3 Days Serengeti Balloon Safari: Ultimate Itinerary Guide
This compact yet luxurious 3-day Serengeti balloon safari centers on the iconic hot-air balloon flight at dawn. Also, this is paired with game drives and classic Serengeti safari experiences. Based in the wildlife-rich central Serengeti Safari area (Seronera), our affordable luxury 3 days hot air balloon safari in Serengeti is perfect as a standalone short break or add-on to a longer Tanzania itinerary. This short but unforgettable itinerary centers on the signature Serengeti hot air balloon ride, combined with game drives.
Also, with bush breakfasts and sundowners for the perfect luxury Serengeti escape. Additionally, Serengeti balloon rides in this 3 day safari launch primarily from the central Serengeti (Seronera Area). Also, note that balloon safaris in Serengeti are limited to small groups (8-16 per balloon) for an exclusive, serene experience. Expect champagne bush breakfasts after landing during your 3 day Serengeti balloon flights, which is the classic Serengeti tradition.
Why Choose a 3 Days Serengeti Balloon Safari?
- First, it is very easy for travelers to access the remote parts of the Serengeti National Park that could not be reached by a Safari vehicle. Just in a hot air balloon, observe the distinctive landscape in the park that cannot easily be seen while on the road. Hence, this is a unique opportunity for travelers who want more authenticity during their 3 day Serengeti Balloon safari.
- Also, hot air balloon Safaris in the Serengeti are a great opportunity for travelers to capture the glow that comes with dawn. This is because this 3 day balloon safari in Tanzania is usually conducted in the early morning hours. So, this is because of the table weather during this time. Also, it is a great photographic opportunity for travelers because of the landscape’s beauty.
- Lastly, nature as seen from above gives a greater perspective because you monitor all the animal movements. For example, an observer captures the moving wildebeest migration in Serengeti, and at the same time, captures the predator- prey relationships. Like a cheetah running after one of the wildebeests while viewing the magnificent geographical features like the Grumeti River in Grumeti Game Reserve, flowing relentlessly. Additionally, it passes through the rocky formations of the Serengeti National Park.
3 Day Balloon Safari in Serengeti: Highlights, Inclusions, Exclusions & Activities
Itinerary Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival via scenic drive from Arusha/Kilimanjaro. Transfer to the Ngorongoro Crater rim picnic. First game drive (lions, elephants). Check-in at Seronera Wildlife Lodge in Serengeti and welcome dinner.
- Day 2: Pre-dawn transfer to balloon launch. 1-hour sunrise hot-air balloon flight over plains & herds. Later, Champagne bush breakfast. Morning/afternoon game drives. Lastly, Kopje sundowner with drinks at sunset.
- Day 3: Early bush breakfast. Final morning game drive (big cats, birds). Finally, departure transfer to Seronera Airstrip or Arusha.
Inclusions (Serengeti balloon safari Package)
- Return transfers (Kilimanjaro/Arusha ↔ Serengeti, road or flight options)
- 2 nights full-board accommodation at Seronera Wildlife Lodge (or similar central lodge/camp)
- All meals, including bush breakfast, picnic lunches, and sundowner snacks
- Hot-air balloon flight (atmost 1 hour) with a champagne bush breakfast
- Daily private/shared 4×4 game drives with an expert English-speaking guide from Serengeti Masai Mara Experts.
- Serengeti National Park entrance & concession fees
- Bottled water & soft drinks during activities
Exclusions
- International & domestic flights in Tanzania (unless added)
- Travel/medical/evacuation insurance (mandatory)
- Visa fees (Tanzania)
- Tips/gratuities for balloon pilot, guide, driver, lodge staff
- Premium alcoholic drinks beyond the champagne breakfast
- Laundry & personal expenses
- Optional extras (e.g., Maasai village visit, extended flights)
Key Activities to do in this 3 days hot air balloon safari in Serengeti
- Hot-Air Balloon Flight in Serengeti – The star: 1-hour dawn ride with panoramic aerial views of migration herds, rivers, kopjes, and wildlife.
- Champagne Bush Breakfast – Traditional out-of-Africa celebration post-landing with sparkling wine, a full English breakfast.
- Morning & Afternoon Game Drives – 4×4 drives spotting giraffes and big five animals in Tanzania, including lions, leopards, elephants; possible Mara River crossings (seasonal).
- Sundowner on Kopje – Sunset drinks & snacks atop granite outcrop with 360° views.
- Photography Opportunities in the Seronera Area – Golden sunrise from a balloon, dramatic light during drives, and wildlife close-ups.
- Birdwatching – Over 500 species in central Serengeti (eagles, rollers, vultures).
3 days hot air Balloon Safari in Serengeti - Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Travelers will be picked up from the Kilimanjaro International Airport by the tour guide from Serengeti Masai Mara Experts. Next, go for breakfast at the African Tulip Hotel located in Arusha and about 50 minutes away from the airport. Get briefed about the activities to do during the three days Balloon Safari in Serengeti. Learn the safety guidelines, and also ask what you would want to know about this Safari.
When breakfast is done, leave the city behind and continue through the distinctive business centers of Tanzania. This trip to Serengeti is approximately 350 km, depending on the route taken. So, that is also about 7 to 8 hours. Therefore, you are likely to reach the Serengeti National Park in the evening hours.
Before you get into the gates of Serengeti, you first descend to the Ngorongoro Crater. Additionally, enjoy a packed lunch as you observe the breathtaking views of the crater that is painted by the pink flamingos. Also, see other wild animals like the rhinos, buffaloes, and elephants all congregate at the shorelines of this crater.
After the Ngorongoro Crater Safari experience, proceed through the Central Valley of Serengeti. Usually, the first animal sightings include the lion prides lying on the side of the pastures of the roadways. Later, continue to Seronera Wildlife Lodge and this is where you are to spend the rest of the evening and the night while in Serengeti national park.
The staff of this load are usually waiting for you with a welcoming drink and they lead you towards your room, and after taking a shower, you proceed to the restaurant of the Seronera lodge for your first exquisite dinner in the Serengeti lands. After this meal, you will go back to your room and have rest.
Day 2: Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Safari and Sundowner Experience
Wake up at 4:30 am and let your Serengeti Safari guide take you to the launch site of the hot air balloons in the Seronera Area. Also, observe the captain and his crew inflating the balloons. Hop into the basket, get briefed about how to conduct yourself, and the safety guidelines while in the hot air balloon. As you drift upward, get a quieter environment, and have a more direct focus that is an interruption of the raw, untamed wilderness of the Serengeti National Park.
Observe the Serengeti landscape dotted with the acacia trees, with numerous rivers like the Mara River snaking their way through the Serengeti plains. Then, meet the dazzling sunrise, and you begin seeing elephant herds, zebras, and giraffes. Also, follow the herds of the wildebeests in Serengeti migrating vigorously on the ground with a dust following them. The Serengeti balloon ride lasts one hour, and then descend for a bush breakfast prepared for you as a reward for accomplishing this experience.
Enjoy a variety of delicacies, including Tanzanian and local dishes, accompanied by either a bottle of wine or champagne. After the meal, head back to the Seronera Wildlife Lodge for a rest as you prepare for the afternoon activity. In the afternoon, have a picnic lunch in the terrace grasslands of your luxury Serengeti lodge. Later, continue your afternoon game drives through the park.
Also, observe the wildebeest crossings at the Mara River, where more than 1000 wild animals congregate at the banks of the Mara River. Witness predator-prey encounters as wildebeest calves are attacked by predators like the lions that follow them into the river. Later, head back to your room at the lodge and relax, or you can also rest for the day.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive Safari Experience in Serengeti and Departure
Start the morning with a bush breakfast in the fog-fading grasslands of the Serengeti that is arranged for you by a chef at your lodge. After the meal, you proceed to a morning game drive in the park. Observe the lions resting after their early morning hunt, all they are feasting on their hunt.
Since it is your last morning drive in this 3 day Serengeti National Park balloon safari, take this opportunity to notice details that you may not have seen the past days. After the game drive, head back to the lodge and pack your things. Next, say farewell to the staff members of our friends. Lastly, proceed for your journey for your scheduled flight to Kilimanjaro airport. This ends your 3 day Serengeti National Park hot air balloon safari
Best & Worst Time for this 3 days Serengeti Balloon Safari
The hot air balloon Safari in Serengeti is a very critical experience conducted with safety precautions. Some of which include checking the weather forecast. So, it is best for this 3 day Serengeti balloon safari to be carried out in the months from mid-June to early September. Hence, this is because of the dry weather during this time, whereby even most mornings are cool. So, this makes it safe for travelers to engage in this safari because they would not be interruptions like heavy rainfall that would disrupt the movement of the hot air balloon.
Also, most mornings are cool and the skies are also clear during this time. Hence, most of the landscape can be visible from the Ariel perspective of the hot air balloon. Also sightings of the wild animals in the Serengeti as they roamed is non-challenging during this time.
This is not the case for the months from March to May as most of the days in this month are usually filled with heavy downpours. So, those March to May are the worst times to go for this 3 day hot air balloon safari in Serengeti. So, the heavy rains lead to postponing of the hot air balloon Safari. When travelers are going to the launch stage of the hot air balloon safari, they usually use Safari vehicles. So, the muddy parts in some of the areas of the Serengeti national park cause these vehicles to get stuck hence the delays.
In conclusion, travelers should align their 3 day Balloon safari in Serengeti with the dry season in order not to have any challenges. Also, to have optimal, maximization and enjoyment during the their Serengeti ballon rides.
