Hot Air Balloon Ride over Maasai Mara in Kenya

On August 4, 2021August 4, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya9 Comments

One of the things that we had wanted to do during our safari was to take a hot air balloon ride over the amazing scenery of Africa. Three of the parks that we visited had balloon companies that offered balloon rides, Amboseli, Serengeti, and Maasai Mara. We decided to wait until Maasai Mara to do the balloon ride and it certainly turned out to be a magical experience. Watching the sunrise, seeing the animals, and simply gliding above the grasslands made for memories that we will never forget. Following the balloon ride was a champagne breakfast at the base of an acacia tree and then our guide picked us up to view the animals within the park.

We Started Out High Before Descending Over the Grasslands

Balloon rides are not particularly inexpensive as they range from $450 to $500 USD per person and we weren’t a hundred percent sure that we were going to spend the money on it. By the time we reached Maasai Mara, we had already had an unexpected expense of getting tested for COVID before we could re-enter Kenya. We were definitely glad that we decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and pay for the balloon ride. It is one of those experiences that is hard to fully describe, but one that is often treasured by people for a variety of reasons.

Watching the Sunrise

Just before the sun began to rise, the staff of the balloon company began to fill the balloon with heated air and we were treated to the balloon glow as it was slowly filled. Once the balloon was completely filled, we and the seven other passengers, plus the pilot and guide, all climbed into the basket. Then we slowly ascended to begin our balloon ride as the sun slowly climbed above the horizon. Since the course that the balloon takes is dependent on the winds, there is no guarantee as to what you’re going to fly over or what animals you might see. The basket of the balloon was divided into six compartments, so you aren’t able to move around, but we were fortunate enough to be facing the direction that the balloon was drifting for most of our ride.

Flying Over the Water Buffaloes

The pilot of the balloon provided information about the balloon as well as the animals as we flew over the grasslands. He purposely kept the basket relatively close to the ground so that the animals could be easier to see. Our favorite moment of the balloon ride was when we drifted over a male lion that was walking among the tall grass. Every time the pilot fired the hot air for the balloon, the lion roared in response, which was really quite fascinating to see and hear. In addition to the lion, we flew over a large herd of water buffalo, a pack of elephants, zebras, and antelopes. We also saw another balloon enjoying a similar ride as our own.

Before landing, the pilot prepared us for the possibility it being bumpy and even the possibility that the basket would get dragged onto its side. All of us took our seats and held onto the safety straps, but the pilot set the balloon down gently and we came to quick stop without any bumps. From there we joined our fellow passengers as we toasted with champagne and enjoyed a buffet breakfast right there in the middle of the park. It was an incredible start to what would turn out to be one of the most memorable days of our entire safari.

Driving Through the Towns and Countryside of Southwestern Kenya

On August 3, 2021August 3, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya, Tanzania1 Comment

Most of our time on our safari trip was spent winding our way through the national parks and seeing the incredible wildlife. However, on the day that we traveled from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, we spent the majority of the day driving through towns and the countryside. It was a wonderful opportunity to see how the people of Kenya live their daily lives. We made the trip on a Sunday, so people were out and on their way to the local markets to buy and sell items. Everywhere that we went in both Kenya and Tanzania, the people that we met were always very friendly and helpful.

No matter where you are in Kenya and Tanzania, you will see the young boys herding the cattle, goats, and sheep. Usually they would move them out of the way of the traffic and other times it was up the vehicle to push its way through the animals. There were also many different stands along the road selling fruits and vegetables of all kinds and at one point we saw many men on bicycles carrying bananas to the market place. There were also the traditional women carrying items to and from their homes by balancing them on their heads.

Most of the time was spent on dirt roads, but there were some times when there were paved roads in the towns themselves. In addition to the people walking on the sides of the roads in their colorful garments, there were always motorcycles buzzing along the roads. The people who owned the motorcycles used them as a form of a taxi and they would pick up and drop off people along the way. Since our drive would take more than six hours, especially due to the border crossing, we didn’t have time to stop at any of the markets, but they were certainly quite busy with all of the locals.

For us, as with any trip that we take, it is important to learn as much as we can about the culture and the lives of the people who live there. Even with the limited time that we had driving through these small towns, seeing the homes, stores, and people was something that we really enjoyed. Whenever the young children, those around five years old or younger, would see our Land Cruiser, they would always smile and wave to us as we drove by. As always, taking photographs from a moving car isn’t easy, but we try to do our best to capture our journey in its entirety.

The Dense Foliage of Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania

On July 23, 2021July 23, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Tanzania, Uncategorized1 Comment

After enjoying a day and a half in Amboseli National Park in Kenya, we made our way to the border of Tanzania where we were to change guides and take a COVID Antigen test in order to gain entry into Tanzania. The cost of the test was just $25 US dollars per person and only took about 20 minutes, but the border customs process at the border was not particular easy to understand or follow. So, in all, it took us about an hour to get through the border checks and make our way into Tanzania where we met our guide, Shabani, for this part of the safari. We made our way to Lake Manyara National Park to spend several hours in the park before going to our lodging for the night.

Lake Manyara is the seventh largest lake in Tanzania and is known not just for the wildlife and famous tree-climbing lions, but also for the fish that is found in the lake. The scenery of Lake Manyara National Park couldn’t be more different than that of Amboseli and shows the diversity of different ecosystems that exist in East Africa. We entered the park late in the afternoon, so we only had a couple of hours and the it was getting dark before we exited to go to our lodge. We were immediately greeted by a large number of baboons as we started along the road that winds its way through the park, but we knew from our guide that seeing wildlife in the Lake Manyara National Park isn’t easy as they hide in the lush foliage of the forest that is the park. In fact, we passed another Land Cruiser exiting the park as we entered that had not seen any animals during their visit.

Colorful Red-and-Yellow Barbet Joined Us for Lunch

We were a little more fortunate as we saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, as well as a monitor lizard and a king fisher bird eating a crab. This, however, was the first time using our new manual telephoto lens and it would be the first lesson on using it in low light conditions. We would master the lens within the next couple of days, but it was definitely learning on the job, so to speak. We were quite content with seeing what we saw, including the amazing landscapes that included the enormous lake.

Our accommodations for the evening at the Pamoja Africa Lodge were quite different from the tent and camp that we’d spent our first two nights in, but we would be back to tents very soon. The landscaping of the property was quite nice and the owners believe in self-sustenance, so they grew their own herbs and vegetables for the meals right on the property. It made for quite a relaxing evening before our adventure would continue the following morning and our next day would once again be something completely different.