Hot Air Balloons
Welcome to the Balloon Transport guide. This guide details how to unlock new traveling routes that can be used with a hot air balloon. The only requirement is completion of the Enlightened Journey quest, along with some logs, and various Firemaking levels. If all you want is a list of correct controls, see the Quick Instructions section at the bottom of the guide.
Table of Contents
- Essential Info
- Preparation
- Unlocking New Routes
- Crafting Guild Route
- Varrock Route
- Castle Wars Route
- Grand Tree Route
- Quick Instructions
Essential Info
Required
- Skills: None.
- Quests: Enlightened Journey
- Items: None.
Recommended
- Skills: None.
- Quests: None.
- Items: None.
Preparation
After you complete Enlightened Journey, you are only able to fly between the Taverley and Entrana landings. This is because you haven't unlocked any of the other routes. To travel to the new area, you must first unlock that route from Entrana. Unlocking it from anywhere else won't work.
Before leaving to this peaceful island, if you plan on unlocking all the routes, make sure you have the following requirements and items:
- At least 30 Firemaking (level 60 is required to unlock all routes)
- A Tinderbox
- 10 Oak Logs
- 10 Willow Logs
- 10 Yew Logs
- 3 Magic Logs
- No more than 40kg in weight. If you bring 20 logs and a tinderbox and wear either nothing or only items that reduce your weight (ie. Boots of Lightness, Spotted/Spottier Cape or Penance Gloves), you will not exceed the 40kg weight limit.
You don't have to have all of the logs at once, but having them already in your bank will make unlocking any new route faster. You also don't need every type of log if you don't plan on unlocking all the routes one after another. See the appropriate route guide for which log type is needed.
Unlocking New Routes
Once you have which ever logs you want to take, a tinderbox, and the appropriate Firemaking level, you are ready to begin unlocking your Hot Air Balloon routes! Proceed on too our favorite monk-inhabited island (remember no weapons or armor are allowed), along with an inventory that looks something like this (or substitute the logs for the type you want):
Once you arrive, head over to the Balloon landing near the western shore.
Click on the balloon's basket and Auguste will ask you if you want to travel with the balloon. Tell him "yes" and once you board the balloon you will see an unrolled scroll with five different destinations you can travel too once you have unlocked that route.
Click on whatever area you want to travel to and you will see a 2-D screen of your balloon. The main goal is to get from the left side of the screen all the way to the right, while avoiding all obstacles. Your navigation controls are simple once you get to know them.
The Sandbag is the picture in the top left corner. Clicking on it allows you move up and over two spaces. The Logs are just below the sandbag. They will move the balloon up and over one space. The Relax and Bail options are in the middle. Relax will move you forward one space, while Bail will have you crash in case you don't want to crash later. The two bottom pictures are the ropes. The Rope will send the balloon down and over one space, while the Red Rope does the same but moves you two spaces.
If you are unfortunate to hit something, you lose all your logs that were used on that specific route, and will either crash on Entrana, in the water just of Entrana's coast, or in an area of RuneScape that is along the way to your destination. For each route unlocked, besides opening the route, you will also receive receive 2,000 Firemaking experience. Also, you will only have to do the puzzle screens the first time you unlock each route and after that, all you need is one log of that type to use the route again. A faster way of traveling back to Entrana to unlock a new route is when you land at the new destination, grab an axe from your bank and cut down a normal tree to get a normal log. Then run back to the balloon and fly back to the island.
Crafting Guild Route
To unlock the route to the Crafting Guild, you will need:
- 10 Oak Logs
- Level 30 Firemaking
- A Tinderbox
Use the following screens for a visual reference and follow the instructions under them to complete the route.
Part One
Instructions: Relax, Logs, Relax, Logs, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Log, 3 Relax, Red Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, 2 Relax.
Part Two
Instructions: Rope, 2 Relax, Log, 4 Relax, Rope, 3 Relax, Log, 6 Relax.
Part Three
Instructions: Sandbag, 3 Relax, Red Rope, Rope, 4 Relax, Log, Rope, 5 Relax, Rope.
If all goes well, you will land just north of the Crafting Guild which is just southwest of Falador. To travel to this location again using the hot air balloons, all you will need is one Oak Log.
Varrock Route
To unlock the route to the city of Varrock, you will need:
- 10 Willow Logs
- Level 40 Firemaking
- A Tinderbox
Use the following screens for a visual reference and follow the instructions under them to complete the route.
Part One
Instructions: Sandbag, Relax, Sandbag, 3 Relax, 2 Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Rope, Sandbag, 2 Rope, Relax, 2 Log, 2 Relax.
Part Two
Instructions: 4 Relax, Log, 2 Relax, Log, Relax, Red Rope, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, 4 Relax.
Part Three
Instructions: 3 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, 2 Relax, Rope, Red Rope, 2 Rope.
If all goes well, you will land south of the Sawmill, which is just northeast of Varrock. To travel to this location again using the hot air balloons, all you will need is one Willow Log. Flying from this location to any other is one of the medium-difficulty Varrock Tasks.
Castle Wars Route
To unlock the route to the popular Activity Castle Wars, you will need:
- 10 Yew Logs
- Level 50 Firemaking
- A Tinderbox
Use the following screens for a visual reference and follow the instructions under them to complete the route.
Part One
Instructions: 2 Sandbag, Log, 3 Relax, Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, 3 Relax.
Part Two
Instructions: Log, Relax, Red Rope, Rope, 8 Relax, Sandbag, 2 Relax, Rope, Relax, Red Rope, Relax.
Part Three
Instructions: Sandbag, 2 Relax, Rope, 3 Relax, Log, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, 3 Rope.
If all goes well, you will land just north of the Activity's entrance. To travel to this location again using the hot air balloons, all you will need is one Yew Log.
Grand Tree Route
Part One
Instructions: 7 Relax, Rope, 13 Relax.
Part Two
Instructions: Log, Rope, Log, Rope, Log, 2 Relax, Log, Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, Red Rope, 2 Relax, Rope, 2 Relax.
Part Three
Instructions: Log, Sandbag, 3 Relax, Rope, Log, 4 Relax, Red Rope, Relax, Red Rope, 3 Relax, Rope.
If all goes well, you will land right behind the Grand Tree. To travel to this location again using the hot air balloons, all you will need is one Magic Log.
Quick Instructions
If you already know how to handle the balloon, and don't need any extra pictures or information, use the simplified instructions here instead.
Crafting Guild
Needed
- 10 Oak Logs
- A Tinderbox
- Level 30 Firemaking
Instructions
- Relax, Logs, Relax, Logs, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Log, 3 Relax, Red Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, 2 Relax.
- Rope, 2 Relax, Log, 4 Relax, Rope, 3 Relax, Log, 6 Relax.
- Sandbag, 3 Relax, Red Rope, Rope, 4 Relax, Log, Rope, 5 Relax, Rope.
Varrock
Needed
- 10 Willow Logs
- A Tinderbox
- Level 40 Firemaking
Instructions
- Sandbag, Relax, Sandbag, 3 Relax, 2 Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Rope, Sandbag, 2 Rope, Relax, 2 Log, 2 Relax.
- 4 Relax, Log, 2 Relax, Log, Relax, Red Rope, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, 4 Relax.
- 3 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, 2 Relax, Rope, Red Rope, 2 Rope.
Castle Wars
Needed
- 10 Yew Logs
- A Tinderbox
- Level 50 Firemaking
Instructions
- 2 Sandbag, Log, 3 Relax, Rope, Relax, Rope, Relax, Log, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, 3 Relax.
- Log, Relax, Red Rope, Rope, 8 Relax, Sandbag, 2 Relax, Rope, Relax, Red Rope, Relax.
- Sandbag, 2 Relax, Rope, 3 Relax, Log, Relax, 2 Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, Rope, 2 Rope.
Grand Tree
Needed
- 3 Magic Logs
- A Tinderbox
- Level 60 Firemaking
Instructions
- 7 Relax, Rope, 13 Relax.
- Log, Rope, Log, Rope, Log, 2 Relax, Log, Rope, 2 Relax, Sandbag, Relax, Red Rope, 2 Relax, Rope, 2 Relax.
- Log, Sandbag, 3 Relax, Rope, Log, 4 Relax, Red Rope, Relax, Red Rope, 3 Relax, Rope.