Hot Air Balloon from Elementaita; The Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari operation is based in Soysambu, on the historic Delamere Estate. Steeped in colonial history, this 200 square kilometer farm combines a working cattle ranch with a game sanctuary that is home to large herds of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, eland, gazelle and more.

The launch site is within easy reach of safari lodges and hotels in the Naivasha and Nakuru region, making this an ideal morning excursion for anyone spending the night in this area. The 8-man balloon, captained by experienced pilot Othmar, launches at dawn, rising with the sun over the sprawling plains of Delamere before skimming low across the shores of Lake Elmenteita. A shallow soda lake, Elementaita is one of the main ports of call for the Rift's famed flamingo flocks, drawn to the nutrient rich waters. The flamingos create an expansive carpet of pink across the surface of the lake, and a silent gliding balloon is the perfect way to see them up close. As the flocks take wing beneath the basket, it feels as though the balloon has joined the birds in flight as they cross the broad waters of the lake. Anyone familiar with the 1985 film version of Out of Africa will be immediately reminded of the classic shot of a biplane soaring across flocks of flying flamingo. Unlike a plane however, the Great Rift Valley (Lake Naivasha-Lake Nakuru) Balloon Safari provides an unobtrusive opportunity to see these birds at close quarters and the steady smooth progress across the lakeshore is ideal for photography. Leaving the lake, the Great Rift Valley