South Africa Tours | Balloon Trips

Tours With A Balloon Ride To Remember

With South Africa’s scenic landscapes, fantastic weather (most of the time) and its natural wonders, taking a balloon ride to survey the scenery below is a popular idea amongst explorers. The most common balloons in use today are hot air balloons: they are filled with hot air to make them float. Gas balloons are also used and filled with propane gas which has a lower weight than the air, causing them to become buoyant. Paarl in the Western Cape offers ballooning, and as the picturesque town provides the perfect stop – over in a tour of the Western Cape, why not make a road trip out of the experience?

Starting Off In Cape Town
Starting in Cape Town for two days, you can explore the city and surrounding suburbs at will. There is so much to do in the Mother City: Ratanga Junction theme park, world class shopping malls such as the V&A Waterfront, Canal Walk and Cavendish Square. Constantia and Durbanville are both host to wine routes with some very famous cellars to boast of, including the oldest wine farm in South Africa: Groot Constantia. If you visit in summer, the beaches are well worth a visit, from the fashionable Camps Bay and Clifton to the surfers’ paradise that is Muizenberg. Table Mountain is the land mark which makes this city famous and cable cars are available to take you to the top of the mountain, as well as various hikes. Accommodation is offered in many sorts: from the most luxurious of hotels to accommodating backpackers, but it is recommended to book well in advance as Cape Town is an immensely popular tourist destination.

Following two days of fun in Cape Town, the trip makes its first move to Clanwilliam on day three, an old town whose popularity soared during the sixties and is situated at the foot of the Cedarberg Mountain range. Accommodation is available in guest houses, B&B’s and camp sites and once you have checked into where you want to stay, it is time to explore the town! Clanwilliam offers many activities to keep you entertained, especially water sports in the Bullshoek Dam and Clanwilliam Dam. The area is host to historic rock art by the San (Bushmen) with over 2,500 sites and can be seen either on a hike with a guide or some sites can be explored without assistance. The town is also a supplier of exquisite cuisine and fine wines. The wines are created in the nearby Olifants River Valley and are highly popular with visitors.

After spending two days and nights frolicking in the dams, eating fantastic food and exploring ancient cave art, the tour moves on to Ceres. The town was declared a public market in 1858 and named after the Roman goddess of agriculture. Famous for its fresh fruit and other produce, the beautiful town has hot summers and cold winters with a regular appearance of snow! As the town is historic, there are museums to be visited and heritage sites to enjoy. Other available activities include a fruit grower’s factory tour, fly fishing, 4x4 trails and even sky diving! Accommodation is available in guest houses, hotels, B&B’s and self catering options.

After spending day five in Ceres, the tour heads off to Paarl for days seven and eight and to participate in some ballooning! The town boasts the second largest granite outcrop in the world and offers wine farms, historical sites and activities such as horse riding, hiking and of course, ballooning. Accommodation is available in B&B’s, campsites, guesthouses and home stays.

The balloon trips generally explore the Boland area, but exactly where you go on the trip is all dependant on the wind, as this is what will steer you. But don’t worry! You won’t get lost; a following car will trail your journey and pick you up when you land. Trips tend to leave early as in the hot South African sun the balloons can become dangerous if they are filled with gas and struggle to gain altitude. An early start is also necessary to get a good idea of the coming weather for the day. It is advised to take a hat and sunscreen and to wear closed shoes. The temperature when airborne does not drop so you will only need to bring a jersey for the cold morning. Because the start is so early, most balloon trips come with breakfast, served either during the flight or afterwards on the ground whilst the balloon deflates. The height at which the balloon is flown depends on weather but even at a reasonably high altitude the wild life is still visible. Balloon trips can be postponed due to weather so it is advisable to be flexible with time whilst visiting Paarl, however, two days should be plenty of time to go on a trip.

Back to Earth!
After spending two days and two nights in Paarl, it is time to head back to Cape Town for the last leg of the tour. As you will have spent two days exploring the surrounds of the famous city, how about heading towards the Peninsula to experience the penguin sanctuary and famous Boulder’s Beach, Cape Point, Simon’s Town Harbour and other sea shore adventures which the area offers. Hotels, B&B’s, guest houses and self catering accommodation is available. The coast has the feeling of old English seaside towns, so have an ice-cream on the beach and enjoy the last two days of the trip before heading home!

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com