Hot Air Ballooning Over Maasai Mara, Kenya
Have you ever had an item on your bucket list for an eternity that you finally got to cross off? This was me when we traveled to Africa. For years I had dreamed of riding in a hot air balloon, but I always said I wanted to do it somewhere fascinating. Floating over hippos at sunrise definitely checked the box!
Our departure time from camp was at 5:00am, and for non-morning people that’s quite an undertaking. Our driver wound his way around pitch black dirt roads where we could only see as far as the headlights reached. When we finally arrived at the balloon launch site, we were met with an exhilarating energy. The staff was buzzing around rapidly preparing 4 hot air balloons for flight, checking in eager visitors, and going through safety briefings. It felt like a dream as the balloons began to inflate, glowing beautifully against the darkness that surrounded us. As the balloons became ready, we all quickly loaded into our basket and excitedly awaited our lift off.
Taking off was slow, steady, and perfectly smooth. It felt magical, as if we were riding on a cloud. As we departed from the launch site, we glided up and over the tree line and were met with a whole new world. Visibility for miles, flying eye level with birds, watching monkeys swing between the trees. I was immediately struck with gratitude for the vantage point I was experiencing. It wasn’t just about the adventure of a hot air balloon ride somewhere neat; it was a unique opportunity to see an incredible ecosystem from an entirely different perspective.
It was loud when the fire would blow, but in the moments where the fire wasn’t being used, it was the most incredible, peaceful, and unbelievable ride – floating over treetops in what felt like slow motion. There are very few moments in life where time stands still, and your circumstances feel so surreal that you can’t even believe them. The golden hue from the sunrise illuminated everything so beautifully. There were moments where we flew so low over the river that we could hear the water rushing and watch the hippos duck under the surface. We saw giraffes walking around in the gaps of the trees and crocodiles feasting on a dead hippo in the river.
Our pilot consistently rotated the balloon so we could take in the views from various directions. There was something special about everyone in the balloon being equally as awestruck by the experience – a mutual respect and admiration for what we were all witnessing. As our flight was nearing an end, we slowly began to descend. Our last animal sighting was a herd of antelope running across the African plains. Because our altitude had decreased quite a bit, our closeness to the ground made it feel as if we were running with them!
The least magical part of the experience, but most hilarious, was the landing. They had briefed us on how to sit down and buckle up once we were a couple minutes from touching down. They had also informed us about the fact that every landing was different and that sometimes it requires multiple touchdowns, etc. They told everyone with long hair to tie it up, which confused me a little. It wasn’t until we landed that I understood why. I thought the basket would land upright, but that’s not how it works (at least for these balloons). They deliberately have to tap down a few times to reduce our speed, and then the basket will slow tip over and drag until it comes to a stop. You then had to climb out from the basket, which was not the easiest task. We thought it was a hilarious situation, but I don’t think everyone else found it as comical as we did!
I couldn’t believe how quickly our one-hour ride had passed. I was sad it was already over, but I finished the experience feeling awestruck, inspired, and grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed the beautiful Masaai Mara from a bird’s eye view. It was a one-of-a-kind experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.
FYI:
In true Africa fashion, there were no disclaimers before the trip explaining how tight the basket would be or any baggage restrictions. You had to be able to climb in and out of the basket with ease since it lands and slowly tips over on its side at the end. If you have any type of handicap, it would’ve made the experience really difficult, if not impossible. You only have to sit down at the very end for the landing, but my legs barely fit and I am only 5’6”. Jacob had a hard time with the space due to his height, and on top of that he had his large camera bag.