Flying high over the beautiful savannah expanses of Masai Mara is the ultimate safari experience for any visitor lucky enough to make it here. The environment below is an eternally intriguing mix of riverine forests, massive savannahs, towering escarpments and stony rivers.
Hot-air balloon tours in Masai Mara offer a unique perspective of the vast wildlife that lives below, set against the backdrop of spectacular sunrises. With the spectacular sights below, guests will remember this adventure for a lifetime.
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The best Masai Mara hot air balloon safari tours
Price of a Masai Mara balloon safari
Hot-air balloon trips are fairly expensive, with conservation fees accounting for a significant portion of the price. The cost of a hot air balloon ride begins at $450 per person.
One reason for this is that balloons may only be used for a certain number of hours before they need to be replaced. Balloons are decommissioned after roughly 850 flight hours, and a new balloon must be acquired to ensure the safety of passengers who board a balloon.
The expense of fuel and staff to operate the hot air balloon also contributes to the cost of hot air balloon rides. Crews consist of six crew members and a licensed balloon pilot, as well as 10 individuals who work behind the scenes with the recovery vehicles, transfers and backup operations.
Breakdown of a Masai Mara balloon safari
Hot air balloon safari highlights
- See the Big 5 including lions, elephants and African buffaloes from above, a unique perspective on these incredible animals and their migration patterns
- Experience the silence as you float above the plains, forest and the rivers
- Private tour guide in English and other languages
- Champagne style bush breakfast
- Optional guided walks afterwards with professional guides
Balloon safari inclusions
The following details typical tour inclusions and exclusions on a balloon safari in Masai Mara:
| Tour inclusions | Tour exclusions |
|---|---|
| Transfer from your safari camp or lodge | International/domestic flight transfers |
| Experienced english-speaking guide | Tips to the pilot |
| Park entrance fees | Optional guided walking activities and cultural experiences |
| Champagne breakfast | |
| Conservancy or national reserve landing fees | |
| Government taxes |
Hot air balloon safari essentials and information
What animals will I see on a Masai Mara balloon safari?
Masai Mara is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo) and has a large concentration of Big Cats, making it an ideal study site for hyenas.
The Mara is also world famous for hosting the dramatic Great Migration, which brings 1.5 million wildebeests into its expansive savannahs each July through October. Visitors may also expect to see elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, and cheetahs, in addition to migratory species like zebras
With over 450 animal species in Masai Mara alone, tourists on a Masai Mara hot-air balloon safari early in the morning can enjoy a superb picture of animals in action. Leopards are commonly seen, endangered black rhinos hide in impenetrable thickets, and big rafts of hippo and massive crocodiles may be spotted at Mara River crossings.
As you fly over the reserve, you obtain a better understanding of the Masai Mara ecosystem’s complexities, as well as the synergistic interplay between flora, animals, and humans. You can see how animals eat on vegetation and move when a fresh supply is required.
What should I bring on a Masai Mara hot air balloon safari?
Visitors should remember to bring some warm clothing, and a bag in which you can secure a camera, binoculars, and other personal items. Tour companies can arrange departures for a Masai Mara balloon safari from most lodges and camps in the Greater Mara area.
Booking in advance is strongly recommended as hot air balloon safaris are a very popular activity and can get booked out early (especially during peak season).
What time do Masai Mara hot air balloon safaris typically depart at?
Hot air balloon safaris in Masai Mara typically depart at sunrise, meaning visitors will need to wake up early between 4am and 5am. It is however well and truly worth it as nothing beats the sensation of freedom and thrill that comes with soaring high above the African plains.
As your guide leads you to the balloon launch site, your excitement will rise. While you sip your hot beverage, the balloon crew will fill your balloon and arrange everything for take-off.
Your pilot will give you a briefing before releasing the balloon once you have filled it and climbed into the basket underneath it. As the sun begins to rise, the balloon will gently climb into the sky, displaying a beautiful color display of blazing reds and golds.
Up in the sky, you’ll see animals migrating toward the water to drink and bathe and observe elephant bulls battling for breeding rights whilst cheetah mothers travel effortlessly through the tall grasses in search of food for her offspring.
What happens if the weather is poor?
The hot air ballooning team prioritizes safety, so if weather conditions aren’t good, your flight may be canceled. If this happens, you will be booked for a later flight as soon as feasible. If this is not possible, your money will be reimbursed.
Alternatively, visitors can embark on a guided safari vehicle tour of the savannah and head out across the open plains. A predawn hour provides fascinating insights into animal behavior with hyenas gathering around carcasses, baby elephants playing with birds and gazelles leaping amid the grasslands.
FAQs
Is a balloon ride in Masai Mara worth it?
A hot air balloon safari experience in Masai Mara is well and truly worth it with guests taking in a very unique perspective of the incredible wildlife, landscape and fauna from above on a tranquil journey that will never be forgotten.
How long is a balloon safari in Masai Mara?
A hot air balloon safari in Masai Mara can last from one hour to four hours or even spread out over a multi-day trip, observing the park’s diverse fauna, wildlife and incredible surroundings from above combined with a champagne breakfast and game viewing drive across the plains.
How much is a balloon safari in Masai Mara?
Hot air balloon safaris in Masai Mara can start from US $450 per person for a half day trip, inclusive of a champagne breakfast and game viewing drive over the savannah.