There's no quieter way to see the Serengeti than from a wicker basket, floating a few hundred feet above the plains as the first light spills over the horizon. Our hot air balloon safari lifts off before dawn and carries you silently over rivers, woodland and open grassland while the park below wakes up: buffalo and giraffe grazing, predators finishing a night's hunt, the sky turning gold. It's a rare, unhurried view of a landscape most visitors only ever see from the ground, and one of the better hours you'll spend on a Tanzania safari.
Experience HighlightsA driver picks you up from your camp or lodge while it's still dark and transfers you to the launch site, timed so you arrive just as the crew starts preparing the balloons for flight.
Watch the balloon come to life as the crew unrolls the envelope and fires the burners to inflate it in front of you. Your pilot gives a short safety briefing before you board the basket.
Lift off gently as the sun begins to rise over the plains, climbing quietly into the cool morning air with the Serengeti spreading out beneath you.
Drift with the wind over rivers, woodland and open grassland, scanning for elephant, giraffe, buffalo and, with some luck, predators moving through the early light. Your pilot narrates as you go.
Touch down gently on the plains, where the ground crew has laid out a champagne bush breakfast under the open sky. You'll get a signed flight certificate before the transfer back to your camp or lodge, arriving around 9:30–10:00am.
Launch site varies by season. Flights depart from Central Serengeti year-round, from the Western Corridor and Northern Serengeti between June and October, and from Ndutu in the Southern Serengeti between December and March. We'll confirm the exact launch point once we know your safari route and travel dates.
| Season | Per Person |
|---|---|
| Low Season | $550 |
| Peak Season (Jun–Oct & Dec–Mar) | $600 |
Tell us your Serengeti travel dates and we'll confirm the launch site, availability, and a tailored quote within 24 hours.