Our Top Hot Air Ballooning Tours
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Hot Air Ballooning Tours
Important to Know
When I recommend a hot air balloon safari, I don’t present it as simply another activity to add to a safari checklist. I see it as a completely different way of experiencing the wilderness. Instead of following wildlife along a road, I can take you quietly above the landscape at sunrise, giving you a broad perspective of the plains, rivers, woodland and animals below.
I’ve found that the experience is particularly well suited to couples, photographers, luxury travelers, first-time safari travelers who want a special highlight, and anyone who values atmosphere as much as wildlife sightings. It is also a wonderful option for a honeymoon or milestone trip because the experience feels different from a normal game drive.
I do want to correct one common misconception, though. A balloon safari is not a replacement for a game drive. I cannot control exactly where the balloon travels because the pilot works with the wind, and I cannot promise that you will see a particular animal from the air. What I can offer is a rare perspective, exceptional morning light and the feeling of moving silently over a living landscape.
I currently see Kenya and Tanzania as the strongest choices for this experience, particularly the Maasai Mara, Amboseli ecosystem and Serengeti. I usually recommend adding one balloon flight to a broader safari rather than building an entire trip around it.
Browse my recommended tours below, or contact me if you’d like help choosing the right one.
Table of Contents
My Advice Before You Choose
My first advice is simple: don’t book a balloon safari just because it sounds impressive. I want you to ask whether the experience fits the way you actually travel. If you would rather spend every possible minute on a game drive tracking predators at ground level, I may tell you to keep the money for another safari day instead.
I also advise travelers to understand what they are paying for. A typical flight is around an hour, but the experience starts much earlier with a pre-dawn transfer and launch preparation. In the Serengeti, for example, operators commonly collect guests in the very early morning, with the flight taking place around sunrise and a bush breakfast following the landing.
Before I recommend a flight, I would ask myself:
- Do I value the experience of being above the landscape more than maximizing ground-level wildlife time?
- Am I comfortable waking before sunrise?
- Can I stand for the duration of the flight and manage getting into and out of the basket?
- Would I enjoy photography from a completely different perspective?
- Is this a special occasion where one memorable experience matters more than adding another standard activity?
- Am I comfortable with the fact that the flight path depends on the wind?
- Have I left enough flexibility in my itinerary in case weather prevents the flight?
- Is the additional cost worthwhile to me?
I also recommend booking early when the balloon flight is important to the trip. Capacity is limited, and popular safari periods can sell out in advance.
Most importantly, I never schedule a balloon flight on a morning when you have a tight onward connection. Weather can affect operations, so I prefer to give the experience breathing room within your itinerary rather than create unnecessary pressure.
What I Can Expect
- A pre-dawn start: I expect you to leave your camp or lodge while it is still dark so that you can reach the launch area before sunrise. In some Serengeti operations, collection can begin around 4:00–5:15am.
- Sunrise from above: I recommend ballooning primarily for the perspective and atmosphere of watching the landscape change as the sun rises.
- Approximately one hour in the air: I generally plan around a 45–60 minute flight, although the exact duration can vary by operator and conditions.
- Wildlife viewed from the air: I may see elephants, giraffes, hippos, antelope and, seasonally, large concentrations of wildebeest, but I never promise a specific sighting because the balloon follows the wind.
- A different photographic perspective: I find the elevated viewpoint particularly useful for photographing landscapes, animal patterns, rivers, herds and the changing morning light.
- A bush breakfast: I usually recommend choosing an experience that includes breakfast after landing, as it gives the morning a natural conclusion rather than simply ending when the balloon touches down.
- A game drive afterwards: Where the itinerary allows, I prefer to continue with a ground game drive after breakfast so I get both the aerial perspective and close wildlife encounters.
- Physical participation: I expect travelers to be reasonably mobile because entering the basket, standing during the flight and following landing instructions require some physical ability. Specific restrictions vary by operator.
- Weather dependence: I treat the flight as weather-dependent. If conditions are unsuitable, the operator may delay or cancel the flight rather than compromise safety.
- A premium experience: I regard ballooning as a premium safari add-on rather than an essential part of every itinerary. Current published 2026 prices commonly sit around several hundred US dollars per person, depending on destination and operator.
Who I Recommend This For
Couples and Honeymooners
I particularly recommend ballooning to couples because it gives me an opportunity to create a quieter, more intimate moment within an otherwise active safari. Watching sunrise together above the savannah, followed by breakfast in the bush, can become one of the defining memories of the trip.
Luxury Travelers
If I’m designing a premium safari, I see a balloon flight as a worthwhile addition when the traveler values distinctive experiences rather than simply a higher room category. I recommend it because it changes the perspective of the safari rather than merely making the same experience more comfortable.
Wildlife Photographers
I recommend ballooning to photographers who understand that the value is different from a normal game drive. From above, I can sometimes capture patterns of herds, winding rivers, isolated animals and the geometry of the landscape that I simply cannot reproduce from a safari vehicle.
First-Time Safari Travelers
For a first safari, I recommend ballooning as an addition, not a substitute for game drives. It gives me another way to introduce you to the scale of the ecosystem while leaving the majority of your wildlife viewing at ground level.
Repeat Safari Travelers
I especially like ballooning for travelers who have already experienced a conventional safari. If you’ve spent several days in a safari vehicle before, seeing the same wilderness from above can make a familiar destination feel completely different.
Travelers Celebrating Something Special
If you’re marking a honeymoon, anniversary, birthday or major milestone, I may recommend a balloon flight because it creates a distinct event within the safari rather than simply adding another game drive to the schedule.
Who May Prefer Something Else
I may recommend skipping ballooning if your main priority is maximizing time on the ground. A balloon flight takes up a significant portion of the morning once I include the pre-dawn transfer, launch preparation, flight, landing and breakfast.
I would also suggest another activity if you are uncomfortable with heights or do not enjoy the idea of standing in a basket for the flight. Although the balloon itself is gently carried by the wind, the experience is still fundamentally an aerial adventure.
If you have significant mobility limitations, I would want to discuss the specific operator’s requirements before booking. Some operators require guests to climb into the basket, stand unassisted and adopt a particular landing position.
Finally, I would not recommend ballooning to someone who is stretching a tight safari budget simply because it is considered a “must-do.” I would rather put that money toward additional safari days, better-located accommodation or a private vehicle if those things would make a greater difference to the trip.
Final Guidance
I see hot air ballooning as a special addition to a safari, not a requirement for having a great safari. I recommend it when the experience itself matters to you—the sunrise, silence, changing light, aerial perspective and sense of scale. I don’t recommend paying for it simply because someone told you that you haven’t “done Africa properly” without one.
For me, the strongest balloon safari is one that fits naturally into the wider itinerary. I want the pre-dawn start to make sense, the camp or lodge to be conveniently positioned, the morning to continue with a good breakfast or game drive, and enough flexibility to deal with weather. That planning matters because the flight itself may last only around an hour, while the complete experience occupies much more of the morning.
I also want to set the right expectations about wildlife. I cannot control where the wind takes the balloon, and I cannot promise a particular animal will appear directly below you. What I can do is choose the destination carefully and build the rest of the morning around the experience so that you’re not relying on the balloon alone to make the day worthwhile.
If you’re considering a balloon safari in Kenya or Tanzania, I encourage you to browse my recommended tours below and look at how I have incorporated the experience into the wider itinerary. If you’re unsure whether it is worth the additional cost, tell me what matters most to you, and I’ll give you an honest recommendation.
If you’re still unsure, I’d rather help you choose the right safari than have you book the wrong one. Feel free to get in touch, and I’ll happily point you in the right direction.
FAQs
I normally plan it as an early-morning experience rather than simply a one-hour flight. I arrange for you to leave your camp before sunrise, reach the launch site, receive the safety briefing, watch the balloon being prepared and then take flight as the landscape begins to brighten. After landing, I usually recommend continuing with a bush breakfast and, where possible, a game drive.
I think it can be, but I wouldn’t say it is automatically worth it for everyone. I recommend it when you value a distinctive experience, aerial photography, sunrise scenery or a special occasion more than adding another conventional game drive. If your budget is limited, I may recommend spending the money elsewhere.
Not necessarily, and I think it is important to be honest about this. From a balloon, I can see large areas of wilderness and sometimes spot herds or individual animals that are difficult to appreciate from the ground, but I don’t have the same ability to stop, follow tracks or approach wildlife as I do in a safari vehicle. I recommend ballooning for perspective and atmosphere rather than as a guaranteed way to see more animals.
I would primarily look at Kenya and Tanzania, particularly the Maasai Mara, Amboseli ecosystem and Serengeti. The Maasai Mara and Serengeti are especially compelling because the broad savannah landscapes work beautifully from the air, while Amboseli adds the possibility of spectacular views toward Mount Kilimanjaro when conditions are right.
I don’t need a special type of accommodation, but I do need to consider where your camp or lodge is located in relation to the launch site. The earlier the flight, the more important this becomes because a poorly positioned property can mean a very long pre-dawn transfer. I therefore choose accommodation and balloon logistics together rather than booking the two independently.
I normally arrange an early-morning transfer from your safari camp or lodge to the launch area. The exact timing depends on where you’re staying and where the balloon operates that morning, because the launch point and flight path can change with operating conditions. After landing, I can usually reconnect you with your safari vehicle or arrange the next part of your itinerary.
Yes, but I distinguish between customizing the experience around the flight and controlling the flight itself. I can help choose the destination, timing within your safari, accommodation, transfers and how the balloon experience fits with your game drives, but I cannot dictate the exact flight path because the balloon travels with the wind.
I recommend that travelers check the operator’s requirements before booking. In general, I expect passengers to be able to climb into the basket, stand for the flight and follow the pilot’s landing instructions; some operators also have age, mobility or weight requirements. I always want these details confirmed in advance rather than discovering a restriction on the morning of the flight.
I recommend booking it as early as I can if the experience is important to you because balloon capacity is limited, particularly during popular safari periods. I also prefer scheduling it early enough in your stay that there is some flexibility if weather prevents the flight. I would never put it immediately before a flight or other time-critical connection.
I would make that decision based on what you want to remember about the trip. If you want more time tracking wildlife at ground level, I would put the money toward another game drive or safari day; if you want a completely different perspective and a memorable sunrise experience, I would choose the balloon. For a first-time safari, my preference is usually to have several good ground-based game drives first and then add ballooning if the budget allows.