Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari
A hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara is one of the great experiences of any Kenya safari. You lift off at dawn as the sun rises over the plains and drift silently for about an hour above herds of wildebeest, zebras and elephants, with lions and hyenas often visible below. The flight ends with a champagne breakfast served in the bush, and you are driven back to your lodge or camp with a game drive on the way.
The balloon can be added to any of our Masai Mara safaris. In the central and southern Mara we fly with Balloon Safaris Ltd, our main balloon partner, and in the Mara Triangle with Skyship. We can also arrange flights in Amboseli with Kilimanjaro Balloon Safaris, and at Soysambu Conservancy beside Lake Elementaita. US$ 450 per adult and US$ 300 per child aged 4 to 11, all year round.
Hot Air Balloon Safari Prices – 2027 Rates
Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari
Sunrise flight of about one hour, with a champagne bush breakfast
$450 per adult · $300 per child
| Dates | Adult (12+) | Child (4–11) |
|---|---|---|
| All year | $450 | $300 |
Prices are in US dollars per person and include the flight, the champagne bush breakfast, your flight certificate and transfers between your lodge or camp and the launch site. The same price applies all year. Children must be at least 4 years old to fly.
What Happens on the Day
Evening briefing
The evening before your flight, a member of the balloon team meets you at your lodge or camp to explain what to expect the next morning, including your pick-up time and what to wear.
Early wake-up and transfer
You are woken at your lodge or camp in the early hours with tea or coffee, then picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site in the dark.
Pilot safety briefing
While the crew inflates the balloon with its roaring burners, your pilot gives you a full safety briefing, covering how to stand in the basket during take-off and how to brace for landing.
Sunrise flight (about one hour)
You take off at dawn and drift wherever the morning wind takes you. The pilot controls the height precisely, sometimes skimming the treetops for close-up photographs of the wildlife below, sometimes climbing to around 1,000 feet for a view across the whole Mara. Between bursts from the burners, the only sounds are those of the plains beneath you.
Champagne bush breakfast
After landing, you celebrate the flight with a glass of sparkling wine and a full cooked breakfast served out on the plains, then receive your flight certificate.
Game drive back to camp
Your own safari guide can meet you at the breakfast site so you carry straight on with a game drive. Otherwise, you are driven back to your lodge or camp with game viewing on the way, arriving at around 9:30 AM, ready for the rest of your day.
Who You Fly With
In the central and southern Masai Mara, our main balloon partner is Balloon Safaris Ltd, the company that started balloon safaris in Kenya. On 3 January 1976, the wildlife filmmaker Alan Root piloted its first flight from Keekorok, the first commercial balloon flight ever made over the Masai Mara, and the company has flown there every day since.
- Almost 50 years of daily flights over the Masai Mara
- A fully licensed commercial airline with highly experienced pilots
- Its own fully equipped balloon maintenance facility
- A fleet of seven Cameron balloons, carrying 8 to 16 passengers each
Price Includes
- Hot air balloon flight of about one hour
- Landing fees
- Champagne (sparkling wine) bush breakfast
- Flight certificate
- Transfers between your lodge or camp in the Masai Mara and the launch site
Price Excludes
- Park entrance fees and accommodation, which are part of your safari
- Tips for the balloon crew
- Anything not listed above
Cancellation Policy
If the flight is cancelled by the balloon operator, for example because of the weather, you receive a full refund. If you cancel, these charges apply:
- More than 14 days before the flight: no charge
- 14 to 7 days before the flight: 50% of the price
- 6 days to 48 hours before the flight: 75% of the price
- Less than 48 hours before the flight, or if you do not show up: 100% of the price
Balloon Safari FAQ
How much is a hot air balloon ride in Kenya?
A balloon flight over the Masai Mara costs US$ 450 per adult and US$ 300 per child aged 4 to 11, all year round. Flights in Amboseli National Park and at Soysambu Conservancy, next to Lake Elementaita, are the same price.
When should I book?
The busiest season is the migration, from July to October, when places can sell out weeks or months ahead, so book as early as you can. Outside the peak season, last-minute spaces are sometimes available.
Can children take the balloon safari?
Yes. Children from 4 years old can fly, as long as they are tall enough to see over the rim of the basket. Children aged 4 to 11 pay the child rate, and from 12 years the adult rate applies.
How many people are in each balloon?
Balloons in the Mara carry between 8 and 16 passengers, depending on their size, and you share the basket with other guests. Balloon Safaris Ltd flies seven balloons and can take up to 94 passengers a day, but places still sell out in the migration season, so book early.
What if the weather is bad?
Balloons only fly in safe conditions: calm winds, no rain and good visibility. If the pilot cancels a flight for safety, you can usually fly the next morning, so we recommend booking the balloon for your first morning when you have at least two nights in the Mara.
How do you get into the basket?
In light winds, the basket stands upright and you climb in using footholds in the side. In stronger winds, the basket is laid on its side while the balloon inflates, you climb in lying back, and the basket swings upright as the balloon lifts. Please let us know in advance if you have back, knee or hip problems, so the pilot can help you.
What should I wear and bring?
Early mornings are chilly, and it is colder higher up, so wear a warm jacket or fleece, comfortable trousers and closed, flat shoes, plus a hat that fits securely. Bring a camera or phone for the sunrise and the wildlife below. Use the bathroom before you leave camp, as there are no facilities until after landing.
