Hot Air Balloon Safari in Uganda
Hot air balloon safari is an interesting and adventurous activity in Uganda where visitors fly up in a balloon filled with air while exploring the landscapes, wildlife, vegetation among others. Hot air balloon safaris are unique and not common because it has been recently introduced in Uganda by Uganda Wildlife Authority and the activity is presently carried out in 2 national parks in Uganda that is Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park. Hot air balloon safaris in Uganda are regularly maintained by certified hot air balloon engineers, inspected by Civil Aviation Authority on regular basis and the ground crew which is trained on ground operations by a specialized certified instructor, therefore, you don’t have to worry about safety during your hot air balloon flight.
Hot air balloon safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda located in northwestern Uganda 305 kilometers from Kampala city. Murchison falls National Park is the best destination and the most visited protected area in Uganda that harbors a wide range of wildlife including animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, hippos, bushbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, primates like chimpanzees, baboons, red tailed monkeys, bird species like the shoebill stork, grey-headed kingfisher, black-headed lapwing, vegetation types among others. Hot air balloon flight in Murchison falls national park is handled by Dream Balloons a company which was registered in 2011 and certified by Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, National Environmental Management Authority, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Communications Commission before it started operating.
Hot air balloon pilots went through Ugandan and Egyptian aviation authorities for certification before they started operating in Murchison falls national park and they should have an experience of 1000 hours of flying. Hot air balloon activity has a carrying capacity of 16 people and the medium-sized hot air balloon has a carrying capacity of 8 people per flight and doesn’t allow children below the age of 6 years because the hot air balloon goes as high as 10000 feet above the sea level and the kids might get afraid or anxious.
Murchison falls national park offers two sessions of hot air balloon safaris, for example, the morning and the sunset hot air balloon, the morning hot air balloon starts very early at 5:00 am at the starting point near Paraa lodge and you will be picked from your lodge to the starting point where you will see the pilot and crew preparing by pumping air into the balloon and you will be served a cup of tea. At the starting point, you will be briefed on the safety precautions, expectations, rules and regulations of the hot air balloon activity. After the briefing you will fly up in the air with a pilot and the hot air balloon can go as high as 10,000 feet above the sea level but for visibility the pilot will elevate to a maximum of 1000 feet above ground level where you will have beautiful views of Murchison falls national park, the treetops, savannah vegetation, wildlife like the elephants, buffaloes, lions, antelopes, Nile Delta, River Nile, Lake Albert, beautiful view of the sunrise among others. The hot air balloon activity in Murchison falls national park takes about 3 to 4 hours and the actual flight takes one hour as you enjoy the beautiful scenery where after you will land on the landing site or area.
After the post sunrise hot air balloon activity, visitors are given a certificate which shows that they have participated in the hot air balloon flight in Murchison falls national park, other souvenirs and a special continental bush breakfast with a bottle of champagne organized by professional chefs from Paraa lodge. After the bush breakfast, you will be taken back to your lodge or you can go for a morning game drive in the park to add on your safari experience.
Murchison falls national park also offers a sunset hot air balloon flight to visitors on a hot air balloon safari in Murchison which starts at 4:00 pm. The sunset hot air balloon flight in Murchison falls national park does not include the bush dinner special offer like the one in the morning. The sunset hot air balloon flight in Murchison offers you spectacular views of the colorful sunset, plenty of animal species in Murchison falls national park, Nile Delta, River Nile among others. After the sunset hot air balloon flight, you will also receive a certificate and other souvenirs and later taken back to your lodge for dinner and overnight. Hot air balloon flights in Murchison falls national park comes with features like
- Participation certificate
- Bush breakfast in the wild
- One hour hot air balloon ride
- Panoramic views of Murchison falls national park
- Sunrise and sunset views
- Pick up from the set destination
- Ferry crossing
Hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the national parks in Uganda that offer hot air balloon safaris to visitors. Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park in Uganda located in the western region in Kasese, Rukungiri, Kamwenge and Rubirizi districts. Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the most visited national parks in Uganda harboring biodiversity like savannah vegetation, animals like the famous tree-climbing lions in Ishasha sector, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, oribi, topi, crocodiles, waterbucks, bushbucks, mongoose, primates like chimpanzees, monkeys, baboons, different bird species among others.
Queen Elizabeth national park offers two sessions of the hot air balloon flights that it the post sunrise hot air balloon flight and the sunset hot air balloon flight. Hot air balloon flight in Queen Elizabeth national park is handled by Balloon Tour Uganda Ltd a company that was established in 2014 and is licensed by Civil Aviation Authority to carry out the operation, the first hot air balloon flight in Queen Elizabeth national park was launched on 16th November 2014. The sunrise hot air balloon flight start early in the morning at 5:30 am with a pickup of the visitors from Kasenyi gate to the starting point where they will be served a cup of coffee or tea as the balloon is being assembled and then briefed about the experience, safety precautions, rules and regulations of the hot air balloon flight.
After the briefing, you will start your flight up at around 6:15 am where the hot air balloon can fly to an altitude of up to 2500feet which is about 760 meters above the sea level with a pilot who has a 1000 hours flying experience. Hot air balloon flight in Queen Elizabeth national park takes a maximum number of 16 people and allows a minimum age of 6 years because children below six years will be afraid when the hot air balloon flies so high, in circumstance where you are in a small group of people your group will share a hot air balloon with another passenger. During the hot air balloon flight in Queen Elizabeth national park you will have spectacular views of Queen Elizabeth national park, animals like large herds of buffaloes, elephants, hippos on Kazinga channel, trees, hills, landscapes, crater lakes, trees, snowcapped Rwenzori mountains, lake George and Edward, Kyambura Gorge among others.
The hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth national park takes 3 to 4 hours and the actual flights take about 45minutes to one hour depending on the number of people on board, fuel quantity, prevailing weather conditions, and a suitable space for landing. After the hot air balloon experience, you will land on a suitable area at around 7:15 am where you will have a special bush breakfast organized by professional chefs from Mweya safari lodge. You will also be given a hot air balloon flying certificate to show that you participated in hot air balloon activity in Queen Elizabeth national park and then transferred to your lodge for relaxation or you can meet up with your guide for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains.
Queen Elizabeth national park also offers sunset hot air balloon safari to visitors which start at 4:00 pm. The sunset hot air balloon flight, however, doesn’t include the special offers like bush dinner but it includes a flying certificate and great views of Queen Elizabeth national park, crater lakes, trees, Kazinga channel, vegetation types, hidden animals and also get an opportunity to take clear photos of the colorful sunset, landscapes and feel the fresh air and after landing you will be transferred to your lodge for relaxation. Hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth national park comes with features like
- Participation certificate
- Bush breakfast in the wild
- One hour of a hot air balloon ride
- Pickup from destination
- Sunrise and sunset flights
- Views of Queen Elizabeth national park, hidden animals, Kazinga channel, trees, Kyambura Gorge among others.
Cost of Hot air balloon safari
Hot air balloon safari in Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park costs $380 per person for the foreign non-residents with bush breakfast, $300 without bush breakfast, $250 for East African citizens, $2,000 for sole users of the balloon for example the VIP guests, those with wedding proposals, photoshoots and children up to the age of 12 years receive a discount of 50% of the adult fee while children below 6 years and can stand on their own are not charged. The hot air balloon amount includes the 1-hour flight, a cup of coffee and tea before and after the flight, bush breakfast and hot air balloon certificate, the prices, however, don’t include vehicle transportation.
Hot air balloon safari in Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park is a perfect activity for Adrenaline junkies and those on Honeymoon safaris in that it offers you an opportunity to explore and experience wilderness in a unique and adventurous way hence gaining lifetime memories.
