Above the Mara
This is a post about my experience of doing a hot air balloon safari ride over the Northern Serengeti.
The morning began with a nice quiet, the type you hear when you wake up before the sun. It was still dark when we reached the launch site, the air cool, just enough to keep me awake. The balloon initially lay stretched out like a gigantic mat across the open ground. The world seemed asleep, I couldn’t hear the usual chirping birds or yawning animals that was often the background of early mornings.
Before we climbed aboard, the pilot gathered us together for a short briefing. His voice was practiced, as if he’d done this a thousand times. He explained how the balloon would lift, what we might feel, and how we should crouch inside the basket as it tilted upwards. In those first minutes, I was filled with anticipation about how I was about to float above one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.
We climbed into the basket while it lay on its side, the burners roaring with sudden bursts of flame above us and the loud funs humming air into the balloon. At first, it felt strange, completely new as to what we’d seen in movies. And then, slowly and steadily, with a pull and a tilt, the basket pulled upright. Suddenly we were standing and before long, we were in the air.
The Serengeti suddenly opened beneath us as the balloon lifted silently, save the occasional thunder of the burners.
Soon, the first rays of sunrise began to weave across the horizon, painting the plains in strokes of orange and yellow. Light slowly grazed the tips of the acacias and golden grasses, spilling into the Mara River. It was breathtaking to see how the land woke from above.
As we drifted higher, the view stretched endlessly. The Mara River curved below us, its hues disappearing into the orange horizon. Herds of wildebeest were gathered across the plains, walking their endless cycle.
We could see them grazing, running, hesitating. It was the great migration in motion unfolding right below us. We could even see clusters of Zebras and Gazelles among them, their stripes catching the soft morning light beautifully.
Everything was different from up here - the silhouettes of giraffes, the calls of birds, the circling vultures, the running wildebeest, the gentle elephants, the cool air. From above, life in the Serengeti felt vast.
We went above the Mara itself numerous times, each time bringing us something new and amazing to see. We saw multiple groups of hippos, snorting and dazzled by our humongous appearance. Once, we even went above a crocodile, scaring it out of its wits and sending it running to the other side of the river.
We were in awe, and time passed by like nothing, the hour going by like a minute. Eventually, after some back and forth on the radio, the balloon began its descent, a decision that was met with ‘aww’s from the passengers. It steadily began drifting lower and lower until the ground neared us again. We skimmed over trees, brushing close to the tops, before settling onto a stretch of open grass. It was then, just as we were preparing to land, that we noticed a lion and its frightened cub, lying a short distance away, golden fur glowing in the sunlight.
Once safely on the ground, the adventure was far from over. As we made our way to the breakfast place, however, we stopped, captivated by the sight of a marabou stork standing tall just a few steps away taking no notice of us, making for another unforgettable photograph.
We were then taken to a beautiful breakfast spot set under the wide Serengeti sky. We were given some amazing food and steaming coffee.
The table was lively, rich with flavors and the lively talk of its guests. Later on, my father let me have a sip of champagne, a tradition after balloon rides. I had never tried it before, so I had a sip, curious. The taste, however, was an unpleasant shock. It was dry, unbelievably bitter, and nothing like I expected. I remember how it was really, really, really bad, and how I immediately set it aside in favour of the nice, sugary coffee.
Looking back, the whole experience felt like a dream. From the moment the balloon tilted, to the sight of wildebeest skirting the river, to the unexpected lion, to the weird champagne, it was a morning that was beautiful and utterly unforgettable.