A hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of a kind. Several safari providers have been licensed by the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly hot air balloons in Uganda and currently operate flights in both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks.
Exploring Your Hot Air Balloon Safari Queen Elizabeth
Take-off
Your hot air balloon safari usually begins as early as 5:00 am in the morning, when you leave your camp or lodge to get to the meeting point. This is mainly at the Kasenyi gate of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This early drive in the dark is a chance to see nocturnal animals that live in and around the park.
On arrival at the Kasenyi gate, you will follow the ground crew to the site that has been chosen for lift-off. The specific location changes daily based on current wind and weather conditions.
When you arrive at the take-off point, you will meet your pilot and be given a safety briefing and instructions for boarding the hot air balloon as well as landing procedures. As the ground crew unpacks the balloon, passengers can sip on a steaming cup of coffee or tea and watch the cold inflation of the balloon. This is done using two large petrol-powered fans that fill the balloon with cold air.
Flight
Once the balloon is fully inflated but still lying on the ground, the crew will invite you inside the balloon. It is overwhelming how large the 16-passenger hot air balloon it is, with a capacity of upto 300,000 cubic feet. While inside the balloon, you will learn about the ropes that are used by the pilot to control the balloon toast upon landing during flight.
When the balloon is mostly inflated with cold air, the pilot enters the basket while it is still lying on its side and begins to further inflate the balloon with hot air. With the addition of the hot air, the balloon slowly begins to rise in the air and uprights itself. Once the balloon is completely vertical, it is time for passengers to climb into the basket and prepare for take-off.
For approximately an hour, you will float over the savannah of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The pilot will fly at varying altitudes during your flight to give you different perspectives, taking advantage of the varying wind currents. The flight gives passengers great photo opportunities and experience that is truly unique and different from an ordinary game safari on the ground. As you gently drift over the park, you can watch the sunrise as savannah below comes to life with birds and animals.
After landing
After landing, in keeping with an old ballooning tradition, the pilot and passengers celebrate the flight with a glass of sparkling wine. When the toast is done, passengers sit down to a delectable bush breakfast prepared by Mweya Safari Lodge. The bush breakfast makes for a memorable ending to your hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Cost, Rates & Necessary Information for Hot Air Balloon Safari
- Sunrise flights over Lake George is $380 USD per person inclusive of VAT and tax.
- They offer flights daily departing from the Kasenyi gate at 5:30 am.
- Flights are approximately one hour in length and include a bush breakfast after landing.
- Flights must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
- In case of cancellation due to weather conditions, they offer a full refund.
- No minimum passengers are required. The maximum capacity of the current balloon is 16 pax. Any smaller number will be shared with other passengers.
- The minimum age is 6 years unless under parents’ responsibility.
- Flights are offered daily all year round unless the weather does not permit.
- Hot air balloon passenger flights take place in winds less than 10 knots, with no rain or approaching storms in the immediate area. Flights also require visibility of at least 4 km.
- The entire experience takes 3-4 hours. Passengers are expected to be back at their lodge around 09.00-10.00 am (depending on the length of the game drive).
Is the Hot air balloon safari safe?
The hot air balloon safari has an airworthiness certificate and is serviced after every flight and regularly maintained by a certified specialized hot air balloon engineer. This is in accordance to manufacturer’s regulations and the balloon itself is inspected and certified by CAA on a regular basis.
Special offers
Special offers exist for clients such as a 50% discount for children (6-12 years). Children below 6 years should be able to support themselves on their own, under parent’s assistance. Public holidays or weekend offers, special discount for a group of 8 pax and above and special discounts for tour operators, agents, and lodges also exist.
Besides hot air balloon safari and wildlife game drives, visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park always complement their visit with a gorilla trekking safari in the nearby Bwindi Forest National Park. Some go for a chimpanzee trekking expedition in Kibale National Park, while others opt for a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to Murchison Falls.