A silent flight over the Serengeti as the sun comes up, with the migration herds, rivers, and woodland spread out below. Landing is met with a champagne breakfast laid out in the bush.
The morning starts in the dark. A vehicle collects you from camp roughly an hour before sunrise and drives to the launch site, where the balloon crew is already inflating the envelope by torchlight. As the basket lifts off, the plains drop away and the colours of sunrise spread across the horizon.
For the next 45 minutes to an hour, the balloon drifts with the wind at varying heights, sometimes low enough to look down on grazing herds and tree lines, sometimes higher for a wider view across the migration routes. Pilots fly according to wind direction and wildlife movement, so no two flights follow exactly the same path.
On landing, the crew sets up a full bush breakfast nearby: eggs, pastries, fruit, coffee, and a glass of sparkling wine if the supplier includes it. A vehicle then collects guests and continues the morning's game drive back to camp.
See migration herds, river crossings, and woodland from a perspective no vehicle offers.
A full breakfast spread laid out on landing, in the open plains.
Vehicle collection from camp roughly an hour before sunrise.
Built into a Serengeti morning, with no extra nights required.
Flights are entirely weather-dependent. Strong wind or rain can cause a launch to be postponed or cancelled, with safety decided by the pilot on the morning itself. Balloons fly from a small number of launch sites, typically in the Serengeti, and seats per flight are limited, so this is an experience to confirm and book well in advance rather than add at short notice. Pricing is set by the balloon operator directly and is best confirmed at the time of booking, as it sits outside standard safari rates and varies by season. For a full picture of conditions by month, see our guide to the best time to visit Tanzania.
Let us know which Serengeti morning works best, and we will check availability with the balloon operator and confirm pricing for your dates.