Hot air balloon ride – Heitkamp-Krakor
Over the festival grounds in colourful balloon baskets
Operator: Heitkamp-Krakor (Hamburg) · since 2019
Balloon Ride by Heitkamp-Krakor from Hamburg brings the theme of a hot-air balloon trip to the funfair. The colourful gondolas look like little balloon baskets and rise up a central tower during the ride. Unlike a large Ferris wheel, this is a compact, circular ride that lifts you into the air, making it especially appealing to families and younger riders. The ride is a Zamperla Samba Tower, made by the Italian manufacturer.
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What to expect
- Family-friendly
Highlights & records
Rotating gondolas designed as hot-air balloons rise up a Samba Tower.
Balloon Ride combines a gentle ride into the air with rotating balloon baskets and playful theming – a family classic with a story of its own.
At major fairs
The ride has appeared at events including the Hamburger DOM, Munich Oktoberfest and Düsseldorf Rheinkirmes. It is also listed among the family rides at Bremen Freimarkt. Its compact footprint and easily spotted balloon gondolas make it recognisable at a variety of fairgrounds. If you want a ride with a view and some spinning, but aren't looking for a full-on thrill ride, Balloon Ride is a good alternative.
Find more family-friendly attractions in our attractions overview.
What it's like to ride Balloon Ride
You take a seat in one of the gondolas shaped like hot-air balloons. The ride then rises above ground level as the baskets circle the tower. The gondolas can also rotate on their own, changing your viewpoint as you ride. This makes Balloon Ride more lively than a simple carousel with fixed seats: at one moment you look out over the fairground, then towards the neighbouring balloon, and then back in the direction you came from.
The characteristic experience comes from the combination of height, rotation and playful looks. The balloon baskets give the impression of a short trip above the visitors' heads, without the ride being designed for extreme acceleration or upside-down turns. That makes it a good fit between traditional children's carousels and the larger family attractions at a fair.
Video
General
- Manufacturer
- Zamperla (Italy)
- Model
- Samba Tower
- Year built
- 2001
- Premiere
- 2001
- Original name
- Samba Tower
- Also known as
- Samba Tower
Ride
- Height
- 13 m
Set-up & transport
- Footprint
- 13 × 10 m
History of Heitkamp-Krakor's Balloon Ride
The ride that now travels under the name Balloon Ride dates from 2001. At the time, it was presented as “Samba Tower”. Its documented debut took place on 31 March 2001 at the Frühlingsausstellung in Offenburg. Marco Halbig from Würzburg operated the ride later; this operating period is documented from 2005 to October 2018.
Since 2019, the Samba Tower has travelled under the ownership of Heitkamp-Krakor from Hamburg. Its balloon theme gave the ride a distinctive and easily recognisable identity. This history matters because there are other rides based on the same Zamperla model. What sets this ride apart is its particular history, including its former name and documented sequence of operators, not just its technical design.
Timeline
Debuted on 31 March 2001 at the Frühlingsausstellung Offenburg as Samba Tower. Later operated by Marco Halbig; since 2019, Heitkamp-Krakor with balloon theming.
- Operator
- Heitkamp-Krakor (Hamburg)
- With operator since
- 2019
- Type of operation
- Travelling
- Status
- Active / in operation
Previous operators
Marco Halbig (Würzburg), from 2005 to October 2018
Who is the Samba Tower suitable for?
Balloon Ride is especially appealing when children want more of an experience than a simple turn on a children's carousel. At the same time, the ride is easy to understand: you can see the gondolas from outside and watch how it works before you get on. For families, this makes the experience easier to assess than a ride with sudden changes of direction or a free fall.
The small hot-air balloon design is particularly eye-catching. It creates a friendly atmosphere that appeals even to people accompanying riders who would rather watch from the edge of the ride. The specific rules on age, height and supervision are displayed at the entrance to each event. They take precedence over general recommendations for this type of ride.
Upcoming funfair dates
Balloon Ride – Heitkamp-Krakor live
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