Balloon Safaris | South Africa | Balloons Over Africa Safaris

Balloons Over Africa Safaris

We offer 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.