Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park : Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park Rwanda offers long-term experiences to all visitors. This activity allows aerial views of the entire national park and its respective attractions. Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park was officially launched in January 2022, and has since gained attention from numerous visitors that make it to Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s home of big five game and no one would wish to miss this experience.
Those who take a hot air balloon safari in this savannah grassland park have an exceptional opportunity to see elephants, buffalos, Masai giraffes, hippopotamus, lions, zebras, leopards, waterbucks, rhinos, and other wildlife from the air. Views of expansive savannah vegetation landscapes, forests, wetlands, streams, and lakes are also available to tourists.
Additionally, visitors can catch a glimpse of eagles, Senegal lapwings, and African wattle plover, among other high-flying birds. While in the hot air balloon, you can also see a diverse range of over 500 other bird species.
Where is Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park carried out?
In the southern part of Akagera National Park is where a mystical hot air balloon commences from. The southern part of Akagera National Park still, is where the park entrance is situated when coming from Kigali. Therefore, navigation to the respective offices is easier. The actual place where the activity commences is Kayitaba and it is a distance of about 5 minutes from the park’s entrance.
The Akagera National Park Hot Air Balloon Safari’s start and end times.
Hot Air balloon safari in Akagera national park starts as early as 5:00am. This is especially for tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the park’s nocturnal inhabitants. After 7:00 am, which is the official opening time of the national park, the other shifts begin. The balloon soars to heights of 100 to 1,000 metres above Earth.
The minimum duration of a hot air balloon safari is usually 45 minutes. However, the flight can last over 2-3 hours. At the end of a balloon flight, visitors are offered a rewarding safari drive through Kilala plains until they head to the exit point of the national park whose road leads back to Kigali.
Booking a Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park.
The activity is carried out only once each day. This means that tourists in the future have to make reservations in advance to avoid any inconveniences. Additionally, there are only 10 slots for grabs on the flight daily and minimum required number for the flight to kick start is 2 people.
Age requirements and eligibility.
Since most tourism activities have age restrictions, the hot air balloon activity also has specific age requirements. The required minimum age is six years old.
Best time to do a Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park.
The hot air balloon safari in Rwanda can be done year-round, just like any other safari. Rain can, however, cause delays in the activities and impair visibility in some areas while flying over the national park, so visitors should be advised of this. Therefore, a recommendation is made for participating in the activity between July – September or December – February.
Cost of participating in a Hot Air Balloon Safari in Akagera National Park.
Rwandan and east African nationals pay $250, Rwanda foreign residents pay $350, while foreign non-residents pay $450 per person.