Hyderabad Paints The Skies This Sankranti With International Kites And Hot Air Balloons

With the arrival of winter mornings and the settling of harvest spirit, Hyderabad is ready to open its eyes to the sky. The city will host the International Kites and Hot Air Balloons Festival, a three-day celebration that unites Sankranti customs and creativity in the air, in January, welcoming travellers, photographers and culture enthusiasts. Taking place between January 13 and 15, the festival guarantees a one-time travel experience where heritage, colour and community come together beneath the wide blue sky.

According to details shared on the official Hyderabad and Telangana tourism platforms, the event is curated by the Tourism and Culture Department as a flagship cultural attraction during Sankranti, one of South India’s most important harvest festivals. The timing, officials have indicated indirectly, is intended to allow visitors to experience both festive rituals and a large-scale international spectacle in a single journey.

A Global Kite Carnival at Parade Ground

The primary venue, Parade Ground, will transform into a vibrant open-air gallery of flying art. More than 50 international kite flyers are expected, representing countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania. Visitors can expect to see intricate shapes, experimental materials and storytelling designs that reflect each flyer’s cultural background.

Participants are scheduled to arrive from Indonesia, Switzerland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Canada, Cambodia, Scotland, Thailand, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Italy, Taiwan, South Africa and the Netherlands. Tourism officials have noted that the diversity of styles will make the skies dynamic throughout the day, offering ideal conditions for slow travel, photography and family-friendly exploration.

Indian Traditions Take Centre Stage

Complementing the international presence, over 60 Indian kite flyers and club members will represent the country’s regional traditions. Flyers from Telangana will be joined by participants from Gujarat, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, each bringing distinct techniques and cultural motifs.

Organisers have shared that this domestic participation is central to the festival’s identity, ensuring that Sankranti’s symbolic act of kite flying remains at the heart of the event. For travellers, this offers an immersive way to understand how the same tradition is expressed differently across India.

Hot Air Balloons Rise Over Gandipet

Beyond the city centre, a parallel attraction will unfold near Gandipet, where hot air balloons are set to lift off against a backdrop of open landscapes. The balloon displays are designed as visual showcases rather than rides, allowing visitors to witness coordinated ascents during favourable weather windows.

Officials from Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation have indicated that Gandipet was selected to highlight Hyderabad’s lesser-known leisure zones, encouraging visitors to explore beyond historic landmarks. The balloons, floating quietly above the terrain, are expected to become a defining image of the festival.

Culture, Crafts and Culinary Trails

Away from the skies, the festival grounds will host curated stalls featuring national and international handicrafts. From textile art to decorative souvenirs, these exhibits are positioned as cultural exchanges rather than retail spaces alone, giving travellers a chance to interact with artisans and understand craft traditions.

Food, a key part of Sankranti travel experiences, will also play a prominent role. Visitors can sample festive sweets such as tilgul and ariselu alongside regional Indian dishes and selected international offerings. Organisers have shared indirectly that the aim is to create a slow, walkable food trail that complements the relaxed pace of kite watching.

Travel Planning and Visitor Experience

The festival is designed as an open, family-friendly event with easy access from central Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Tourism advisories recommend early arrivals during morning and late afternoon hours, when wind conditions are ideal for kite flying and balloon displays are most visually striking.

Accommodation providers across Hyderabad are expected to see increased interest during the Sankranti period, making the festival an anchor event for winter travel to Telangana. For visitors, pairing the festival with heritage walks, lake visits and food tours offers a well-rounded itinerary.

A Festival That Reflects Hyderabad’s Spirit

As the festival draws to a close each evening, the skies above Hyderabad are expected to fade from colour to calm, leaving behind shared moments rather than just photographs. Tourism officials have expressed, indirectly, that the event is meant to feel inclusive and celebratory rather than staged, reflecting the city’s long-standing openness to cultures from around the world.

The International Kites and Hot Air Balloons Festival is an excellent event for tourists looking for occasions that mix heritage and modern-day artistic imagination. It is a good reason to pause, gaze, and link up with the changing face of Hyderabad, a very gradual change that is supported by animate and inanimate nature, the festival colors and the festive atmosphere of Sankranti.

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