Wilderness starts hot air balloon excursion
Staff Writer | Friday April 5, 2019 12:45
The hot air ballooning experiences started on Monday and will go on until through October 7, 2019.
Therefore between now and then, guests can enjoy a unique hot air balloon safari, drifting slowly over the pristine 60, 000-hectare Vumbura Concession.
Vumbura Plains offers one of the most exclusive hot air ballooning experiences in Africa.
“This exciting excursion offers more than just a balloon ride; it is the ideal opportunity for us to share with our guests the wonders of the Delta from a completely different perspective, offering a bird’s eye view of some of the spectacular remote areas that are not often explored on game drives”, Wilderness Safaris Botswana sales manager, Attorney Vasco wrote in a press release.
The balloon safari adds to the diverse list of already popular activities on offer at Vumbura, including mekoro (dugout canoes), game drives, game walks and boating, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy a truly life-changing adventure.
“A maximum of eight guests are transferred to the balloon launch site via a helicopter flight, this full air safari offers an extraordinary opportunity to explore some of the waterways in search of wetland species like elusive sitatunga and forgotten pods of hippo in remote areas,” Vasco said.
“After taking in the spectacle for approximately 45 minutes, guests are met with a celebratory glass of champagne upon landing, before returning to camp for a delicious brunch. Guests can also choose to add on a 15- or 30-minute scenic helicopter flight back to camp, at additional cost.”
The Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site, and one of the largest inland delta systems in the world. It is also home to hundreds of species of animals and birds. The Vumbura Concession comprises a varied mix of mopane, acacia woodland, floodplains and permanent swamp.
Key mammal species include herds of elephant and buffalo, sable, zebra and wildebeest. In addition to the resident lion pride, cheetah, spotted hyaena and wild dog are also seen.
Vumbura Plains comprises 14 rooms, and Little Vumbura is an intimate six-tented camp; both are perfect bases from which to explore this pristine wilderness area.
Both camps are also strongly rooted in a core purpose, and deeply committed to Wilderness Safaris’ 4Cs sustainability ethos of Commerce, Community, Culture and Conservation.
The Vumbura Concession is leased from five villages, through the Okavango Community Trust, in a partnership that ensures that the benefits of ecotourism are shared with its neighbouring rural stakeholders, positively impacting the local community.
Guests visiting the concession can be assured that their life-changing journey is one that not only gives back to the conservation of this incredible wilderness area, but to the empowerment of its people.