A hot-air balloon ready for take-off at Carnival 2011 at Morabadi grounds in Ranchi on Thursday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, Feb. 10: Go sky waltzing on a hot-air balloon or take a tumble in the zorbing ball or bring out your brawny side in a sumo suit.

Carnival 2011, which kicked off in the city today, gave Ranchiites myriad reasons to rejoice in the run-up to the 34th National Games.

Conceptualised by Odyssey Wonder, a travel consultancy firm started by four XLRI graduates, the 10-day camp at Morabadi and Dipatoli is the state tourism department’s befitting prelude to the sporting extravaganza.

Shadab Akhter, director of Odyssey Wonder, said the main objective was to celebrate the National Games by generating awareness about various sports disciplines. “Adventure games at this camp are open to all,” he said.

For some pure adrenaline rush, Ranchiites can choose among hot-air ballooning, parasailing, aeromodelling, sumo wrestling, paintball shooting and zorbing ball tumbling.

The zorb is double-sectioned, with one ball inside the other with an air layer in between. This acts as a shock absorber for the rolling rider.

The rides start at Rs 50 and go up to Rs 300, Akhter said. While aeromodelling has been priced at Rs 50 and sumo show at Rs 100, the zorbing ball ride costs Rs 100 and hot-air balloon Rs 300.

“Hot-air ballooning is very exciting. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience The journey starts just after sunrise or just before sunset for best scenic view,” he said.

Besides sports, adventure packages are also on offer. “We have launched an elephant safari in the Dalma, where one can be up close with the wild. The cost is Rs 1,400 per person per day, including food,” the director said.