We rattled along a dirt road in the pre-dawn darkness. The outlines of strangers were illuminated by the console of the Landcruiser as we raced over the bumps and curves to the hot air balloon launch spot in the Northern Serengeti.
As we had learned in the days leading up to this one, the early morning appears to be filled with balloons over the Serengeti – baubles on the dawn. The burner was like a giant breath – a series of contented sighs over the immense Serengeti plains.
As a child and, later, a teenager, I had nightly recurring dreams of flying in a hot air balloon. This was an outrageous imagining for one who, in reality, can’t shake the shiver at the thought of flying and fears heights. There was excitement at the unknown and yet also a feeling of the familiar.
We drove into a great clearing with balloons and baskets on their sides. The familiar was gone. This was pioneering. Who thought of doing this for the first time? We warmed our hands on our coffee cups while the balloon took shape. We were given a safety briefing by our wonderful pilot, Trevor, as the scenery coloured – as if revived by these great balloon breaths. Soft, orange-coloured grasses and swirling black and silver and pink on the famous Mara River.
We slipped into the basket, which was on its side, and clipped in our harnesses. Rocket-launch position. There was something pure about it – the weave of the basket, the heat of the burner, the sudden power of air as the balloon filled. I looked up and it was like a silky vaulted cathedral ceiling.
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Lift off. A gradual, gentle climb that took us up, up, up – inching over the Mara River. A water mongoose shot away when it saw us. We flew just over hippos and crocodiles as we tried to gain height. The scenery grew all around us as we flew over the distant sunrise. The dust of our support car flew up like glitter confetti. Distance was given depth as we soared, the sunlight glancing off the grass as plain upon plain was given a new dimension.
We were surrounded by balloons at different levels. We were like champagne bubbles – no greater way to celebrate the beginning of the day. We drifted over elephants, who spread their ears and ran away in distrust. We passed over the tops of beautiful tented camps – canvas roofs connected by walkways. They had the appearance of living organisms made microscopic from the air.
Eventually we went right up high. It was an almost stratospheric high; a rarefied god’s eye view as life continued below us. As the distance grew between the balloons, I marvelled at the feeling of stillness within me. Basket, breath, balloon, burner. When humankind becomes the dandelion seed.
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The Great Migration was below us and wildebeest were everywhere. They walked in regimental lines, they grazed in haphazard patterns, and they kicked out in great running formations – shifting shadows on the plains below us.
Afterwards, my mind wandered between thoughts of how we’ve been driven to explore our ingenuity in order to physically explore. I’ve puzzled around the idea of discovery; that, from a balloon, it can be both thrilling and idyllically tranquil – that, from high, we can have vision without claiming anything. A quick photograph, acceptance that the wind will keep us moving. Can there be a more peaceful sense of transience?
In the balloon, however, my mind was free of these kinds of thoughts. I wanted to savour what could possibly have been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. More perfect plains revealing just a seemingly never-ending braille-scape of wildebeest. Being just above eye level with vultures, watching them devour a kill – a deadly flower shape of carrion and competition.
We saw birds on the edges of waterholes and hyenas did a loping run as we came in to land. Our ground team was waiting and we climbed out of the basket. I was filled with exhilaration and total wonder, but my feet felt heavy on the ground. Back to reality – with gravity.
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1783 was the first manned balloon flight. The story that we were told was that they had originally put farm animals into the basket, but this hadn't ended so well. The villagers of rural France at the time had no way of knowing that such a contraption existed - and so killed all the animals in fear that they were air-borne demons.
When the time came to put people into the basket, a genius plan was hatched - one that would be sure to convince the villagers of their French heritage. Legend has it that they carried champagne to ease the worries of the villagers that they were demons coming out of the sky. Champagne could only have its origins on Earth! This is why it has become tradition to drink champagne after every flight – as a gesture of goodwill and gratitude. “Maisha marefu,” was the traditional Tanzanian toast – wishing you and those around you a long life. We sipped of this simple earthly pleasure – connected to this terrestrial home by the most unique, heavenly experience.
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In his beautiful book of essays on life and grief, Julian Barnes writes a chapter on the history of ballooning with the opening line, “You put two things together that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice it at the time, but that doesn’t matter. The world is changed nonetheless.”
The balloon of a hot air balloon is called the ‘envelope’ and I’ve come to find this quite fitting. Some ink-free, slow-revealing airmail message on the power of our experiences to earmark moments forever. When I think back on this once-in-a-lifetime wonder, who I shared it with, the scenes I soaked in from the basket, the world itself may remain fundamentally the same, but at least one life on board was changed.
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A Serengeti balloon safari has a few unique packing requirements to keep in mind:
Take a warm layer. You'll be on the road before dawn and you'll be grateful for a warm layer before the sun heats up - especially in the winter months. On the balloon itself, the heat of the burner is very toasty, so make sure you are equally prepared to remove layers after take-off.
Wear comfortable, practical clothing. As with every element of your safari, your choice of clothing makes a difference to your experience. Remember that you are going to have to climb in and out of the basket, so pick clothing that's easy to move in. Your safari clothing is a great fit for this.
Wear comfortable, closed shoes. You will be standing to look over the side of the basket during the flight, so wearing comfortable shoes is important. We recommend closed shoes.
A small bag or packpack. You're advised against taking too many things with you and you can expect the operators to limit you to a small backpack or satchel for carrying your camera and other belongings. Whatever loose items you take along, it's advised that these can be secured so you don't lose them during the flight or landing. You might want to pack your jewellery and sunglasses into a secure pocket for the course of the flight to be safe.
Binoculars. As with any safari activity, binoculars are a top tool for great game-viewing. When spotting game from the air, having optics on-hand will help you to see distant wildlife from a height. However, as above, make sure these are secured when you're in the basket. Some operators supply these onboard, so find this out beforehand.
