You start at dawn when the landscape is still and silent. Then there is the hiss of the burner, heating the air and providing a first glimpse of light. Slowly and gracefully, the balloon starts to rise and the current takes it, and you, on a wonderful journey as dawn breaks over the plains of Africa. This really is a wildlife experience unlike any other!
From the air, you can better appreciate the sheer scale of the Masai Mara ecosystem, its seemingly endless savannah plains extending into the far horizon. During the migration season, hot air balloon safaris take on a very special appeal, as the sheer magnitude of the wildebeest and zebra herds can be better appreciated (and better captured on camera) from the air.
After an hour, give or take, you return to land where the chef is already preparing your bush breakfast while you toast yourself and your fellow travellers with a glass of champagne!
No two balloon safaris are the same, with the air current and your pilot dictating the route you take on any given day. And, of course, you can never predict what wildlife you will encounter. On balloon safaris in the Masai Mara and in the neighbouring Serengeti, our staff have had hugely varied experiences, with highlights including two cheetahs sprinting after unknown prey in the savannah grasslands, a Bateleur eagle hovering within close range of the balloon, and a close encounter with a very noisy hippo pod!
