Safari Day 7 - Masai Mara Balloon Ride

We got our morning wake-up call and coffee served at our tent at 4:30AM as we prepare for our balloon ride. As we drive in the darkness to the balloon launch site at the Fig Tree safari camp (6 miles as the balloon flies) we have two hippos cross the road.

The balloons lift off at daybreak.



There's a light breeze and our balloon drifts westerly toward our camp following the Talek River.



We drift over zebra.



A large herd of Impala.



A bloat (group) of hippos.





A herd of Common Elan



The shadow of our balloon as we pass over some open grassland next to the river.



We pass by a large bloat of hippos as we start looking for a landing site.



"If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing."
Chuck Yeager

After about a 16 mile balloon flight we land in the Mara Triangle area on the west side of the Mara River.



After two aborted landing attempts we were told to assume the landing position (A.K.A. Crash Position) and to hang on tight and not let go of the handles until the balloon comes to a full stop. The balloon basket first makes contact with the tops of trees and brush before bouncing along the ground for the next 150 yards. The basket, with passengers, coming to rest on its side.

Some of our skid marks from the basket bouncing along the ground.



Our pilot surveys the area and calls in our location to his support team.



Time to get comfortable and wait for the support team to come get us.





During our wait I found a few wildflowers. This flower is only about 1/4 of an inch across.



After a 45 minute wait the support team arrives.



The support team unloads from the Land Cruisers and starts to prepare the balloon for transport back to camp and we load up for a trip to our breakfast.



Our return to camp requires us to cross the Mara River at the Purungat (Mara) Bridge Gate (latitude:-1.542761 longitude:35.016614). We are only about 1/2 mile from the Tanzanian border.



A crocodile in the Mara River at the Purungat (Mara) Bridge.



We continue our journey to breakfast and camp along Kenyan road E176.



A yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis)



We finally arrive at our breakfast, setup in the open grassland.



The traditional balloon ride champagne breakfast...



How do you like your eggs cooked?



On our route to camp, after breakfast, we find this sleepy hyena in the grass next to the jeep trail.