Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari: A Bird's-Eye Wildlife Adventure

There is no feeling quite like drifting silently through the cool morning air at 1,000 feet, watching the golden rays of the African sunrise break across the endless plains of the Serengeti. Below you, thousands of wildebeest and zebras march through morning mist, while a pride of lions rests peacefully atop a granite kopje.

A Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari is universally considered one of the ultimate wildlife bucket-list experiences in the world. It provides a rare perspective that no ground-level safari vehicle can ever match.

Floating silently at dawn above hundreds of thousands of wildebeest across the Serengeti savanna.

The Dawn Liftoff Experience

Your morning begins before dawn around 5:00 AM with a warm cup of Tanzanian coffee as your guide whisks you to the launch field. As you arrive, the colossal balloon envelopes are inflated using giant industrial fans followed by the roar of liquid propane burners lighting up the dark sky.

As the sun crests the horizon, you climb into the reinforced wicker basket. The liftoff is so gentle that you barely realize you have left the earth until you see the ground slipping away below your feet.

Treetop Skimming & Aerial Game Viewing

Your licensed commercial balloon pilot steers by ascending and descending to catch different wind currents. The flight alternates between skimming treetops—where you can look directly down into acacia branches at roosting vultures and leopards—to climbing high for breathtaking 360-degree panoramas of the Great Rift Valley landscape.

Witness undisturbed animal behaviors from above without disturbing wildlife with engine noise.

The Legendary Champagne Bush Breakfast

Hot air ballooning carries a historic tradition dating back to 18th-century France: celebrating every safe touchdown with a glass of champagne! Upon landing in the wild, ground crews welcome you with chilled sparkling wine or fresh tropical mimosas.

You are then escorted to a private white-linen dining table set under the shade of an umbrella acacia tree in the open bush. A field chef prepares a full cooked English breakfast: eggs made to order, sizzling sausages, warm pastries, fresh tropical fruit, and rich Tanzanian coffee served on fine china.