Africa has the best world life national parks and reserves where visitors come to annually for the view of wildlife in the wilderness. In addition to the best lodges and camp sites offered in Africa, some visitors would want to have a bird’s eye of the National parks. This is where the balloon safaris come in.

East Africa leads in Balloon safaris in its wilderness Game lodges and National reserves in Kenya and Tanzania. These are launched in the following regions:

• Serengeti National Park
  
• Selous National Park

Balloon Safaris in Serengeti National Reserve
Location and features
The Serengeti plains and woodlands are world famous for the variety and sheer number of its animal population. A Serengeti Balloon Safari however, is not merely a game viewing experience, but rather an opportunity for an adventure and unique perspective over outstanding quintessentially African landscapes. Of course there can be no guarantee that you will see specific animals from the balloon. We have however seen some amazing wildlife from the balloon and witnessed many incidents such as lion kills, cheetah stalking and killing, leopard hunting and of course the annual million strong wildebeest migration, one of the natural wonders of the world : “The New 7th Wonders of The World”.

Conservation
Serengeti Balloon Safaris are acutely aware of their environmental responsibilities and are proud of their ecological credentials. Serengeti Balloon Safaris (SBS) pay a substantial royalty to Tanzania National Parks for each passenger. These funds are used for conservation purposes in the Serengeti. The colours of our balloons are acacia green and savannah gold and blend with the colours of the Serengeti. The balloon burners are ‘stealth’ and ‘whisper’ burners and make less noise than standard burners. Wherever possible, we land on a road, thereby saving the vegetation from damage by retrieve vehicles. Their pilots are all committed conservationists and will share their knowledge of the area and wildlife with you. Naturally, wildlife has priority and consideration is given to them when flying.

Serengeti Balloon Safaris have assisted in the funding and construction of a technical school in Rubanda Village close to the boundary of Serengeti National Park. The object is to teach income generating skills to the villagers offering an alternative to poaching wildlife. SBS director Colin MacKinnon has been made an elder of the local Wakoma tribe. Serengeti Balloon Safaris is also pleased to have sponsored educational trips to the park for school children from surrounding villages.

Serengeti Balloon Safaris – itinerary
 
5:00 am, Serengeti Balloon Safaris will collect you from your central or Western Corridor lodge or camp, and transfer you to our launch site.  Here you will meet your pilot, receive a briefing and watch the inflation of your balloon.

At dawn we take off, rising as the sun rises and float in whichever direction the winds of the morning take us. Your pilot can precisely control the altitude of your balloon: sometimes flying at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below.

At other times he will ascend to 1000' or more to see the enormity and wonderful panorama of the Serengeti. From time to time the pilot must put more heat into the balloon with the powerful whisper burners. In between these burns, there is silence apart from the natural sounds below.   

The flight is for about one hour depending on conditions, on landing you celebrate in the traditional manner with champagne (well, an excellent sparkling wine), before sitting down to a full English breakfast prepared and served in the bush in 'Out of Africa' style with bone china, linen table cloths, King's silver etc.
 
After breakfast you receive your Serengeti Balloon certificate and we drive you back to Seronera Lodge game viewing enroute.

9:30 am Arrive at Seronera Lodge ready to continue your day's activities.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This adventure will fit in with all safari itineraries that include a night in central Serengeti (Serena Lodge, Seronera Lodge or Sopa Lodge or any of the central Serengeti camp sites)

The balloon safaris in Kenya take place at the vast East African 200 sq km Maasai Mara National Reserves and at the Elementaita Lodge. The former takes place daily while the latter takes off occasionally when necessary and when needed.

Maasai Mara Balloon Safaris
The Masai Mara Kenya’s most precious jewel and there is not better way to enjoy the magic of the park than from the air! The Masai Mara, famous for its black-maned lion and the spectacular annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti Plains, is a vast area of rolling acacia and shrub studded grassland, rivers, forests, hills and escarpments  is best suited for Balloon safaris. Magnificent scenery, patch works of emeralds and ambers stretching as far as the eye can see; where a constant pageant of wildlife endlessly unfolds. To complete the celebration a champagne breakfast is served on the Mara plains after the flight, complete with butler service and an open bar.
The balloon safaris take off at the following lodges within the Maasai Mara, they include:-

• Keekorok Lodge,
  
• Ilkeliani Camp,
  
• Fig tree Camp
  
• Mara Serena,
  
• Little governor’s camp

The Launching time
The take off is at 6 o’clock in the morning, the companies is performing the balloon safaris in the mara usually picks the clients who are interested in the balloon safaris at 5 o’clock in the morning for them to assemble at the launching site early enough for the take off at 6 o’clock. This is a one hour safari which eventually lands in the wilderness where a bush breakfast will have been set and the issuance of balloon safaris’ certificate is done. 

During these balloon safaris clients will have a bird’s eye of the versed Maasai mara national park and it’s rivers in the early morning of the day.

Please Note:
Due to the early time (0500hrs) in which balloon safaris are operated, they can only organise for client transfers.

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve has balloon safari programs on a daily basis managed and launched by 3 different companies:

• Balloon Safaris:
  Launching near Keekorok Lodge and picks clients from the eastern part of Maasai Mara. Balloon safaris’ base is located on the Eastern side of the Masai Mara Game Reserve and is near Keekorok Lodge. They provide a pick up and drop off service for clients staying at Mara Sarova, Sekenani Camp, Mara Sopa, Mara Simba, Siana Springs Camp, Mara Intrepids, Mara Explorer, Ilkeliani Camp, Spurwing Camp, Mara Hippo, Acacia Camp, Mountain Rock Camp, Bike Treks, Game trackers Camp, Planet Camp, Primetime Camp, Fig Tree Camp and all other campsites in the vicinity.

• Adventures Aloft Balloon Safaris:
  Adventures Aloft flies daily from Fig Tree Camp and Siana Springs in the Masai Mara game reserve. Flights take off at 6.30 each morning in time with the sunrise and allow one to experience an eagle’s view of the Masai Mara and all its beauty. Adventures Aloft organizes pick up services from most Mara camps and lodges.

• Transworld Balloon Safaris: launching near Mara Serena and at Mara Sarova Lodge.
  Transworld Balloon Safaris have been operating our Hot Air Balloon Safaris in the Mara for over 20 years from 3 bases - Mara Sarova Camp, Mara Safari Club and Mara Serena Lodge. The company manages a fleet of 7 well maintained Hot Air Balloons. Their highly trained, professional pilots and ground crew offer guests a chance to view this glorious reserve through an aerial perspective making this an unforgettable experience.

Balloon Safari Charges

 The Balloon Safaris in East Africa range from US $385 – US $499 per person inclusive of a Champagne Bush Breakfast, Flight Certificate and a Game drive.

Niche Africa holidays books its visitors willing to go for ballooning at a concession rates agreed with the balloon launching companies.