Balloon Safari: Serengeti or Mara?
 

It looks like we have two options for taking a hot-air balloon safari: either in the Masai Mara or in the Serengeti. Which would you recommend? Prices are comparable.

In the Mara, we are staying at Bateleur Camp at Kichwa Tembo. The balloon trip would take place on Day 2 of our actual safari (we will be in Narobi (Karen) for 2 days prior to starting the safari, as well as spending 2 days in Dubai prior to our arrival in Kenya).

In the Serengeti, we are staying at Klein's Camp. The balloon trip would take place on Day 6 of our safari (which is the next-to-last day for safari activities; after which we fly to Zanzibar for a few days of beach time).

Is one location preferable to another? We will be visiting in early/mid August of 2007.

Thanks for your advice.

In August you'll probably see many more animals in the Mara than further south, so I'd do the balloon trip in Kenya.

Is there a balloon launch point near Klein's or would you have to drive really far? That might be a consideration too.

Thank you both. I just e-mailed the balloon company, and it seems that Klein's is too far from the launch site in the serengeti, so my decision was made for me. The Mara it is!

<b>Is there a balloon launch point near Klein's or would you have to drive really far?</b>

I'm pretty sure that they'll have to drive to Seronera for this and since it's an early AM take-off that would be a problem ... unless Klein's has something available outside the Serengeti park boundary.