Hot Air Balloon ride at sunrise

Hot Air Balloon rides

Enjoy an early morning hot air balloon ride over the bushveld near the Kruger Park. You glide above the veld at sunrise for approximately one hour before landing and enjoying a champagne brunch.

On arrival at the launch site you enjoy some tea, coffee and biscuits. You also have a chance to watch the final stages of preparing the balloon for flight.

After a short briefing, you are up and away. Now you can relax and enjoy the flight and the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The launch site is in the foothills of the mountains and the terrain consists of small hills and hidden valleys. The distant views to the west are of the mountains – God’s Window is clearly visible from the ‘other’ side, as is the Blyde River Canyon. The views to the east are of the land gradually flattening out towards the horizon, with the Sabie River winding its way towards the sunrise. The vegetation is a mix of riverine forest, indigenous bush and fruit orchards, and the sub-tropical climate ensures that the area is green and lush almost all year round.

After you land, you are collected by the support vehicle and served South Africa champagne to celebrate the flight. You then head off to a nearby country lodge for a delicious breakfast.

Practicalities

The hot air ballooning takes place near Hoedspruit. So it is ideal to combine it with a visit to one of the northern game lodges such as in the Timbavati Game Reserve. But given the very early start, we recommend staying at a country lodge as close as possible to the launch site on the previous evening. Then you can continue to your game lodge after the flight. The price above is for the hot air balloon ride alone. If you need transfers to and from the launch site, this would be extra.

The flight lasts about an hour, but you should allow 3-4 hours for the excursion, from the time of arrival at the launch site until breakfast is finished.