Ewen Bell finds that floating high above the Masai Mara in a hot-air balloon is one of the best ways to experience the wildlife.
The sun is still hiding behind the horizon, with a just a faint band of purple and yellow reflecting off the clouds. Our driver tells us to stay in the Land Rover and, through the foggy glass, we peer into the darkness. He’s talking on the radio to the other drivers, parked at the opposite end of the hot-air balloons. It’s all in Swahili but we can hear the word simba – lion – pitted throughout the conversation.
The driver starts the engine: the headlights flick on and a dozen cats’ eyes are reflecting from behind the bushes. Not one but two prides of lions are sitting on the edge of the clearing. We came to see the wildlife, but hadn’t expected the animals would come to see us.
Balloon rides are a daily occurrence at the Masai Mara National Reserve, although usually, it’s only passengers who arrive early for take-off. The flight team is familiar with this pride of lions, which is more curious than hungry. Regardless of their familiarity, though, the guides have to be cautious and show respect for the big cats. A female lion has the strength of five men, and can bring down an adult zebra by herself. The top predator of the plains, lions are feared by all the other big cats and respected by even the biggest of bull elephants. A tourist with nothing more to defend himself than a camera would be easy prey for a lion. The vehicles are strategically placed so we can safely climb into the baskets. By hiding our manoeuvres from view, we avoid triggering that playful instinct big cats have in common with their domestic cousins.
One balloon can carry 16 people plus the pilot, padded inside the basket, with rope-handles to hold onto during take-off and landing. It may not look sophisticated but it’s cosy and comfortable. Moments before the sun comes over the horizon, our craft begins its ascent. Hot air is thrust into the bottom of the balloon with a pair of gas burners. With each burst of the jets, the skin on our foreheads tingles from the heat, noise booms through the silent morning air and the balloon gives a gentle tug as it lifts higher into the sky.
It takes just a moment to escape the launch area, the Land Rovers disappearing below us along with the curious lions. For the first few minutes, we forget about the wildlife as the open plains of the reserve are revealed. Geological features emerge out of the landscape: subtle folds of mountain ranges, patches of forest and the laconic twists of rivers. The higher we go, the more intricate the mosaic of the Masai Mara becomes. You rarely get a glimpse of the park’s true scale while driving around the tracks on safari. Entire valleys can be obscured by small hills or hidden from view by tall grass and shrubs. From the air, the Masai Mara is laid bare, every bump and dip visible to the naked eye.
One day earlier, we had watched an intimate moment between a cheetah mum and her cubs, as she rested in the shade of a tree and nursed her little ones. We couldn’t have been more than 20 metres away. Today, we’re flying a hundred metres above the very same landscape and wondering if the cheetah family is down there somewhere, and whether we’d even see it if it was. It’s a very different perspective.
A second balloon has taken off behind us and together, we drift along with the morning breeze. Down below are thousands of zebra, wildebeest, antelope and elephants. Over the month of July, the annual wildebeest migration floods into the Masai Mara, bringing another million animals onto the plains of the reserve. They move north each year as the Serengeti turns dry; then, by October, turn south to follow the rains. Big cats and hyenas take full advantage of the roaming herds. Miles of muscle and flesh arrive to provide an annual feast for predators and a bonanza for wildlife photographers.
From high in the sky, the struggle for survival looks more like a petting zoo. Then the pilot takes us down a little lower. The sound of the burners slowing our descent sends a herd of zebra running but, as we near the riverbanks, our presence is of no concern to the elephants. In between the hot-air bursts, we move silently, floating above the creatures. Zebras gallop, cheetahs sprint and hippos swim. Balloons just drift.
From the air, we can see the rest of the team in 4WDs scampering along the tracks to arrive in time for our landing. We make good time across the skies, without trees and rivers to impede our journey. Before every take-off, the team has a reasonable idea of where to set up the picnic breakfast, but it’s up to our pilot to bring the balloon down on the right spot. At different heights, the winds push in different ways. Strength and direction can vary enough to give the pilot some wiggle room when choosing a landing spot, but navigation is more art than science. With 1500 square kilometres of open savanna in the reserve, there’s usually room to steer away from Simba and friends, and it’s the ground crew’s job to ensure the landing site is a lion-free zone.
As the basket kisses the ground, there are 10 men waiting to stabilise the balloon, hauling on guide ropes while passengers disembark. There’s no air-bridge, of course: you’re in the middle of the Masai Mara, and you simply clamber out of the basket with as much elegance as you can.
The Maasai people never had the luxury of balloons to help them hunt, or Land Rovers to ferry them away for champagne breakfasts. Nonetheless, they welcome visitors to the reserve with open arms and don’t seem to mind hunting with cameras instead of spears. Just be on the alert for cries of “simba!”, and be grateful that lions can’t fly.
Photography by Ewen Bell
Travel Facts
Getting there
- Kenya Airways has frequent flights to Nairobi from Australia. Phone 02 9767 4310 or visit www.kenya-airways.com
- South African Airlines flies direct to Johannesburg from Sydney five times a week, and from Perth five times a week, with connecting flights to Nairobi. Phone 1300 435972 or visit http://ww3.flysaa.com
- Thai Airways International flies to Nairobi via Bangkok with connecting flights to most capital cities in Australia. For bookings, phone 1300 651 960 or visit www.thaiairways.com.au
Getting around
What to do
- Balloon Safaris take off on most days of the year, depending on weather. You can make bookings on arrival through your tour operator by phoning +254 20 60 5003 or visiting www.balloonsafaris.co.ke
Tips
- Kenya is a year-round destination, with a summer-winter cycle similar to Australia’s. Masai Mara animal migrations run from August to November.
- At the time of writing, AU$1 = 65.6 Kenya Shillings (KES).
Further information
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