Masai Mara Hot air balloon safari

Masai Mara Hot air balloon safari : Masai Mara hot air balloon is an ultimate once in a lifetime experience offering a unique way of exploring the endless plains of Masai Mara national reserve. This fascinating and exhilarating safari experience offering you an opportunity to fly over the endless plains high up in the skies above the landscape below composed of the never ending mixture of riverine forests, sprawling savannahs, towering escarpments and rugged rivers.

Hot air balloon experience offers a unique vintage point of the abundant wildlife living in the plains of Maasai Mara such as lion, elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, wildebeests, elands, gazelles among others.

Masai Mara Hot air balloon safari
Masai Mara Hot air balloon safari

Here is a guide to Masai Mara hot air balloon experience

FLYING HIGH ABOVE THE PLAINS OF MASAI MARA

There is no experience that can be compared to the feeling of freedom and exhalation you get when flying above the African plains of Masai Mara national reserve, hot air balloon safari in Masai Mara national reserve requires tourists to wake up at the crack of the dawn which might sound less than pleasant. However, the rewards of waking up as early as possible for this high flying adventure greatly outweigh the inconvenience of having to set your alarm clock about between 04:00 -05:00 AM.

After having a cup of coffee, your guide will pick you from your safari lodge or camp and take you to the balloon launch you will set off the growing feeling of anticipation in you. If you didn’t have a cup of coffee, you will have it at the launch pad as you watch the balloon crew as they inflate the balloon and prepare everything for take-off. Once the balloon is filled and everything is set, you will be guided and climb into the basket beneath the balloon. Your pilot of the day will give you a short briefing before setting the balloon into motion, as the sun begins to rise in to a stunning color band of fiery reds and gold your balloon will slowly rise to the skies which is a sight to lookout for.

HOT AIR BALLOON EXPERIENCE IN MASAI MARA

HOT AIR BALLOONING & THE ANNUAL GREAT MIGRATION

Hot air balloon experience is one of the best activities to do in Masai Mara national reserve if you are intending to witness the annual great wildebeest migration, one of the wonders of the wildlife experienced in the world.

Wildebeest migration is a wildlife phenomenon and annual movement of over million wildebeests and hundred thousands of zebras and gazelles in search for water and green pasture between the Mara Serengeti ecosystems. In Masai Mara national reserve the migration is present between the months of July and October which is also the best time to fly over the African plains and witness the large herds of wildebeests which are in millions accompanied by zebras and gazelles.

Flying above the huge herds in a hot air balloon is one of the best ways to grasp the enormity of migration and what is taking place, other exciting sights to behold during the hot air balloon experience include watching predators such as lions hunting their prey, spotting leopards perched up high in tree and seeing active hyena dens.

Every hot air balloon flight brings with it a great opportunity to see new and exciting sight below  the plains of Masai Mara, you pilot will make sure to fly you lower at time to allow you to get the best possible pictures.

Masai Mara Hot air balloon safari
Balloon Safaris

 Hot air balloon is also the best experience for photographers intending to get incredible pictures of the Masai plains and the annual wildebeest migration.

MASAI MARA HOT-AIR BALLOON FLIGHT PRICE

Hot air balloon flights are quiet pricey most especially in the remote areas of Masai Mara national reserve, hot air balloon in Masai Mara costs about US$ 500. The balloon rides are quiet pricey and this is because of the fact that the balloons can only be used for a limited number of hours before they need replacing.

Normally after approximately 850 flight hours, balloons are retired and a new balloon must e purchased. This is done in order to guarantee the safety of those who board a balloon, what makes the hot air balloon flight expensive is the cost of fuel and the crew that operates the hot air balloon. The crew is made up of 6 members and a licensed balloon pilot, additionally ten more people behind the scenes per balloon are responsible for getting each hot air balloon airborne. In total, hot air balloon flights are operated by a group of quite a big group of people who livelihoods depend on the proceeds from hot air balloon flights.

Additionally, each hot air balloon flight requires recovery vehicles, transfer vehicles and backup operations. Also large portions of the hot air balloon flight fee are made up of conservation fees.

Price for hot air balloon safari includes

  • Approximately one hour hot air balloon flight
  • Transfer from your safari camp or lodge
  • Champagne style bush breakfast
  • Transfer back to camp after breakfast
  • Conservancy or national reserve landing fees

PLANNING A MASAI MARA BALLOON SAFARI

As Focus East Africa Tours a trusted tour company we can arrange for your departures for a Masai Mara balloon safari from most of the safari lodges and camps found in the Great Mara Area. If you are planning on doing a hot air balloon safari in Masai Mara national reserve, we recommend booking a balloon safari in advance. This safari activity is very popular and gets booked out early most especially in the peak season, so you wouldn’t want to miss out.

Also remember to pack some warm clothing, a good camera, binoculars and other personal items.

What happens if the weather is poor?

Hot air balloon experience bases so much on the weather conditions that why the question asked by most of the tourists is what happens of the hot air balloon flight is cancelled due to poor weather. First and foremost, safety is top priority to the hot air ballooning crew so if the weather is not suitable for the flight, the experience will be cancelled. After the cancellation, your flight will be rescheduled for later time and if its not possible then your money will be refunded.

book a trip