Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari in Tanzania

Embark on a Breathtaking Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari in Tanzania – Soar Above the African Plains

The Serengeti hot air balloon safari in Tanzania promises an exhilarating adventure as you find yourself suspended in a wicker basket above the vast plains of East Africa. Imagine the sun peeping over the horizon, casting its warm glow on the waking wilderness below. This unique game-viewing experience in Tanzania is unlike any other, making it one of the most exceptional safari encounters.

A Thrilling Safari Experience Unveiled

The hot air balloon safari in Serengeti unfolds as a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime adventure, perfectly complementing your African wildlife safari. With launches from three key sites in the Serengeti National Park, this experience is a captivating way to witness the diverse wildlife in its natural habitat. In the Central Serengeti, wildlife congregates year-round in the Seronera River Valley, while the Great Migration spectacle takes center stage around May and June.

The Western Serengeti, including the Grumeti River, becomes a stage for dramatic crossings during the Great Migration in June and July. South Serengeti plains witness the wildebeests’ assembly from December onwards, culminating in calving during February, a breathtaking sight not to be missed on your African safari adventure.

Soaring Above the Serengeti Plains

The expansive Serengeti plains provide an ideal canvas for hot air balloon flights, offering a unique vantage point that brings you closer and more intimately accessible to the action than a traditional game-viewing safari vehicle. The favorable conditions for hot air balloons prevail every morning, but it’s advisable to pre-book this popular activity due to limited seating capacity.

Children over seven years and fit, active adults can partake in this adventure, considering weight as a crucial safety factor. Passengers weighing over 120 kilos (265 pounds) may need to reserve two places. The immense balloons, accommodating 16 people each, are equipped with compartmentalized baskets for comfort and security. The cost reflects the substantial investment in the balloons, ensuring safety with regular replacements.

A skilled and licensed pilot, along with a staff of 20, is essential for each trip. This team manages everything from launching and recovery to transportation to and from the launch site, culminating in a celebratory champagne breakfast. Each hot air balloon flight is a unique experience – some offering panoramic views for miles, while others provide a close-up encounter with individual animals.

The Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari Experience Unveiled

Your Serengeti hot-air balloon safari kicks off around 0500 hours from your Lodge. The pre-dawn drive through the bush to your launch site is an adventure in itself, offering glimpses of nocturnal animals in the headlights. Near a river like Seronera or Grumeti, you might encounter grazing hippos, or on the plains, a lioness returning from her kill.

As the light jacket-clad, you ascend into the cool early morning, the anticipation builds. The hot air balloon inflates, and the burner intermittently roars to life, reminding you to don your hat as it warms overhead. The moment arrives when you lose touch with the earth and become part of the dawn. The sky transitions from purple to pink, and the sun bathes the Serengeti plains in golden light.

As you ascend, the unobstructed basket side offers a stomach-clenching view of the receding earth. Despite the initial shudder of losing contact with the ground, the experience becomes enchanting. For an hour, you surrender to the whims of the wind, taking in the enriching sights, sounds, and sensations of your flight.

Witnessing Serengeti Wildlife from New Heights

From your elevated perspective, the Serengeti wildlife below appears in miniature. The grasslands stretch endlessly, herds of seasonal migrating herbivores extend for miles, and individual animals showcase distinctive features. Marvel at zebras flaunting their striped rumps, elephants lumbering like elderly men in baggy trousers, and warthogs raising thin pennant tails.

As you soar low over the landscape, you might startle vultures perched on a flat-topped Acacia thorn tree or witness the graceful movements of a giraffe stretching to feed. Hovering over the Mara River, spot hippos or disturb flocks of egrets into flight. Lions proudly claim their territory, and elephant families trek nose to tail towards the horizon.

A Culmination of Unforgettable Moments

Upon landing, receive your commemorative certificate and indulge in a champagne toast before driving to join fellow balloonists for a hearty English hot breakfast. This post-flight gathering becomes a lively space for sharing adrenaline-fueled tales and relishing generous servings of delicious food and bubbly. The experience elevates your appetite for life, fostering appreciative conversations and leaving you with an indelible mark of this extraordinary African safari.

Your guide awaits at a designated pickup point, ready to continue your game safari around the Serengeti National Park. The hot air balloon safari, a climax to your African adventure, blends the thrill of flight with the awe-inspiring beauty of the Serengeti, creating an enduring memory that echoes the heart of this iconic safari destination.