Take to the Skies, in Tanzania
Get the best vantage point for a safari with a difference.
When most people think of a safari, they picture a game drive in an all-terrain vehicle, but there's more than just one way to observe the incredible local wildlife of Tanzania. Walking safaris are an option, as are safaris on horseback or bicycles. Nothing, however, beats the vantage point from a hot air balloon.
Gently bobbing through the air high above Tanzania's Serengeti, explorers can relish a bird’s eye-view as herds of zebras and elephants meander to a waterhole or, during the great migration around July and August, masses of wildebeest wade across the crocodile-infested river.
The altitude of the balloon can be precisely controlled, dropping to treetop height for close-up views, or soaring to 1000 feet for sweeping shots of the plains below.
The departure point for a hot air balloon trip is the andBeyond Serengeti Under Canvas camps, but it's not as simple as just showing up – the camps move five times a year, to anticipate the movements of the migration.
There's no compromising on comfort though – the camp brings all the trappings of a luxury hotel experience to the remotest corners of the Tanzanian wilderness, including chandeliers, silverware, crystal, flushing toilets, and private butlers.
Reach out to the Origin curators and we'll get everything sorted.
Jurriaan Teulings
Jurriaan dreamt of becoming either an astronomer or a circus clown. He became a lawyer instead, but finally found the ultimate fit for his free-range mind as a travel writer and photographer. A Stroopwafel evangelist, he's also won a few awards: two in plexiglass, one in bronze, and one made of beads. The biggest prize: 20 years of travel to all continents and 99 countries so far.
All images courtesy of andBeyond