Bucket List / Experience Goals
Balloon Over The Masai Mara
Still to do
Float silently over the savannah at sunrise as herds of wildebeest, zebra and elephants move across the plains below.
The adventure
Take-off is in the half-dark, with the burners lighting up the grass and the basket lifting gently off the ground. Then the sun comes up over the Mara, turning the plains gold, and you're drifting a few hundred feet up with the whole reserve below you.
From the air you see things you can't from a jeep: the paths animals have worn through the grass, the line of trees along the Mara River, elephants moving in single file, and in migration season, wildebeest stretching to the horizon. Hippos surface in the river and giraffes glance up as your shadow passes. After a soft landing on the grass there's breakfast laid out on white tablecloths in the middle of the savannah, which is about as civilised as a safari gets.
Why it’s epic
- Sunrise over the Maasai Mara from a balloon basket.
- Wildebeest and zebra herds during the Great Migration.
- A bush breakfast where you land.
What it is
A dawn balloon flight over the Mara's grasslands, followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush. In migration season you may drift over huge herds of wildebeest and zebra.
How to do it
Book through your safari lodge or camp. Flights take off around sunrise and last about an hour.
Top tip
Combine it with your game drives on the same day, as the balloon is usually back by mid-morning.
Need to know
- Flights are weather-dependent and very early.
- Reserve fees are charged separately from the flight.
- Book well ahead for July to October.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- A morning
- Best time to go
- July to October for the Great Migration
- Fly into
- NBO airport
Balloon safaris are a premium add-on to a Mara trip.
Make it happen
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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