Below
you will find a small glimpse of some of the many ballooning
operators.
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South Africa
Should
you be interested to include a balloon safari into your intended
holiday after reading the information below, please do not
hesitate to request
a free and personalized travel advice and price estimate.
As acknowledged incoming tour operator for Southern Africa
LB Safaris will gladly assist you in fine-tuning your travel
wishes!
BALLOONS
OVER AFRICA offers scenic hot air balloon flights in the beautiful
Sabie River valley, near Hazyview in Mpumalanga. Hazyview
is a small town situated about halfway between the southern
section of the Kruger Park, and the scenic attractions of
the Northern Drakensberg escarpment a convenient location
from which to explore the whole area!
Balloon flights take place at sunrise while the air is still
cool and stable, before the earth heats up. In windy, rainy
or otherwise marginal conditions the pilot will postpone or
cancel the flight (safety is the prime consideration) but
generally flying conditions are good, and the cancellation
rate is low. Balloon flights are offered all year round in
this area.
The balloon launch site is on the front lawn at Sabie River
Adventures, about 11km from Hazyview, on the Sabie Road. Passengers
can make their own way to the launch site we will provide
a map and detailed directions. If they prefer, we will arrange
to meet them at their hotel and bring them to the launch site,
returning them to their hotel after the flight.
USUAL
ITINERARY
Upon arrival at the launch site, passengers are offered tea,
coffee and biscuits and have a chance to take pictures of
the preparation of the balloon for flight. When the balloon
is ready and the passengers are on board, the pilot explains
what to expect on launch, in flight and on landing. The flight
is a scenic experience and lasts about an hour. On landing
we serve Cape sparkling wine (a Cap Classique Wine) to celebrate
the flight in the champagne ballooning tradition. Fruit juice
and bottled water are also available. After the flight passengers
join the pilot for breakfast at a country lodge, and for the
presentation of flight certificates.
AREA
During the flight passengers can relax and enjoy the spectacular
views of the surrounding countryside. Sabie River Adventures
is situated just where the foothills of the mountains begin,
and the balloon floats over 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. 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. This
is a beautiful ballooning venue!
PASSENGER
CARRYING CAPACITY
BALLOONS OVER AFRICA can take up to a maximum
of 8 passengers per flight, depending on passengers weights
and the ambient temperature. We will generally confirm up
to 6 passengers, and only accept more if the total group weight
permits. The small group size allows us to offer personal
attention to each passenger. While we accept bookings of 2
or even 1 passenger, we need to have at least 4 passengers
in order for the flight to take place, but as we mix groups,
it is usually easy for us to fill the flight.
Although the flight lasts about an hour, passengers should
allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole excursion, from the time
of arrival at the launch
site until after breakfast.
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Namibia
Unforgettable
and most beautiful experience, a Balloon Safari over the Sossusvlei
area is the ultimate treat to yourself. Take off and drift
across this magic landscape at Sunrise towards an unknown
destination...
After an unforgettable one- hour flight, an Out of Africa
Champagne Breakfast awaits you where you land. But before
you get back to your original destination, one more surprise
awaits you. Depending on where you land, a lovely nature
4x4 drive drive takes you back to the take-off point.
Watching
this majestic landscape from a silent balloon is a once
in a lifetime experience. Don't miss it! Fascinating Sossusvlei
is one of the landscapes making the difference to the Namibian
destination. Here, time stopped and you enter into the heart
of the Namib Desert . Enormous pink and red dunes mixing
with granite mountains embedded in yellow and pitch black
plains where the Oryx antelope has made its kingdom... Dry
white pans covered by dead trees... This is not only one
of the oldest deserts on earth but it is also the perfect
place to offer Balloon Safaris.
One
should plan a minimum of three days to visit this incredible
region. The desert is fabulous and is also alive. Incredible
well adapted insects to this environment are living amongst
some of the strangest plants you will ever see. You will
encounter a variety of wild animals such as ostriches, springbok,
Oryx and mountain zebras. Their predators are more elusive
and hyenas (spotted and brown) are at the top of the food
chain shortly followed by leopards and cheetahs.
Below several points where ballooning takes place.
