Serengeti balloon safari : Serengeti national park is among the wildlife viewing destinations in Tanzania which offers hot air balloon safaris. The hot air balloon safaris are carried out at sunrise and this activity is done in different parts of Serengeti national park including the central part, the northern plains, and the western and southern parts of the national park.
From the hot air balloon you can enjoy the views of the plains below and also see wildlife species in the savannah during a safari in Serengeti national park. The hot air balloon safaris start as early as 5:00 am.
The hot air balloon safari experience in Serengeti national park includes round trip transfers, one hour hot air balloon ride, breakfast and also champagne. The charge for the hot air balloon safari is about 600 USD per person.
In Serengeti national park, hot air balloon safaris are art of an all-inclusive experience which begins with pick up and then a briefing and followed by getting on the hot air balloons and starting the one hour wonderful experience.
Throughout the year the hot air balloon safaris can be done in Serengeti national park and the best time to do the activity is the dry season from June to October and also from December to March. Taking a hot air balloon ride during the wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park is another enjoyable experience during safaris in Tanzania.
The hot air balloons in Serengeti national park take a capacity of about 12 to 16 people during safaris. Booking in advance is highly recommended for safaris to Serengeti national park so as to get availability for the hot air balloon safari.
There are also private hot air balloon safaris when visiting Serengeti national park and they are good for people travelling as families. Hot air balloon safaris can also be done as part of group safaris in Serengeti national park.
Hot air balloon safaris are also done during the rainy season in Serengeti national park around March to April and also in November and December. The mornings are usually clear which makes it possible to do the hot air balloon rides and the vegetation is also lush during this time of the year when the wildebeest migration is in the central part of Serengeti national park.
In other parts of Serengeti national park, the hot air balloon safaris are carried out around December to March when the activity can be done in the Ndutu area, from June to October the hot air balloon safaris can be done in the western part of Serengeti national park, in the northern part of Serengeti national park the hot air balloon safaris can be done during the months around July to November. Hot air balloon safaris in the central part of Serengeti national park are carried out all year round.
Some of the restrictions of hot air balloon safaris around Serengeti national park include that a minimum of children allowed to do the activity is 7 years. If a child is 6 years old and is not over 1.4 m and enhanced sitting cushion and enhanced safety belt can be used.
Another way for children to enjoy the hot air balloon experience during tours to Serengeti national park is by taking them to the launch site where they can watch the launch of the hot air balloons and also join the rest of the group for the full English breakfast after landing and this experience is not charged for children.
Other people with restrictions for the hot air balloon safari experience in Serengeti national park include pregnant women and people with mobility or health conditions like heart conditions, neck or back problems.
During the hot air balloon safaris in Serengeti national park passengers are to be able to bend their knees, hold on rope handles with both hands during takeoff and landing, passengers are also expected to be able to climb into and out of the basket. Many other safety measures are communicated during a briefing by the pilots before climbing into the baskets.
Passenger weight limitations for the hot air balloon safari in Serengeti national park is 80 kg and those who weigh more than the 80 kg may be required to pay for 2 seats during the hot air balloon ride.
Other locations for the hot air balloon safaris around Tanzania include Tarangire national park where you can see many elephants during a safari, Ruaha national park in the southern part of Tanzania and also in Nyerere national park which is the largest national park in Tanzania.
Activities apart from hot air balloon safaris to be done in Serengeti national park include game drives carried out in the morning afternoon and also for a full day, guided nature walks are also done in the national park during tours as well as cultural tours and also bird watching.
When visiting Serengeti national park, park entrance fee is among the costs incurred during the tours and this fee is 70 USD in the high season and 60 USD in the low season for nonresidents above 16 years of age, 10,000 Tanzania shillings is park entrance fee paid by Tanzanians and East Africans above 16 years of age visiting Serengeti national park and residents or expatriates above 16 years of age visiting the national park are charged park entrance fee of 35 USD in the high season and 30 USD in the low season.
In this park children below the age of 5 years are not charged park entrance fee. Children are also considered individuals aged between 5 and 15 years and they are charged park entrance fee of 20 USD for nonresidents, 10 USD for residents and 2000 Tanzania shillings for Tanzanians.
How to get to Serengeti national park
Serengeti national park can be accessed by different means of transport including flight and also driving. There are different airlines which provide flights to the national park such as Coastal Aviation, Regional Air, Flight Link, Auric Air, and Precision Air among others.
The drive from Arusha town to Serengeti national park takes about 7 hours.
