You’ve been dreaming of your Tanzanian safari for therefore lengthy, and the day when it begins has lastly arrived. How about exploring this unbelievable nation from a novel perspective on a Serengeti balloon safari?
Uncover why so many safari guests fall in love with the Serengeti. Preserve an eye fixed out for giant cats, even greater elephants, and nearly each type of safari wildlife you’ll be able to think about. You may also see giraffe, impala, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, a whole bunch of species of birds, and which will all simply be earlier than breakfast.
You’ll always remember watching these animals work together from above, whether or not you see a hunt, an unlimited herd or a mom defending her cub or calf. Plus, there’s the Serengeti’s unforgettable surroundings: observe Africa’s iconic acacia bushes, the park’s golden grasslands and nice piles of boulders often called “kopjes”.
After your Serengeti balloon safari, spend a while in this busy northern Tanzanian city often called Arusha, and also you’ll expertise energetic streets crammed with life and coloration.
Right here’s all the things it’s good to find out about experiencing the Serengeti from a scorching air balloon!
Associated learn: 10 Issues to do in Tanzania
Right here’s a fast breakdown:
Learn how to Expertise a Serengeti Balloon Safari
Serengeti Nationwide Park presents a novel and exhilarating expertise with its Balloon Safari.
From the vantage level of a scorching air balloon, you’ll be able to admire the huge great thing about the Serengeti grasslands and get a complete new perspective on the park’s considerable wildlife.
It is a actually outstanding journey.
Start your day at daybreak with a one-hour flight (climate allowing), the place you will notice wildlife and migration from above and under as you soar over the huge savannah. Upon touchdown, take pleasure in a heat welcome with champagne and an beautiful breakfast in the wilderness. Then, head again to your lodge for an thrilling recreation drive.
The new air balloons are often accessible in the Ndutu space between December 20 and March 31, whereas they function in the North Serengeti from July 1 to October 31.
You’ll usually take off at round 6:30am and return to camp by 9:30am to proceed your safari expertise. This exercise is appropriate for people aged seven years or older who’re moderately cellular, bodily match sufficient to fly and have a way of journey. Please be aware that weight restrictions could apply.
The place to Have a Balloon Safari in the Serengeti
Happening a balloon safari in Africa may be fairly costly, however let me inform you, it’s completely price each penny spent on this unbelievable journey in the sky!
There are a number of designated spots in the Serengeti the place you’ll be able to take your balloon safari. The perfect location for this unique airborne wildlife viewing expertise relies on elements such because the abundance of animals in a selected space of the Serengeti Nationwide Park, the proximity of your lodge or lodge, and your alternative of balloon operator.
The central a part of the Serengeti presents a formidable array of wildlife, together with wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and boasts one of many highest concentrations of huge cats in the park.
Kogatende is commonly in comparison with Switzerland attributable to its picturesque panorama, which resembles the rolling hills of that nation.
It’s no surprise it’s referred to as “the Serengeti,” as its terrain carefully resembles that iconic African nationwide park, with its huge plains and the breathtaking Mara River working by it. This area additionally occurs to be one in all one of many few locations the place you’ll be able to witness firsthand the awe-inspiring phenomenon of the Nice Migration from July to November.
Nonetheless, should you plan your go to between Might and July, Togoro turns into a wonderful place to watch this outstanding occasion often called the Nice Migration.
Every year in East Africa’s Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, a shocking pure spectacle referred to as the “Nice Migration” happens. Tens of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and different hoofed animals migrate by these lands. And guess what? Togoro is sometimes called the “Golden Plains of the Serengeti” attributable to its picturesque panorama of acacia and sausage bushes.
When you’ve booked your Serengeti balloon safari, one in all our group members will offer you necessary particulars about your early morning pick-up, what to put on, and what to anticipate throughout this extraordinary journey. This informative briefing often takes place at your lodge the night earlier than your Serengeti Balloon Safari.
What to Anticipate from a Balloon Safari in the Serengeti
You’ll have to stand up early, as typically it’s a 30-60-minute drive to get to the place to begin. However if you arrive at the place to begin, the employees will warmly greet you.
Though it’s nonetheless darkish outdoors, the sky is popping a shocking shade of purple. Whereas the group prepares the balloon for flight, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a comforting cup of tea or espresso and a scrumptious biscuit. The new air balloon is heated to offer the required raise for flight, whereas ropes maintain the basket in place.
Simply earlier than takeoff, there’s a temporary security briefing and harness demonstration. The crew will instruct you on positioning your self in the basket and what to anticipate throughout the journey. As soon as all the things is ready up and able to go, you might be free to enter the basket and “fasten your seatbelt”.
Good to know: For the reason that balloon strikes with the wind moderately than rocking by itself, movement illness shouldn’t be a problem.
Normally, the new air balloons have sufficient area and are divided into 4 compartments for a complete of 12 to 16 company, guaranteeing elevated security and loads of room for everybody, in addition to breathtaking views!
As soon as all passengers are settled inside, the skilled pilot is prepared for takeoff!
He’ll gently heat up the balloon till it rises gracefully into the air, the place you’ll quickly witness an unbelievable dawn that completely illuminates the Serengeti plains.
It’s actually an exhilarating but serene expertise! As you float over the huge Serengeti landscapes in this hovering vessel, there is no such thing as a turbulence or loud engine noise to disturb this environment; simply you (and a dozen different company) having fun with this hen’s eye view of the animals under, together with the fascinating dawn forward.
Throughout a balloon safari in the Serengeti, there’s an abundance of wildlife to watch. With a little bit luck, you may even see a delight of lions, sleek giraffes, an impressive procession of elephants crossing the huge plains, various hyenas, vibrant birds and quite a few species of plains recreation, together with wildebeest, topi, zebra and different antelopes.
The altitude throughout the flight varies from managed heights of about 300 meters above floor stage to skimming the treetops for panoramic views of the Serengeti terrain. On common, flights final roughly one hour, however relying on climate situations and discovering appropriate touchdown websites, flights could also be barely longer or shorter than 60 minutes. It’s price noting that any flights over 40 minutes shall be charged at full worth.
The chance to view the Serengeti from above is actually unforgettable and can depart you with an enduring impression.
What to Deliver on a Scorching Air Balloon Safari
What objects do you have to embody in your packing record for a Serengeti balloon safari journey? It’s extremely really useful that you simply gown appropriately for the safari expertise. This consists of comfy footwear and a light-weight windproof jacket or sweater for the cooler mornings.
Don’t overlook to pack a hat and sunscreen to guard your self from the solar’s rays. Whereas carrying a hat will not be ideally suited throughout the balloon journey itself, it can come in useful throughout the scrumptious bush breakfasts.
Talking of which, bush breakfasts are an absolute should on an African safari. They provide an unbelievable alternative to take pleasure in scrumptious meals amidst the breathtaking surroundings of the huge Serengeti plains.
Additionally, you should definitely convey binoculars so you’ll be able to stand up shut and private with wildlife and seize wonderful moments along with your smartphone or digital camera. The Serengeti presents numerous alternatives for video and images from excessive above in a scorching air balloon! Possibly you wish to take a small digital camera bag with private belongings with you, which you’ll be able to safe to the underside of the basket. However hold in thoughts, that there isn’t a lot room on board to retailer baggage on the ground throughout the flight, so select properly what you convey.
You would possibly anticipate the morning to be chilly as you float excessive in the sky, however you’ll be pleasantly stunned to search out it’s not chilly! The new air balloon glides effortlessly with the wind, eliminating the opportunity of a cold breeze. As well as, the balloon itself is “heated,” which ensures a comforting heat that envelops you.
As you rise above the magnificent Serengeti plains, the encircling air additionally progressively warms. So there’s no must bundle up.
When Do you have to Ebook your Serengeti Balloon Flight?
When is the most effective time to e book your scorching air balloon journey in the Serengeti? It’s extremely really useful that you simply safe your spot in the Serengeti skies as quickly as you affirm your go to. Ballooning is extremely widespread, and availability is restricted. We suggest reserving early to make sure a clean expertise.
Proceed the Safari Afterwards
Proceed your morning with one other game-viewing session. You can have lunch in nature and return in the late night to take pleasure in a leisurely African dinner.
The next day, after breakfast, you proceed with a Recreation drive in Ndutu plains – well-known worldwide because it hosts one of many largest mammal migrations. Witnessing over 400,00zero calves being born throughout peak season is awe-inspiring!
You should have pleasant morning and afternoon recreation drives throughout countless Serengeti plains, that are residence to a unprecedented focus of wildlife, together with wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, lions lounging in acacia bushes…the record goes on! The Serengeti plains boast all members of Africa’s Huge 5 and thousands and thousands of zebras, birds, and different predators.
Serengeti Nationwide Park is known for its huge herds of plains animals corresponding to wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras. It stays the one place in Africa the place large-scale land-animal migrations nonetheless happen. This park has develop into a global vacationer attraction and was acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage web site in 1981. As for the dearth of bushes in the Serengeti, it’s principally countless plains; nonetheless, there are some “sausage bushes” that elephants and giraffes feed on.
Notice that the park faces a number of administration considerations, together with poaching, tourism influence, wildfires, and insufficient useful resource monitoring capability. Water shortage is one other important problem attributable to having just one perennial river (Mara) spanning borders.
Varied elements threaten the ecosystem of Serengeti Nationwide Park, corresponding to industrialization, human inhabitants progress, farming, and poaching – endangering each wildlife species and native communities residing close to the park boundaries. Human-wildlife conflicts, inhabitants improve, poverty, and unsustainable improvement initiatives additionally contribute to those challenges.
