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. Maintain a watch out for large cats, even larger elephants, and nearly each type of safari wildlife you possibly can 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 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 colour.
Right here’s every part it is advisable 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:
Easy methods 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 scorching air balloon, you possibly can admire the huge great thing about the Serengeti grasslands and get an entire new perspective on the park’s plentiful wildlife.
It is a really exceptional journey.
Start your day at daybreak with a one-hour flight (climate allowing), the place you will note 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 within the wilderness. Then, head again to your resort for an thrilling recreation drive.
The new air balloons are often accessible 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 observe that weight restrictions could apply.
The place to Have a Balloon Safari within the Serengeti
Occurring a balloon safari in Africa may be fairly costly, however let me let you know, it’s completely price each penny spent on this unbelievable journey within the sky!
There are a number of designated spots within the Serengeti the place you possibly can take your balloon safari. The perfect location for this unique airborne wildlife viewing expertise depends upon components such because the abundance of animals in a specific 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 huge cats within the park.
Kogatende is usually in comparison with Switzerland resulting from 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 operating by way of it. This area additionally occurs to be one among one of many few locations the place you possibly can witness firsthand the awe-inspiring phenomenon of the Nice Migration from July to November.
Nevertheless, should you plan your go to between Could and July, Togoro turns into a wonderful place to watch this exceptional occasion referred to as the Nice Migration.
Every year in East Africa’s Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, a surprising pure spectacle referred to as the “Nice Migration” happens. Thousands and 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” resulting from its picturesque panorama of acacia and sausage timber.
When you’ve booked your Serengeti balloon safari, one among our staff members will give you vital 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 stand up early, as generally it’s a 30-60-minute drive to get to the place to begin. However while you arrive at the place to begin, the workers will warmly greet you.
Though it’s nonetheless darkish exterior, the sky is popping a surprising shade of purple. Whereas the staff prepares the balloon for flight, you possibly can 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 every part is about up and able to go, you might be free to enter the basket and “fasten your seatbelt”.
Good to know: Because the balloon strikes with the wind moderately than rocking by itself, movement illness is just not a problem.
Normally, the recent air balloons have sufficient house and are divided into 4 compartments for a complete of 12 to 16 friends, 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 isn’t a turbulence or loud engine noise to disturb this environment; simply you (and a dozen different friends) having fun with this hen’s eye view of the animals under, together with the fascinating dawn forward.
Throughout a balloon safari within the Serengeti, there may be an abundance of wildlife to watch. With slightly luck, you might even see a pleasure of lions, swish giraffes, an imposing 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 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 price noting that any flights over 40 minutes might be charged at full value.
The chance to view the Serengeti from above is really unforgettable and can depart you with a long-lasting impression.
What to Deliver on a Sizzling Air Balloon Safari
What gadgets do you have to embody in your packing checklist for a Serengeti balloon safari journey? It’s extremely really helpful that you simply gown appropriately for the safari expertise. This consists of snug footwear and a light-weight windproof jacket or sweater for the cooler mornings.
Don’t neglect to pack a hat and sunscreen to guard your self from the solar’s rays. Whereas carrying a hat is probably not ultimate in the course of the balloon trip itself, it can 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, remember to carry binoculars so you possibly can stand up shut and private with wildlife and seize wonderful moments together with your smartphone or digital camera. The Serengeti gives numerous alternatives for video and pictures from excessive above in a scorching air balloon! Possibly you need 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 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 carry.
You may 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 new air balloon glides effortlessly with the wind, eliminating the potential 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 steadily warms. So there’s no have to bundle up.
When Must you E-book your Serengeti Balloon Flight?
When is the most effective time to ebook your scorching 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 affirm your go to. Ballooning is extremely widespread, and availability is restricted. We advocate 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 recreation drives throughout limitless Serengeti plains, that are dwelling to a unprecedented focus of wildlife, together with wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, lions lounging in acacia timber…the checklist goes on! The Serengeti plains boast all members of Africa’s Massive 5 and hundreds of 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 timber within the Serengeti, it’s largely limitless plains; nevertheless, there are some “sausage timber” 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 resulting from 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.
