A Serengeti Hot-Air Balloon Safari: What to Expect

Few single add-ons are as memorable as a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti. The balloon takes off at first light, while winds are at their calmest, and floats silently across the plains for about 45 minutes to an hour. No fixed route is followed. Be aware from the start that wind direction on the day determines the flight path. A balloon can't be steered toward a particular animal, so what you see from above depends on conditions, not on a guaranteed itinerary. The uncertainty is part of the appeal, not a defect. Once you touch down, a proper champagne bush breakfast usually follows, set up in the field by a ground crew that has been waiting at the landing site. It is a lovely finish to a morning that started well before sunrise. Browse our safari itineraries, or contact us to add a balloon safari to your trip.