Want airborne African safari activities?

27/06/14 19:58 Filed in: African Safari Holiday

Probably the most fascinating and dreamed of activities on African safaris are the balloon, plane and helicopter rides.

All major safari destinations offer hot air balloon rides with stunning vistas of Kruger Park, Sossusvlei, the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. The balloon flight over Sossusvlei/Namib Desert is probably the best for landscape photography lovers. The arid landscape with spectacular colors is a photographer’s heaven. The other destinations offer the opportunity of “game drives” from bird view and new perspectives of photographing the Big Five. Especially elephants and giraffes make good photographic subjects, as they are big and give the images dynamic.

Plane and helicopter rides are very popular and fascinating at the Victoria Falls. They allow the best and most complete views of the falls. Small plane flights over the Masai Mara are absolutely fantastic during the Great Migration. They allow more individual flight routing than the balloon, but in order to get good photographs one should take out a door and not photographing through the window. However, helicopters are the best for photography as they can stand still, maneuver easily and are less bumpy than a plane. But the most silent and magical experience is the hot air balloon.

Happy bird view safari!


Ute Sonnenberg for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa