Travel Talk

Hot Air Balloon Safari in South Africa

Good day,

Today let’s discuss an early morning I had the other day in Magaliesburg, South Africa. The group of us were off to do some hot air ballooning at a launch site in the Magalies River Valley, Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The company was Bill Harrop’s Original Hit Air Balloon Safari and it was quite a trip! I had never done it before and wasn’t sure what to expect but looking back it’s definitely one of those moments I’ll remember fondly from my travels. 

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It’s a feeling unlike any other experience I’ve ever had before and it wasn’t scary but it was a bit “out there” in every sense of the word. We saw some cool scenery as the sun rose and had a super cool guide. We spotted a bit of wildlife such as some wild boars, antelope and like but who knows what we may have seen on another day? A highlight was going over this massive ridge where as we approached it, we were only maybe 15 feet above the ground but once we went over the cliff it was just a sheer drop; that put things in perspective.

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We landed in some open field and as you can see in the video, the pilot hit the mark perfectly. I know there is method to the madness of steering one of those things but you’re still quite at the mercy of the prevailing winds; an impressive landing indeed. Right after we had mimosas as the crew packed up which got the day going on the right foot before driving back to the launch site. The launch site has a stately home and a great buffet to welcome you after your ride.

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While in Magaliesburg, we stayed at the Valley Lodge & Spa and really enjoyed it; recommended. If you’re in the area and looking for something different and memorable; do consider a hot air balloon safari. I’m sure they have them all over so by no means do you have to come to this one, just keep hot air ballooning on your list as it’s a lot of fun.

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This post is from a campaign brought to you by the South African Tourism Office and is supported and managed by iambassador. Stop Having a Boring Life maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site as always.

Tips hat,

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