Kenya
Governors' charges $400 to $490 per adult in 2026, before an $80 county landing fee and a $20 community levy. River crossings run from July to October, and the reserve's own ticket doubles to $200 from July to December.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hot Air Balloon FlightIncludes Transfers from nearby approved camps, Sunrise balloon flight, Cooked bush breakfast with sparkling wine |
$400 per adult |
Average 1 hour in the air; back at camp by 11 am |
8+ and taller than 1.2 m | Over 120 kg must tell the company 48 hours ahead and may need a second ticket | Company weather or technical cancellation: 100% refund. Guest: 25% fee 60-30 days out, 50% at 29-15 days, then 100%. | Check dates | ||
Masai Mara balloon safariIncludes Bush champagne breakfast on landing, Game drive back to your lodge or camp |
Not listed |
About one hour in the air |
Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Governors' Balloon Safaris launches from a tree-ringed site beside Little Governors' Camp, and on about 95 mornings in 100 the wind carries its balloons south across the Mara River and the forest along its banks. From there they drift over the open savannah of the Mara Triangle, the reserve's western sector, which the Mara Conservancy manages for Narok County. On other mornings the pilots follow whatever the wind does.
The reserve covers 1,510 km² (580 sq mi) at 1,500 to 2,180 m (4,920 to 7,150 ft), drained by the Mara and its Sand and Talek tributaries. Maasai ranches and conservancies border it to the north, east and west. Skyship Company, flying Mara balloon safaris since 2006 by its own account, describes one-hour flights over the Mara River, swamps, forest and savannah, and lists lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo among frequent sightings.
Governors' flights leave soon after dawn and last 45 minutes to an hour, about an hour on average. Guests from other Governors' camps and nearby lodges are driven to the take-off site, and anyone leaving the Mara that morning is returned early. Everyone else is back at Little Governors' Camp by 11 am, after a full cooked breakfast with sparkling wine served in the open air where the balloon lands.
Skyship Company also serves a champagne breakfast on the open plains where its balloon lands, then turns the drive back to the lodge or camp into a game drive. It flies balloons built by Lindstrand, while Governors' says its equipment was made in Australia for Kenyan conditions. All Governors' passengers sign an indemnity form before the flight.
Wildebeest herds move up from the Serengeti around July and head back south around October. Nation Africa reported in 2026 that crowds peak from July to September and that the best-known Mara River crossings run roughly July to October. Calving happens early in the year, far south in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu. Governors' charges its top rate, $490 per adult, from July to October and again from December 16 to 31.
The Mara has two rainy seasons: long rains in April and May that last six to eight weeks, and short rains in November and December that last about four. Governors' cheapest 2026 months are April and May, at $400 per adult. When the company cancels for weather or a technical problem it refunds 100%, and it refunds half the fare if a flight lasts under 30 minutes.
Governors' Balloon Safaris, flying the Mara since 1978 by its own account, publishes month-by-month 2026 rates. Adults pay $400 in April and May, $430 in most other months and $490 from July to October and December 16 to 31, and children under 15 and guides pay $275. Every passenger also owes a Narok County landing fee ($80 per adult, $35 per child) and a $20 community levy, plus $5 evacuation cover for anyone without their own.
Governors' takes children from age 8 and 1.2 m, at the pilot's discretion, and anyone over 120 kg with hand luggage must give 48 hours' notice and may need a second ticket. Guests who cancel lose the 25% deposit, then pay 25% of the fare from 60 to 30 days out, 50% from 29 to 15 days and the full fare after that. Pregnant passengers are advised not to fly.
Skyship Company includes a champagne breakfast and a game drive back to camp but lists no fares on its homepage. Nation Africa quoted balloon operator Nathan Rana in 2026 as saying Mara flights now cost $550, up from $450. Staying or driving inside the reserve also means Narok County's ticket, $200 per non-resident adult for 12 hours from July to December and $100 from January to June.
from $400 per adult
Hot Air Balloon Flight
Says it pioneered ballooning in the Mara in the 1970s
Price on request
Masai Mara balloon safari
Says it has run Masai Mara balloon safaris since 2006
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.