The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
The colour red is loaded. Saturated with passion, emblazoned with fire, and burning with beauty; red is a colour not to be underestimated. Yet a world full of colour is a world full of contrasts. Where there is a scorching scarlet, a calming blue lies not far behind, the difference between the two giving meaning to one other. Rising high above the ruby Namib desert, a torched expanse of dunes stretching for miles down below is juxtaposed against an azure sky that opens up ten-fold above. This mix of crimson excitement and contended cerulean is what you can expect to experience when travelling by hot air balloon over spectacular torched dunes with the Namib Sky Balloon Safaris.
Situated between the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the North and the NamibRand Nature Reserve to the South, Balloon Safaris has made its home in Sossusvlei, surrounded by the dunes and salt pans of the southern Namib Desert. Taking luxury to new heights, the family run-venture has put this remote part of the world on the map for almost three decades, and is continuing to make waves in sustainable tourism across southern Africa.
Taking first flight in 1991, Balloon Safaris was established in Sossusvlei 1991 by Eric and Nancy Heseman, over 300 years after the inaugural hot air balloon ride was launched in France. Taking a more modern approach to sailing through the skies, the Hesemans have cemented this remote piece of desert paradise as an unmissable part of experiencing Namibia.
Now run by their son and daughter-in-law Denis and Andreia alongside a wider team of passionate crew and experts, Balloon Safaris is replete with one-of-a-kind views, a five-star champagne breakfast, and authentic yet opulent campsite accommodation for guests to unwind in.
In the desert, everything is dictated by the sun. Before the rays of dawn have the chance to to heat up the desert sand, guests are shuttled to the launch site where their multicoloured vessel awaits. Greeted by the pilots and ground crew, groups of up to 14 stand to the side as the team fire up the burner that inflates the thick fabric of the balloon itself. Watching the material rise up into the iconic inverted teardrop shape, guests are then invited to board the hot air balloon, climbing into one of four sturdy and deep-bellied baskets that are reminiscent of a wicker hampers laden with treats.
With the pilots occupying a central space and controlling the eight-foot-flame that powers the balloon skyward, the ground crew take hold of the heavy ropes that hang down, and expertly guide the vessel upwards into the air. From a distance, it may seem like a serene take-off; however, the roar of the fire accompanied with gasps of excitement makes this a viscerally thrilling ascent into the cloudless sky above.
Suddenly airborne with the ropes far below, guests wave their thanks to the crew below as they climb steadily higher into the hazy desert air. Here is the moment to truly take in the natural world that is all-encompassing: the blue of the sky turning more vibrant with every minute that the beating sun rises above the ochre dunes. Stained with the elongated shadows of the morning, the sand begins to shift from a burnt red to a dazzling crimson, with glints of gold catching as the sun works its magic on the landscape.
Soaring from anywhere between 600 and 3000 feet, guests spend up to 90 minutes airborne, becoming part of the desert’s morning routine as they spot wildlife such as gemsbok, elephants, and ostriches navigating the sandy seas and sparse shrubs below. Rising up from the land, craggy red cliffs that have framed the Namib for millions of years never become old to see; and for guests, the deep shadows and intense colour palette of oranges, browns, burgundies and golds couldn’t look more mesmerising against the shimmering blue backdrop. Feeling the wind whipping into one’s hair, this contemporary collision of ingenuity and imagination is a surreal experience like no other.
The descent back down is always a surprise, even for the pilots. The winds, weather, and strength of the sun all combine to decide where the balloon lands, and in what manner. A ‘sedate’ landing sees the basket being gently guided onto the back of a trailer by the ground crew who follow your journey on the ground below; a ‘sporty’ landing means a more bracing experience where guests have to hang on tight! Whilst still completely safe, the unpredictability of how the winds will act throughout the flight means guests always have to be prepared for both.
Upon landing, the thick ropes are carefully organised and the balloon is laid on its side to be folded up once again, all ready for adventuring another day. With the morning in full force, guests are then welcomed to a seated champagne breakfast, with a selection of perfectly baked pastries, locally-made spreads, and fresh fruits to accompany the bubbles. Breaking bread in such style is the perfect opportunity to bask in the dazzling sun, chatting with other guests and asking the crew any questions you may have under the sun (literally!).
Eco-friendly travel is of utmost importance in the 21st century, and this has been a non-negotiable focus of the Hesemans and their ballooning community for over three decades. Constantly looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint, the entire balloon base is powered by the strong solar energy that beats down all year round.
Moreover, the delicious and carefully crafted breakfast as well as food provided in their lodge locations is all sourced either locally, or ground from the team’s very own vegetable garden. This means that the food enjoyed by guests is not only the pinnacle of freshness, but is part of the community’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
Sossusvlei is a pearl in southern Africa – yet just like pearls, they are hard to get to. Trailblazing the tourism industry in this remote part of the country, Eric and Nancy set up in the 1990s Little Kulala Camp and its sister accommodation, Kulala Desert Lodge, putting the nearby Sossisvlei on the map as a destination to stay as well as be inspired by.
Set in the dry Auab riverbed, Little Kulala is made up of 11 climate-controlled thatched ‘kulalas’, framed by dead acacias and private plunge pools. Drawing inspiration from the famous white clay pan Deadvlei inside the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the shaded seating areas and star beds make this a true oasis amongst the desert debris. As guests either wait in anticipation for their hot air balloon extravaganza, or fondly relive said memories, eco-sensitive quad biking, candle-lit suppers, and guided game drives are all part and parcel of the stay here.
Further south in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, the Hesemans latest project delivers guests into the magic of the desert by night. Kulala Desert Lodge was built with stargazers in mind, as ten air-conditioned chalets with natural canvas walls and four-poster beds each adjoin to a separate room, totally open to the night sky above.
The attentive selection of natural materials and desert colours truly makes a stay here an immersive experience, where the outside enters in.
Having the experience of a lifetime is a mean feat today, with so much of the world tangible to so many. Yet the legacy of the Hesemans is one of true pioneering spirit, where luxury meets adventure. The combination of mesmerising expanse, community-driven tourism, conscientious dining, and luxury accommodation where you can sink into the desert surroundings, cements this hot air balloon experience as a way to see the world like never before.
