You’ve ticked off the safari box and viewed the animals close up. Now take to the sky for a different perspective on wilderness watching. As the balloon glides across the acacias you spy herds of zebra grazing and gazelles leaping across the plains. If you’re lucky, you may see cheetahs, leopards or lions stalking their prey. As the propane-hiss of the balloon guides you higher, the landscape unfurls and you can appreciate the immensity of this African wilderness.
Hot-air balloon companies operate year-round dawn flights over the Serengeti at an average cost of US$500 per person.