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 singular perspective on a Serengeti balloon safari?
Uncover why so many safari guests fall in love with the Serengeti. Hold a watch 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 that 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 timber, the park’s golden grasslands and nice piles of boulders often known as “kopjes”.
After your Serengeti balloon safari, spend a while on this busy northern Tanzanian city often known as Arusha, and also you’ll expertise energetic streets full of life and shade.
Right here’s every part it’s worthwhile 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:
The best way to Expertise a Serengeti Balloon Safari
Serengeti Nationwide Park gives a singular and exhilarating expertise with its Balloon Safari.
From the vantage level of a scorching air balloon, you’ll be able to admire the huge fantastic thing about the Serengeti grasslands and get an entire new perspective on the park’s ample wildlife.
It is a actually outstanding journey.
Start your day at daybreak with a one-hour flight (climate allowing), the place you will note 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 normally obtainable 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 moderately cellular, 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 could 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’ll be able to take your balloon safari. The most effective 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 alternative 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 on account of 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 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’ll be able to witness firsthand the awe-inspiring phenomenon of the Nice Migration from July to November.
Nevertheless, in the event you plan your go to between Might and July, Togoro turns into a superb place to watch this outstanding occasion often known as the Nice Migration.
Annually 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” on account of its picturesque panorama of acacia and sausage timber.
When you’ve booked your Serengeti balloon safari, one in all our staff 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 normally 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 typically it’s a 30-60-minute drive to get to the start line. However while you arrive at the start line, the employees will warmly greet you.
Though it’s nonetheless darkish outdoors, the sky is popping a surprising shade of purple. Whereas the staff 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 required 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 about up and able to go, you’re 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 shouldn’t be a problem.
Normally, 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 actually 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 environment; simply you (and a dozen different visitors) having fun with this fowl’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 just a little luck, you may even see a pleasure of lions, sleek giraffes, an impressive procession of elephants crossing the huge plains, numerous 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 price noting that any flights over 40 minutes can 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 Carry on a Scorching Air Balloon Safari
What objects do you have to embrace in your packing listing for a Serengeti balloon safari journey? It’s extremely really helpful that you simply costume appropriately for the safari expertise. This contains snug 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 might not be very best in the course of the balloon experience itself, it’ll 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 unbelievable alternative to take pleasure in scrumptious meals amidst the breathtaking surroundings of the huge Serengeti plains.
Additionally, you should definitely carry 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 gives 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 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 correctly what you carry.
You may anticipate the morning to be chilly as you float excessive within the sky, however you’ll be pleasantly stunned to seek out it’s not chilly! The recent 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 encompassing air additionally steadily warms. So there’s no have to bundle up.
When Must you Ebook your Serengeti Balloon Flight?
When is the perfect time to e-book 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 verify your go to. Ballooning is extremely in style, and availability is proscribed. We suggest reserving early to make sure a clean 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’ll have pleasant morning and afternoon sport drives throughout infinite Serengeti plains, that are house to a unprecedented focus of wildlife, together with wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, lions lounging in acacia timber…the listing goes on! The Serengeti plains boast all members of Africa’s Massive 5 and thousands and thousands of zebras, birds, and different predators.
Serengeti Nationwide Park is legendary for its huge herds of plains animals akin 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 world vacationer attraction and was acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage web site in 1981. As for the shortage of timber within the Serengeti, it’s largely infinite plains; nevertheless, there are some “sausage timber” 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 vital problem on account of having just one perennial river (Mara) spanning borders.
Varied components threaten the ecosystem of Serengeti Nationwide Park, akin 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 initiatives additionally contribute to those challenges.
