Up, up and away over the Namib Desert When the truck from African Adventure Balloons picks you up at 4:30 a.m., make sure you're wearing a hat, a thick woolly sweater and a windbreaker. It's freezing on the back of the truck, and you'll probably dive under the blankets and plastic sheets just to stay warm. The relentless fog which usually covers Swakopmund lifts abruptly just 14 km behind the Atlantic coast. It takes four people about half an hour to unroll the hot air balloon and make sure all the lines are in place. Then, using a generator and two burners, they carefully fill up the balloon. Too much air and the balloon will take off before the passengers can get on board - too little, and the balloon will get tangled in the lines.
You need to jump on board quickly, and then you're off, almost without noticing it. From up here, the desert sometimes looks like wrinkled elephant skin, and the only sound to break the silence is the occasional hiss of the burners. The burners are located just over your head, so it's a good idea to keep your hat on. The more hot air the balloon has, the higher it rises and the easier it is to change directions. The rest of the time you simply glide silently along at about five km per hour as the sun rises over the desert.
Captain Lowe Potgieter uses his walkie-talkie to keep in touch with his wife, Marion, who's on the ground following the balloon in her car. Her job is to find a good spot for landing and setting up a champagne breakfast. Once you're back on the ground, it's time for fresh buns, muesli, tea, coffee and champagne amidst the Namib sand dunes.
Rates for Hot Air Ballooning in Namibia:Starting from Swakopmund:
1 hour with champagne breakfast 250 Euro/ 355 US $ per person
Starting from Sesriem/ Sossusvlei:
45 minutes with champagne breakfast 360 Euro/ 510 US $ per person
It must be noted that flights are undertaken only if the weather is entirely suitable. You can book a hot air balloon trip separately or as part of a Namibian holiday package. For more information and reservations please contact
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