You’ve been dreaming of your Tanzanian safari for thus 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 a watch out for giant cats, even larger elephants, and virtually each type of safari wildlife you may 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 unlimited herd or a mom defending her cub or calf. Plus, there’s the Serengeti’s unforgettable surroundings: observe Africa’s iconic acacia timber, the park’s golden grasslands and nice piles of boulders referred to as “kopjes”.
After your Serengeti balloon safari, spend a while on this busy northern Tanzanian city referred to as Arusha, and also you’ll expertise energetic streets full of life and coloration.
Right here’s all the things it is advisable to learn about experiencing the Serengeti from a sizzling air balloon!
Associated learn: 10 Issues to do in Tanzania
Right here’s a fast breakdown:
The right way to Expertise a Serengeti Balloon Safari
Serengeti Nationwide Park gives a novel and exhilarating expertise with its Balloon Safari.
From the vantage level of a sizzling air balloon, you may admire the huge fantastic thing about the Serengeti grasslands and get a complete new perspective on the park’s ample wildlife.
It is a really exceptional 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 resort for an thrilling sport drive.
The new air balloons are normally 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 cellular, bodily match sufficient to fly and have a way of journey. Please word that weight restrictions might apply.
The place to Have a Balloon Safari within the Serengeti
Happening a balloon safari in Africa could be fairly costly, however let me inform you, it’s completely value each penny spent on this unbelievable journey within the sky!
There are a number of designated spots within the Serengeti the place you may take your balloon safari. The very best location for this unique airborne wildlife viewing expertise is determined by components such because the abundance of animals in a selected space of the Serengeti Nationwide Park, the proximity of your lodge or resort, and your selection of balloon operator.
The central a part of the Serengeti gives 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 marvel it’s referred to as “the Serengeti,” as its terrain intently resembles that iconic African nationwide park, with its huge plains and the breathtaking Mara River working by way of it. This area additionally occurs to be one in all one of many few locations the place you may witness firsthand the awe-inspiring phenomenon of the Nice Migration from July to November.
Nevertheless, when you plan your go to between Could and July, Togoro turns into a superb place to watch this exceptional occasion referred to as the Nice Migration.
Annually in East Africa’s Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, a shocking pure spectacle referred to as the “Nice Migration” happens. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and different hoofed animals migrate by way of these lands. And guess what? Togoro is sometimes called the “Golden Plains of the Serengeti” attributable to its picturesque panorama of acacia and sausage timber.
When you’ve booked your Serengeti balloon safari, one in all our workforce members will offer you essential particulars about your early morning pick-up, what to put on, and what to anticipate throughout this extraordinary journey. This informative briefing normally takes place at your lodge the night earlier than your Serengeti Balloon Safari.
What to Count on from a Balloon Safari within the Serengeti
You’ll have to rise up early, as typically it’s a 30-60-minute drive to get to the start line. However whenever you arrive at the start line, the employees will warmly greet you.
Though it’s nonetheless darkish outdoors, the sky is popping a shocking shade of purple. Whereas the workforce prepares the balloon for flight, you may take pleasure in a comforting cup of tea or espresso and a scrumptious biscuit. The new air balloon is heated to offer the required carry 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 trip. As soon as all the things is about up and able to go, you’re free to enter the basket and “fasten your seatbelt”.
Good to know: Because the balloon strikes with the wind relatively than rocking by itself, movement illness isn’t a difficulty.
Often, the recent air balloons have sufficient area and are divided into 4 compartments for a complete of 12 to 16 visitors, making certain 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 really an exhilarating but serene expertise! As you float over the huge Serengeti landscapes on this hovering vessel, there is no such thing as a turbulence or loud engine noise to disturb this ambiance; simply you (and a dozen different visitors) having fun with this hen’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 slightly luck, you may even see a satisfaction 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 degree to skimming the treetops for panoramic views of the Serengeti terrain. On common, flights final roughly one hour, however relying on climate circumstances 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 really unforgettable and can depart you with a long-lasting impression.
What to Convey 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 helpful that you simply gown 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 carrying a hat is probably not ideally suited in the course of the balloon trip itself, it’s going to come in 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 unbelievable 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 may rise up shut and private with wildlife and seize wonderful moments together with your smartphone or digicam. The Serengeti gives numerous alternatives for video and pictures from excessive above in a sizzling air balloon! Possibly you need to take a small digicam bag with private belongings with you, which you’ll be able to safe to the underside of the basket. However consider, that there isn’t a lot room on board to retailer baggage on the ground in the course of the flight, so select properly what you convey.
You would possibly anticipate the morning to be chilly as you float excessive within 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 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 encompassing air additionally steadily warms. So there’s no must bundle up.
When Must you Ebook your Serengeti Balloon Flight?
When is the perfect time to e-book your sizzling air balloon journey within the Serengeti? It’s extremely really helpful that you simply safe your spot within the Serengeti skies as quickly as you verify your go to. Ballooning is extremely fashionable, and availability is restricted. We suggest reserving early to make sure a easy expertise.
Proceed the Safari Afterwards
Proceed your morning with one other game-viewing session. You may 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 infinite Serengeti plains, that are house to a rare focus of wildlife, together with wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, lions lounging in acacia timber…the record goes on! The Serengeti plains boast all members of Africa’s Huge 5 and tens of millions of zebras, birds, and different predators.
Serengeti Nationwide Park is legendary for its huge herds of plains animals similar to wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras. It stays the one place in Africa the place large-scale land-animal migrations nonetheless happen. This park has grow to be a global vacationer attraction and was acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage website in 1981. As for the dearth of timber within the Serengeti, it’s principally infinite plains; nonetheless, there are some “sausage timber” that elephants and giraffes feed on.
Word that the park faces a number of administration considerations, 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, similar to industrialization, human inhabitants development, farming, and poaching – endangering each wildlife species and native communities residing close to the park boundaries. Human-wildlife conflicts, inhabitants enhance, poverty, and unsustainable improvement tasks additionally contribute to those challenges.
