Wilderness Vumbura Plains Announces 2022 Hot Air Ballooning Season
The newly refurbished Wilderness Vumbura Plains is excited to announce that the highly anticipated 2022 hot air ballooning season has commenced. Set in the heart of the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site in Botswana, Vumbura offers travellers a sublime African wilderness journey, with arguably the best wildlife encounters in the Delta. In addition to the land and water activities already on offer, hot air ballooning is now available to guests, through 15 September 2022. Travellers get to experience a bird’s-eye view of the remote wilderness below, a viewpoint wildly different to game drives or walks.
Vumbura’s prolific wildlife and varied habitats – mopane, acacia woodland, floodplains and waterways – offer guests an exciting year-round water- and land-based Delta adventure with extraordinary game viewing. The balloon experience, available to a maximum of six to eight guests at a time, affords a unique aerial opportunity to explore this pristine wilderness, soaring over one of the largest inland delta systems in the world, home to hundreds of species of animals and birds. Guests are treated to specialised wetland animals, including the elusive sitatunga, as well as enormous crocodiles and pods of hippos. Key mammal species include herds of elephant and buffalo, sable, zebra and wildebeest. In addition to the resident lion prides, cheetahs, spotted hyaenas and wild dogs are also seen.
“Guests are transferred to the balloon launch site via a helicopter flip for their balloon safari. They drift over the remote wilderness for approximately 45 minutes, taking in the untamed scenes below. Upon landing, guests are met with a celebratory glass of bubbly, followed by a light breakfast, before returning directly to camp by helicopter. However, they can also choose to extend the experience by adding on a 30-minute scenic helicopter flight back to camp, at extra cost”, noted One Mazunga, Wilderness Vumbura Concession Manager.
Hot air ballooning complements the other memorable safari experiences here, which include day and night drives, walks and mekoro activities, with optional scenic helicopter flights making Vumbura a truly exclusive destination for the discerning adventure-seeker.
The 60 000-hectare Vumbura Plains Private Wilderness Area is leased from five villages, through the Okavango Community Trust (OCT), a partnership that spans 20 successful years of impactful conservation tourism in the area. The benefits of revenue generation, job creation, and alternative sources of income are shared with its neighbouring rural stakeholders. The recently refurbished camp celebrates this core purpose and partnership with the OCT, with thoughtful detail and bespoke pieces applied throughout the camp to celebrate its sense of place and culture.
“Vumbura’s guests will not only experience memories and adventures of a lifetime, they will experience a journey that positively impacts wildlife conservation and community upliftment”, concluded One.