Our pilot was very well trained ( also he is a pilot for Niagara EMS) and made us all feel super safe. Our crew was always in contact with us during our flight. Each flight is 45 - 70 minutes in the air, but make sure to plan for 2.5 - 3 hours for the whole experience (meet, flight, drive back, and post flight toast). We were in air for almost 1.25 hours. Safe for kids as long as they listen to adults. Will do another ride for sure with them. Special thanks to Dar Farzad(President), who was super considering for adjusting us at the last minute.

Great communication with the team on weather the day and night before. Fantastic flight with a very experienced and friendly ballooner. Very well organized and safe!