Flights are conducted throughout the year, with mid-summer sunrise at 05h00 and mid-winter sunrise at 06:30. We meet 20 minutes before sunrise at the respective launch sites.

HOEDSPRUIT

Experience the magic of lighter-than-air flight near the foot of the Drakensberg Escarpment. We offer one-hour long flights over the scenic, Lowveld section of the Blyde River, 15 km West of Hoedspruit. The terrain is a mixture of farmland, private nature reserves and wildlife estates. The mountains to the South and West provide shelter from the prevailing winds, thereby affording us good flying weather on most days.As the sun rises, the landscape, the vegetation and, if you’re lucky, some wildlife will provide photo opportunities. Game spotting cannot be guaranteed but on most flights we see plains game like giraffe and wildebeest.
Our pilots and crew will ensure a safe, enjoyable and informative adventure that will be one of the highlights of your visit to the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere.  After the flight, guests making use of transfers will be returned to their respective lodges

Itinerary

We meet before sunrise and coffee is served while you watch your eight-storey high balloon being inflated and prepared for flight. After a safety briefing you should be airborne in time to witness the sunrise. The height above ground will vary between skimming the tree-tops to as high as 2 000 feet as the pilot changes altitude in search of favourable wind directions and speeds.

The flight duration is about an hour and towards the end of the flight the pilot will select a suitable landing site. The landing is an exciting event because the basket meets the earth at whatever speed the surface wind is at the time. Light airs allow the softest of landings while fresh breezes necessitate a “positive” landing so that the basket can serve as an anchor to slow the envelope down. If not already at the landing site, the ground crew will soon arrive to deflate and pack the balloon while passengers enjoy fruit juice and sparkling wine.

• Included
  Tourist Guide fee

  Vehicle, fuel, tollgate fees

  Water on the vehicle

  Entrance fees

• Not Included
  Meals

  Drinks

  Gratuities