Namibia: 2021 – Hot Air Balloon Flight – Sesriem Canyon

December 31, 2020

The balloon rises as the sun rises ... The duration of the excursion is approximately 3½ hours. The Hot Air Balloon flight itself takes about one hour and ends with an exclusive Champagne Breakfast at the landing spot in scenic nature. Sesriem Canyon is located approximately 4.5km from the entrance gate of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The Tsauchab River has shaped the Canyon over millions of years and it is one of the few places in the area that holds water all year round.

🙂 Hot Air Balloons! End of 2020!

🙁 Perfect day… End of 2020!

Thursday, 31 December 2020: Sossusvlei – Hot Air Ballon Flight -Sesriem Canyon 26 C

Up at 03h40 to drive to the Namib Sky Balloon Safaris meeting point for the hot air balloon flight which we struggled to find as not very well signposted. Fantastic flight. Quite cloudy so the dunes were not as red as expected. Highly recommended and thoroughly professional,

Lovely French family on our flight. Scenery stunning.

Enjoyed a champagne breakfast before going back to Sossusvlei. Very impressive Sabrage technique opening the champagne with a ceremonial sabre!

We were surprised that Sesriem was literally right opposite our lodge! The early Afrikaans explorers in the region named the canyon after the fact that they had to use six (“ses”) leather straps (“riem”) tied together to create a rope long enough to lower buckets into the canyon below, in order to fetch water. Quite cool to drop down into the canyon and did a quick walk.

This video footage was taken and shared by someone on Facebook on 25 Jan 21 – just 3 weeks later!

We were so tired that we went back and had a nap until lunch. Lunch is unfortunately the same 3 set choices every day! If you do a sunrise or sunset trip you miss out on the associated meal. Wi-Fi is $100 – shame it is not included in deal. We had 4 & 5 which are not the best as the view is obscured by a massive mound of rocks. Rooms are however large and comfortable and environmentally friendly.

Went to lie by the pool – not sufficient space for all the lodge guest capacity. We chilled listening to a raucous family who were knocking back the whisky at a rate of knots! One of the ladies was a widow which was quite sad. The kids were cute.

We took some drinks to enjoy on Elim dune.

Back for dinner which was delicious steak. We drank the two bottles of Tattinger that we had bought duty free. Another magnificent sunset to wish farewell to 2020!!