Accessible? Yes and No

1. The basket can be tipped on it’s side for easier entry
2. You have to stand the whole ride
3. If you are 4.5 feet tall or under, you will need something to stand on or else you won’t be able to see out of the balloon basket
4. Possibility of bumpy landing depending on weather conditions

If you have a long list of things to do in Africa, put this at the TOP of your list!! A sunrise hot air balloon ride through the Masai Mara WITH a champagne brunch on the national park grounds. I MEAN— it doesn’t sound real. It sounds like a scene out of a movie.

A few days before the balloon ride, our guide with Go Ahead Tours asked if we would be interested. We knew that this excursion would be an option because we had seen it on Pinterest while we were planning the trip. We also knew an estimate of how much it would cost (somewhere around $300-$400). It was quite expensive, but it was the only excursion that we were interested in. The 3 of us did so much research for the trip on Pinterest. It was a great way to find everything from packing tips to what type of bug spray to bring.

On the day of the balloon ride we had to be ready and in the lobby of the hotel at 4:00am. For a majority of the trip we stayed in Sopa Lodges, but on this day we stayed at Mara Leisure Camp. This is an incredible hotel because you sleep in tents! YES! But it’s not like pitch your own tent and stake in it in the ground and sleep on the ground. No, no, this is like “glamping”— glamorous camping! There’s beds, a full bathroom with a toilet and shower. But you’re in a giant tent. We were next to a river and could hear the water rushing by all night.

Ok, back to the balloon ride. We were picked up at 4:00am and were transported to the balloon ride location. It had rained the night before so the dirt roads were completely saturated and had turned into mud. I was not feeling well that morning (more on travel sickness in a later blog post — oy vey!) and so the bumpy ride, lack of breakfast, and the beginnings of travel sickness creeping in did not make for a smooth start to the morning.

We were given hot tea and light breakfast snacks while everyone checked in and paid. Since it had rained the night before, the credit card readers were on the fritz. They said that it happens all the time if they have bad weather. None of us had cash on us, so we all sat around and drank our hot tea and hoped and prayed that the credit card readers would eventually work. After about 30 minutes of waiting, it worked! If you are nervous about this happening to you, I would suggest to bring enough cash for this excursion as a back up.

The first sight of the balloon, oh my gosh, it was massive. HUGE! We were with 2 other families, so the balloon could fit all 9 passengers plus the pilot. The balloon basket was then tipped on it’s side for people who could not climb in. There are foot holds to use to climb if you can get in without the basket being tipped on it’s side, but it is still a tricky climb. If you opt to get in when the basket is on it’s side, then you will be sitting with your back against the basket and your body will essentially be laying flat. You have to sit like this while the balloon is being inflated… it’s about 5-10 minutes. I did not get in when the basket was on it’s side. I felt like I had the ability to climb in when it was right side up and I really wanted to get pictures and videos from outside of the balloon while it inflated.

If you are under 4.5 feet tall ask for something to stand on because you will not be able to see out of the basket. I am under 4.5 feet tall so I had to stand on a Coca-Cola crate that just so happened to be sitting in the field. One of the mom’s noticed it and so we grabbed it so that I could stand on it to see out of the basket. She really saved me because I don’t know what I would have done without it— I wouldn’t have been able to see anything for the entire hour flight.

There are seats but they are only used for landing and they are very low down in the basket. If you were to sit on that during the balloon ride, you would not be able to see a thing. So unfortunately, you have to stand for the duration of the balloon ride.

After the balloon inflated and all 10 of us were inside, we had a safety demo of course, and then we took off. Our pilot was incredible. He told us the story of how he was able to leave his village and go to balloon flight school in California. The balloon ride was so smooth and we would dip low to the ground and then back up into the sky. I don’t even have the right words or descriptions of this experience, so hopefully the pictures (and videos on my Instagram) will help paint a picture for you. It was just absolutely incredible.

The landing. I’m not going to lie, I was nervous for the landing. We were told that there was a possibility of a bumpy landing, but the conditions of the day were leaning more towards a smooth landing. I have issues with my neck— it is not as stable as most. I am not supposed to go on upside down roller coasters or jerky amusement park rides (I’m looking at you, Dinosaur Ride in Disney’s Animal Kingdom — the jerkiest ride there ever was) but sometimes I do… sorry, mom! I had never been on a hot air balloon ride, so I had no idea what the landing was going to be like. I was expecting the worst. Thankfully, our landing was completely smooth. No bumps, no bounces, not jerky at all. But, just putting it out as a warning for people with neck and back problems, there is a possibility of a bumpy landing.

The champagne brunch on the grounds. To top off an already un-toppable morning, we had a full breakfast brunch in the national park that we just flew over, WHERE ANIMALS LIVE with a table and chairs and champagne and made to order omelets and a wait staff (SERIOUSLY!!)