BALLOON SAFARIS OVER THE PLAINS AND ANIMALS OF THE SERENGETI




A Serengeti balloon safari is a fantastic once in a lifetime experience to enjoy on your wildlife tour in northern Tanzania. Hot air balloon rides leave from four sites in this prime national park. In Central Serengeti, wildlife gathers year-round in the Seronera River Valley where there is permanent water. The Great Migration passes through around May and June. The Western Serengeti includes the Grumeti River, scene of theatrical crossings during the Great Migration in June and July, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeests, brave the giant Nile crocodiles, and many perish while others detour to avoid the perilous river. In South Serengeti plains, the wildebeests assemble from December onwards, to calve in February, producing 20000 newborn every day on a three-week marathon, a sight not to be missed on your personalized nature travel in Serengeti. And the north where the famous Mara crossing is taking place from August to October the plains of the Serengeti are particularly suited to balloon flights which are particularly convenient, letting you get aerially closer and distinctly accessible to the action than you could be by a game-viewing safari vehicle.

Go to the sky to spot animals and watch the park`s famous Great Migration. The company`s fleet of 8-, 12- and 16-passenger hot air balloons carries travellers annually across Central Serengeti (and seasonally through the Western Corridor, Southern and Northern Serengeti) to give them a bird`s-eye view of the park.



FULL BALOON PROGRAM

Launch at dawn (6:30 am) returning approx 9:30 am 5:00 am, Serengeti Balloon Safaris will collect you from your 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 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 our pilot may ascend to 1000 ft (300 m) 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, and eventually you must land. 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 tablecloth, King’s silver etc.

After breakfast you receive your Serengeti Balloon certificate and later meet up with your safari driver ready to continue your day’s activities.

The itinerary has been designed to fit in with all standard safari itineraries visiting the Serengeti. Our return at 9:30 am allows clients to continue with other planned activities for the rest of the day.



THE BALLOONS

The balloons are top of the range Cameron & Ultra Magic A315 & A415. Colours: Acacia Green & Savannah Gold to blend with colours of the Serengeti. Burners: state of the art ‘whisper & stealth”.



REGISTRATION

The company is registered as a commercial airline with Department of Civil Aviation. Pilots are experienced, licensed commercial balloon pilots.



RESTRICTIONS

We do not carry children under the age of 7. There is no upper age limit, however passengers must be reasonably mobile, fit to fly and prepared for an adventure. It is important that passengers are able to bend their knees to sit down and to hold the rope handles with both hands.



EXTRA CHARGES

Balloon passenger weights are calculated at an average of 80 kgs. Passengers weighing 50% plus more than this (i.e. 120 kgs/265 lb/19 stone) may be charged and provided for two places.

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