Hot Air Balloon Safari In Tarangire National Park

Hot Air Balloon Safari In Tarangire Safari Park

A hot air balloon safari in Tarangire National Park provides one of the most engaging and silently scenic experiences in witnessing wildlife scenery in the northern part of Tanzania. Soaring through old baobab trees, meandering rivers, and massive elephant trails at sunrise, this will be an adventure, a photography experience, and a sense-of-place experience. The Tarangire balloon safari is a unique and memorable experience in the perfect Tanzania safari programme. Unlike the use of ground tracks known as game drives, which only show the size, patterns and animal movement of the park in a ground view, the balloon safari provides an uncommon aerial view of the park.

Overview 

The Tarangire National Park covers an area of about 120 kilometres southwest of Arusha and is situated in the north of Tanzania and is part of the mainstream safari route known as the northern tourist circuit, along with the Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Serengeti National Park. The park is named after the Tarangire River, which is a permanent water source, and there are times of so much wildlife concentration, particularly in the dry season from June to October.

Hot air balloon safari in Tarangire is a niche business by licensed operators that are highly controlled according to the Tanzania National Parks Authority. Flights are carried out within specific sections of the park, which are usually in open savannah and riverine habitats and have good visibility and a high population density of wildlife. The experience is aimed at enhancing the usual game drives and not substituting them, and this is meant to give the visitor a new approach to the ecology and landscapes of Tarangire.

Tarangire operations of Hot Air Balloon Safaris.

The balloon safaris in Tarangire National Park are normally carried out in the central and southern parts of the park, which are characterised by extensive floodplains, sparsely leafed acacia trees, and the famous baobab trees. These areas offer good wildlife viewing conditions as well as safe landing and takeoff conditions.

The Tarangire River valley is a common sight on the flights, especially during the dry seasons when the animals flock along the remaining water bodies. Elevation-wise, the tourists might see huge herds of African elephants, plains animals like wildebeest and zebra, and wildlife roaming over the grasslands. Birdlife is also in order, since Tarangire has more than 500 species of birds, most of which would be better viewed from an aerial perspective.

The Hot Air Balloon Safari Experience.

In the Tarangire National Park, the normal hot air balloon safari starts very early in the morning. Visitors are picked up in their lodges or camps early in the morning and taken to the launching point within the park by vehicle. This is necessary due to the calmness of the wind, which happens soon after sunrise and will be a smooth and safer flight.

At the launch site, the passengers are observing the balloon being inflated as the sky is starting to get bright. When the balloon is in the air, the process is rather simple, as it glides up with the wind and down and up in different altitudes, which ensures both a close and a panoramic view of the landscape, as well as wildlife. The flights usually take one hour, but this is subject to weather conditions.

Upon arrival, the guests are offered a bush breakfast in a picturesque location in the park. This lunch is usually served in the shade of an acacia tree, and at this point, people are already over with the experience, and they get back to their safari trucks to resume with the game drives or back to their lodges.

Animal Life and Landscape Viewed Airborne.

The Tarangire National Park is known more than most others due to its sizable population of elephants that are some of the largest in Tanzania. With the help of a hot air balloon, one may see whole groups of families travelling along the ancient lines of migration, playing around the holes of water, or having dinner under the baobab trees. These herds are the most important feature in the aerial perspective in terms of shaping the scenery as time goes by.

Besides elephants, tourists can observe giraffes, buffalo, impala, eland and hartebeest that are scattered on the plains. The harder-to-detect predators, including lions and leopards, can be spotted on the ground or in places where there is a lot of open space, like a riverbank. The seasonal swamps and grasslands of the park during the rainy season are green and set a stark contrast with the golden-brown colour of the dry season.

Tarangire Hot Air Balloon Safari Best Times.

Hot air balloon safaris at Tarangire National Park are seasonal and generally run in favourable weather conditions, commonly between June and October, and occasionally into the beginning of the dry season, depending on weather conditions. This is also the season of the dry season, when wild animals flock around the river, Tarangire, and permanent swamps, and one has more opportunities of making good sightings.

During the dry season, there are also clearer skies and more predictable patterns of wind, which are significant in balloon activity. The weather conditions and accessibility to the park can restrict or cancel balloon flights, especially between March and May, during the rainy season.

Entrance to the Tarangire National Park in balloon safaris.

The majority of tourists visit Tarangire National Park through Arusha, which is the major safari centre in the northern part of Tanzania. The road between Arusha and the main entrance gate of Tarangire takes about two to three hours with a stop in the town of Makuyuni and the frontier of Mto wa Mbu bordering Lake Manyara.

Alternatively, fly-in safari travellers can access the surrounding airstrips within or near the park, like Kuro Airstrip, which is mostly used by safari lodges. Transfers are scheduled on these airstrips to lodges and launch sites of balloon safaris.

The Hotels within Balloon Safari Areas.

Tarangire National Park is well equipped with accommodation facilities such as permanent lodges and seasonal tented camps. These properties are widely spread inside or very near the park limits, and so the points of departure of the balloon safari can be easily reached.

Hot air balloon safaris are very convenient in lodges within the central and southern parts of the park because the lodges will cut down on the transfer time during the early morning pick-up. By being in the park, the entire safari experience is also improved, as more time will be spent in the wildlife and less on the access roads.

Clinical Practice and Safety.

Experienced and licensed pilots run their hot air balloon safaris within the Tarangire National Park and have effective protocols in regard to safety concerns. Balloons are kept to international standards, and flying is only done when the weather is favourable. Before landing and takeoff, passengers are provided with a safety briefing.

It can be said that the experience will be comfortable for the majority of the travellers, but mobility is an important point that should be addressed prior to the company taking part in the experience: one will have to be flexible to enter and leave the basket. It is advisable to wear layers since mornings might be cold before the sun rises and cool after it rises.

Rationale on Adding a Hot Air Balloon Safari to Your Tarangire Itinerary.

A traditional safari can be enhanced by including a hot air balloon safari in the Tarangire National Park. It allows a relaxing, slow, stress-free experience to appreciate wildlife and scenery and get a clearer picture of the size and ecological relationships of the park. To photographers, the low morning light and high shooting points provide unique chances to take pictures of the scenery in Tarangire.

This is a good supplement to game drives in Tarangire and a continuation of other neighbouring places of interest like Lake Manyara National Park or Ngorongoro Conservation Area, making it an easy-going extension to a safari itinerary in the north of Tanzania.

Conclusion

The Tarangire National Park hot air balloon safari is an interesting and rich experience of visiting one of the most wildlife-rich scenes in Tanzania. The views of having to be floating above animals in herds, rivers, and baobab- Planted plains during sunrise are views that cannot be matched on the ground. This experience also provides an adventure and insight to the travellers who want to have a memorable highlight that would complement the classic game drives. A Tarangire balloon safari should be included in your travel details, and this will add a touch of mystery and exclusiveness to your journey across the northern part of Tanzania.