You’ve been dreaming of your Tanzanian safari for thus lengthy, and the day when it begins has lastly arrived. How about exploring this unimaginable 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 large 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, lots of 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 enormous 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 generally known as “kopjes”.
After your Serengeti balloon safari, spend a while on this busy northern Tanzanian city generally known as Arusha, and also you’ll expertise energetic streets stuffed with life and shade.
Right here’s every part you must find out about experiencing the Serengeti from a sizzling air balloon!
Associated learn: 10 Issues to do in Tanzania
Right here’s a fast breakdown:
Tips on how to Expertise a Serengeti Balloon Safari
Serengeti Nationwide Park provides a novel and exhilarating expertise with its Balloon Safari.
From the vantage level of a sizzling air balloon, you’ll be able to admire the huge great thing about the Serengeti grasslands and get an entire new perspective on the park’s ample wildlife.
It is a really 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 beneath as you soar over the huge savannah. Upon touchdown, take pleasure in a heat welcome with champagne and an beautiful breakfast within the wilderness. Then, head again to your lodge for an thrilling sport drive.
The recent air balloons are often out there within the Ndutu space between December 20 and March 31, whereas they function within 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 fairly cell, 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 within the Serengeti
Occurring a balloon safari in Africa could be fairly costly, however let me let you know, it’s completely value each penny spent on this unimaginable journey within the sky!
There are a number of designated spots within the Serengeti the place you’ll be able to take your balloon safari. The very best location for this unique airborne wildlife viewing expertise is dependent upon components such because the abundance of animals in a specific space of the Serengeti Nationwide Park, the proximity of your lodge or lodge, and your selection of balloon operator.
The central a part of the Serengeti provides a formidable array of wildlife, together with wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and boasts one of many highest concentrations of massive cats within the park.
Kogatende is usually 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 via it. This area additionally occurs to be one among 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, if you happen to plan your go to between Could and July, Togoro turns into a superb place to watch this outstanding occasion generally known as the Nice Migration.
Annually in East Africa’s Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, a surprising pure spectacle referred to as the “Nice Migration” happens. Tens of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and different hoofed animals migrate via these lands. And guess what? Togoro is also known as 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 among 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 within the Serengeti
You’ll have to rise up early, as generally it’s a 30-60-minute drive to get to the start line. However once you arrive at the start line, the workers will warmly greet you.
Though it’s nonetheless darkish outdoors, the sky is popping a surprising 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 recent air balloon is heated to supply the mandatory raise for flight, whereas ropes maintain the basket in place.
Simply earlier than takeoff, there’s a transient security briefing and harness demonstration. The crew will instruct you on positioning your self within the basket and what to anticipate in the course of the experience. As soon as every part 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 slightly than rocking by itself, movement illness just isn’t a difficulty.
Often, the recent air balloons have sufficient house and are divided into 4 compartments for a complete of 12 to 16 visitors, 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 unimaginable dawn that completely illuminates the Serengeti plains.
It’s really an exhilarating but serene expertise! As you float over the huge Serengeti landscapes on this hovering vessel, there isn’t any turbulence or loud engine noise to disturb this ambiance; simply you (and a dozen different visitors) having fun with this chicken’s eye view of the animals beneath, together with the fascinating dawn forward.
Throughout a balloon safari within the Serengeti, there’s an abundance of wildlife to watch. With a little bit luck, you may even see a pleasure of lions, swish giraffes, an impressive procession of elephants crossing the huge plains, various hyenas, vibrant birds and quite a few species of plains sport, together with wildebeest, topi, zebra and different antelopes.
The altitude in the course of 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 value noting that any flights over 40 minutes might be charged at full worth.
The chance to view the Serengeti from above is actually unforgettable and can depart you with a long-lasting impression.
What to Deliver on a Scorching Air Balloon Safari
What gadgets must you embody in your packing listing for a Serengeti balloon safari journey? It’s extremely advisable that you just costume appropriately for the safari expertise. This contains 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 sporting a hat will not be ultimate in the course of the balloon experience itself, it can turn out to be useful in the course of the scrumptious bush breakfasts.
Talking of which, bush breakfasts are an absolute should on an African safari. They provide an unimaginable alternative to take pleasure in scrumptious meals amidst the breathtaking surroundings of the huge Serengeti plains.
Additionally, you’ll want to convey binoculars so you’ll be able to rise up shut and private with wildlife and seize superb moments along with your smartphone or digicam. The Serengeti provides numerous alternatives for video and images from excessive above in a sizzling air balloon! Perhaps you wish to take a small digicam bag with private belongings with you, which you’ll safe to the underside of the basket. However consider, that there isn’t a lot room on board to retailer luggage on the ground in the course of the flight, so select properly what you convey.
You would possibly count on the morning to be chilly as you float excessive within the sky, however you’ll be pleasantly shocked to search out it’s not chilly! The recent air balloon glides effortlessly with the wind, eliminating the potential for 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 step by step warms. So there’s no have to bundle up.
When Must you Ebook your Serengeti Balloon Flight?
When is the most effective time to e book your sizzling air balloon journey within the Serengeti? It’s extremely advisable that you just safe your spot within the Serengeti skies as quickly as you affirm your go to. Ballooning is extremely standard, and availability is proscribed. We advocate reserving early to make sure a easy expertise.
Proceed the Safari Afterwards
Proceed your morning with one other game-viewing session. You would have lunch in nature and return within the late night to take pleasure in a leisurely African dinner.
The next day, after breakfast, you proceed with a Sport drive in Ndutu plains – well-known worldwide because it hosts one of many largest mammal migrations. Witnessing over 400,000 calves being born throughout peak season is awe-inspiring!
You should have pleasant morning and afternoon sport drives throughout countless Serengeti plains, that are dwelling to a unprecedented focus of wildlife, together with wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, lions lounging in acacia bushes…the listing goes on! The Serengeti plains boast all members of Africa’s Massive 5 and tens of millions 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 turn into a global vacationer attraction and was acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage website in 1981. As for the shortage of bushes within the Serengeti, it’s largely countless plains; nonetheless, there are some “sausage bushes” that elephants and giraffes feed on.
Be aware that the park faces a number of administration issues, together with poaching, tourism impression, wildfires, and insufficient useful resource monitoring capability. Water shortage is one other vital problem attributable to having just one perennial river (Mara) spanning borders.
Numerous components 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 enhance, poverty, and unsustainable growth tasks additionally contribute to those challenges.
