The morning came as a shock. It was 4:30! When I got rid of the guck out of my eyes, I remembered that today was the day we were going to soar in a hot air balloon with Serengeti Balloon Safaris!

On route to the launch pad I alternated between dozing off and humming the words to the song Africa by Toto:

I know that I must do what’s right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
…I felt the rains down in Africa…

As we got close to the launch pad the the sun bolted into the sky with pastel colors painting rainbow streaks across the horizon and banishing the twinkling of the night stars. This was the best wake up EVER!

We crawled into the basket laying on the ground. There is something kind of awkward and yet exciting about laying in a large basket in the dust of the Serengeti – they don’t have snakes here do they? Once we were all loaded up the driver – oops, I mean pilot started the engine (hot air) and we gently started to rise from sideways to vertical. Our excitement of being on this adventure swelled with each inch the balloon lifted into the sky.

I was entranced

Each tree & plant and cactus was starkly outlined against the soft brown Serengeti plains and created a canvas of dreamy beauty that only the masters of the Renaissance have come close to copying. This is a perfect location to watch the plains ‘wake up’ and the wildlife clearly was coming out to play.

We saw many of the usual suspects as we floated with the wind. I spotted a Golden Jackal casually wandering along one of the makeshift jeep tracks. The pilot dropped the balloon to just a few meters over a herd of grunting hippos. This seething mass of pink and grey backs made all the noise you would expect and it smells as bad as you imagine. To be this close to Africa’s most dangerous animal was incredible.

Soaring over the plains

We were lucky enough to have a National Geographic experience in all its brutal glory. We watched as three cheetahs separated out an impala, and the unfortunate creature was chased by the trio. Suddenly one of the cheetahs spun out to the right of the impala, and cut directly towards the prey. Milliseconds later, the impala made its tragic decision to turn left, and completed a 180 degree turn away from the charging cheetah. It was the last decision the impala ever made, as it ran directly into the gaping jaws of the other two cheetahs! Checkmate.

This magical adventure continued with a looping reel of stunning landscapes, wild kingdom moments, and the pure glory of being alive and partaking in this daily evolutionary spectacle. Unlike some of our other trips in Africa, we both consciously decided to focus on the moment rather than trying to get the perfect picture.

One of the most powerful memories was the glorious silence – it was a HUGE abyss of sound- apart from the shouts of glee from the other passengers and the bursts of hot air. We both felt truly fortunate to be able to view and experience the natural world in this way.

This was a top notch experience and didn’t end when the balloon touched the ground. We had speeches by the captains and champagne to share for the great accomplishment of conquering gravity in the midst of the African Serengeti.

The feast to conclude the morning was a spectacle to behold. Lines of chairs and tables were set with linens, silver and stemware in the middle of the Serengeti plains! The buffet was a proper British affair, with beans, toast, and fried tomatoes complete with more champagne and orange juice. No detail was overlooked including the “Loo with a View.”  This might be the best outhouse I have ever been in. The lack of a door allowed me to contemplate life while staring at the vast expanse of the plains before me.

When I hear Toto’s music I close my eyes and relive our experience in all its glory. I feel the hot air from the balloon and listen quietly for the sound of grunting hippos. At these times I am reminded how awe inspiring the experience was and how fortunate we were to experience it. This is a once in a lifetime experience and should not be missed for anyone travelling to the area!

Have you ever roamed in a hot air balloon? We would love to hear about it in the comments below.

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Practical Tips for Soaring over the Serengeti

• Getting to the Serengeti is not an easy thing for a do it yourself kind of trip. For this adventure we used the tour company Dorobo Safaris. They were a top notch organization and we both highly recommend their services. 
• Serengeti Balloon Safari’s is the company that offer this experience. Be prepared for sticker shock..but that is what lines of credit and Visa cards are for. This is something that SHOULD NOT be missed. 
• If you don’t want to set up your safari before you leave your home country then Arusha is the place to get to. From there, you can find many tour operators that can set up your transportation and arrange accommodation. Be sure to let them know you want to book a balloon safari.
  • On a previous trip to the area we booked with Bobby’s Tours and found that they were a good economical option with great service as well. 
• It was cold in the morning so plan to bring a warm jacket. This Arcteryx jacket is nice and warm and packs small. Don’t forget to bring a buff and a toque. 
• Staying healthy is easy in the Serengeti if you follow a few simple rules. Don’t drink the water. We travel with a steripen so we can treat any clear water and it means we buy less plastic bottles. Wash your hands. All the time. And use hand sanitizer. Plan your vaccinations well in advance of your trip. Your family doctor might not know about the weird and wonderful things in the Serengeti. If it is available where you live find a travel doctor. For those of you in Calgary we have loved the services at the Bowmont Travel Clinic. 
• Although photography wasn’t a large focus for us on this trip, you simply can’t go to the Serengeti without some sort of a camera. This is the camera Heather brought with an older version of this lens. 

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