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Great Rift Valley, Naivasha & Nakuru Balloon Safari
Close your eyes, and for a moment feel your body lift up, with you having no control over it, and there is a certain part of you, inside you, saying to yourself, I am crazy for taking this balloon safari. This is what most people feel, when the excitement of a Great Rift Valley (Naivasha-Nakuru) Balloon Safari crosses one's emotion of self-control and independence.
Don't stop! Tell me more about my Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari in Kenya?
The Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari Experience:
The Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari operation is based in Soysambu, on the historic Delamere Estate. Steeped in colonial history, this 200 square kilometer farm combines a working cattle ranch with a game sanctuary that is home to large herds of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, eland, gazelle and more. The launch site is within easy reach of safari lodges and hotels in the Naivasha and Nakuru region, making this an ideal morning excursion for anyone spending the night in this area. The 8-man balloon, captained by experienced pilot Othmar, launches at dawn, rising with the sun over the sprawling plains of Delamere before skimming low across the shores of Lake Elmenteita.
A shallow soda lake, Elementaita is one of the main ports of call for the Rift's famed flamingo flocks, drawn to the nutrient rich waters. The flamingos create an expansive carpet of pink across the surface of the lake, and a silent gliding balloon is the perfect way to see them up close. As the flocks take wing beneath the basket, it feels as though the balloon has joined the birds in flight as they cross the broad waters of the lake. Anyone familiar with the 1985 film version of Out of Africa will be immediately reminded of the classic shot of a biplane soaring across flocks of flying flamingo. Unlike a plane however, the Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari provides an unobtrusive opportunity to see these birds at close quarters and the steady smooth progress across the lakeshore is ideal for photography. Leaving the lake, the Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari makes a low level traverse of the riparian forests around Elementaita, giving passengers a treetop view of giraffes nibbling leaves, gazelles grazing grass and elands and impala following well established game trails through the undergrowth.
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Following this airborne game drive, the Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari makes a breathtaking ascent skyward, up to 3,500 metres. From this altitude, the true magnitude of the Rift is revealed in its long winding lava flows, deep volcanic craters and jagged peaks. Cloud allowing, there may well also be views of both Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's two highest peaks in a single, awe inspiring view.
Descending again, the hour-long safari ends with a landing on the plains between Elementaita and Nakuru. The exact position and pace of the landing is determined by the wind, and a sometimes bouncy return to earth is often made under the curious gaze of herds of plains game. By the time you have landed, a full champagne breakfast is waiting, laid out in the shade of yellow acacia trees. For anyone on safari in the
Naivasha or
Nakuru area, Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari is an excellent excursion, with an easy pick up available from your safari lodge.
The Great Rift Valley Landscape & Geographic Experience:
"The Great Rift Valley is one of the most awe-inspiring sights on earth, but the best way to see the rift is from above. It will literally give you a birds eye view of the valley as you join flocks of flamingo soaring high across lakes, volcanoes and forest. Kenya's wide-open spaces and 'big sky' country make this fantastic ballooning country.
The geographic wonders of the Great Rift Valley offer a spectacular new alternative. Born of a major shift beneath the Earths surface over 35 million years ago, the massive Rift valley is one of natural wonders of the world, easily visible from outer space. The valley stretches 6000 kms from Jordan to Mozambique, with its width varying from between 30 to 100 kilometers. The valley is at its most spectacular in Kenya, its floor studded with dormant volcanoes and fresh water and soda lakes, attracting a wide range of big game and bird life. When exploring the rift, it is difficult to gain a clear perspective of the scale and sheer size of the valley, which is where a balloon comes in handy. Rising from the floor, you can appreciate the entire Rift, both in its vast entirety and the many natural elements and ecosystems that bring the valley to life.
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