Hot Air Balloon Safari in Kenya – The African Dawn

Want to make your Kenyan safari holiday even more unforgettable? Contact Gamewatchers to find out more about our luxurious hot air balloon safaris in Kenya, over the Maasai Mara.

There is nothing quite like it. The absolute peace of immense vistas, muted colours and crisp fresh air… and the ever present promise of something wild…. as the balloons float you silently above it all “like a dream come true”.

The hot air balloon safari tours in Kenya lift off at dawn (06:15) after coffee and a flight briefing. The one hour flight will give you a bird’s eye view of the best East Africa has to offer in the magnificent setting of the Great Rift Valley.

After you land, a champagne breakfast in the bush adds to the buzz you will get from the early morning air and the sights and sounds that only an eagle ever sees.

Early morning is the ideal time to see wild animals on the plains, and in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya it is an experience you will never forget.

BALLOON FLIGHT RATES 2024:

Balloon Flight In Masai Mara Including Landing Fees & Champagne breakfast upon landing
(Applicable for Balloon Safaris, Adventures Aloft & Hot Air)
Serves camps and lodges including but not limited to: Porini Mara, Porini Lion, Porini Cheetah, Porini Giraffe, Porini Safari Cottages, Tipilikwani Mara, Topi House, Ashnil Mara, Base Camp Mara, Cottars Camp, Encounter Mara, Ilkeliani Camp, Keekorok Lodge, Kicheche Valley Camp, Mara Bush Houses, Mara Bushtops, Entim Mara, Mara Explorer Camp, Mara Interpids Camp, Mara Leisure Camp, Mara Plains, Sarova Mara, Mara Simba, Mara Sopa, Naboisho Camps, Ol Seki Hemingways Mara, Rekero Camp, Sala’s Camp, Sand River Mara, Mara Bushtops, Mara Ngenche, Kicheche Bush, Mahali Mzuri, Olare Mara Kempinski, Spirit Of Mara Lodge, Naibor, Eagle view
 Valid: Jan.24 to Dec. 24
$532 per person
(Applicable for Governors Balloon Safaris) –
Serves camps and lodges including but not limited to: All Governors Camps, Mara Serena Lodge, Kichwa Tembo & Bateleur Camps, Sanctuary Olonana, Mara Engai, Offbeat Mara, Kicheche Mara, Elephant Pepper, Royal Mara Safari Lodge, Karen Blixen Camp, Neptune Mara Rianta, Saruni Mara, Ngerende Island, Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Mara Crossings Camp, Alex Walker’s Serian Camps, Angama Mara, Richard’s Camp

From Jan to March and from  November to 15 December – $525 Per person

April to June 2024 – $498 Per person

From July to October and from 16th December to 31st December – $563 Per person

 

Please note that the above rates are for adults and children above 7 years (below 7 years not allowed unless by special request)
Clients are required to have a valid Mara reserve entry ticket so as to fly on the balloon

NOTE: Skyship balloon company is not permitted in Mara North Conservancy as from 15 Aug 2023.

About the Safari Balloons

The balloons used for Gamewatchers Safari tours stand 10 stories tall and are made by Cameron Balloons of Bristol, England. The safari hot air balloons last about 400 flying hours in the fierce African sun, which means they must be replaced every 2 years.

They are twice the size of Double Eagle II, the balloon the Americans used to successfully cross the Atlantic in August 1978.

The largest of the balloons, the Cameron A315, stands as high as a ten storey building, measures 100 feet across at its circumference and has a volume of 315,000 cubic feet (9000 cubic metres). The A315 is among the largest operational balloons in the world. At sea level it has a lift capability of over two tons (2000 kgs), although in Africa they carry only a maximum of 12 passengers and the pilot.

The safari balloon ‘envelope’ is made of a nylon based fabric, superior to that of a spinnaker sail. The basket is made of woven cane and willow by expert craftsmen in the Royal Workshops for the Blind in Bristol. The design has not been surpassed in over a hundred years of balloon flight as there are few other materials that combine strength with resilience for so little weight.

Flight Control – one of the safest forms of flight

The balloon’s lift comes from hot air which is slightly lighter than the surrounding cold atmosphere. The hotter the balloon the faster it rises. As the balloon cools it slowly descends. The pilot can control the balloon to brush the grass or the tops of trees, yet could if he wished, go as high as 15,000 feet. However, the flying in the Mara is kept more down to earth.

The hot air balloon safaris cannot fly in winds greater than 15 mph (30 kph) so the calm African mornings are the perfect time for a safari flight. The balloons must go where the winds take them but, as winds at varying heights often have varying directions, the pilot can choose his height and hence his direction.

Fuel

The safari balloons are “powered” by ordinary cooking gas to heat the air in the envelope.

The fuel system is duplicated in every respect to prevent failure of the burner. If all power should be lost however,( something which has, in fact, never happened) the balloon would enter a stable cold descent with the envelope acting as a parachute. This feature of the balloon makes it one of the safest forms of flight.

The Pilot

To pilot a hot air balloon, it is necessary to gain a pilot’s licence exactly as with other forms of aircraft. There is a set number of hours of instruction and the same theoretical exams to pass as any fixed wing pilot. Also like their fixed wing counterparts, balloon pilots keep log books, carry out pre-flight checks and monitor the weather conditions for safe flying. In addition, the Balloon pilots have undergone extensive professional training and have international experience.

 

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Concerned about the security of your booking and your own safety while on safari?

We fully appreciate your concerns when it comes to booking a safari in Africa and you can rest assured that your financial security when booking and your own personal safety when on safari is our highest priority. Gamewatchers Safaris is a member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators bonding scheme, backed by a leading insurance company, to ensure your payments are fully protected if a bonded KATO member ceases trading.