06 December 2021: Flying over the Kilimanjaro in a Hot Air Balloon - Out of this world experience

Located in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain at about 5,895 meters (19,340 feet). It is the largest free-standing mountain rise in the world, meaning it is not part of a mountain range. Kilimanjaro is made up of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Kibo is the summit of the mountain and the tallest of the three volcanic formations. While Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, Kibo is dormant and could possibly erupt again. I hope not while we are flying over it.

SPOT THE BALLOON

It was a no-brainer to say yes to an offer to fly over the Kilimanjaro in a Hot Air Balloon (Something that has only been done twice before). This expedition was organized by my friends from Ultra Magic Balloons - UM (https://ultramagicexperience.com/) in Spain, with 11 balloons flying over the Killi. I looked high and low to find a large balloon manufactured by UM to form my own team, but the time was too short, and logistics too complicated to make this happen. So I decided to go with Uwe Schneider as his P2 - World Champion Hot Air Balloons - Yes, there are world championships in Ballooning) which was a great decision.

Our Expedition started at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha, when the rest of the group arrived from Europe and the US via Nairobi. We spent a night on the foot of the Kilimanjaro, waiting for the balloons to arrive. In Africa, everything happens at a much slower pace, but eventually it happens. Balloons that had left Europe Mid September finally arrived on the 4th of December, and we all rushed to prep the balloons for the first attempt on the 6th, Saint Nicolas day. Tanks had to be filled, banners put on, Oxygen systems installed and tested. We were like ants on a sweetmeat.

Our balloon was a 210,000 cubic feet balloon, straight from the factory. Beautiful. On the 6th, we left the hotel in Marangu at 0330 and drove one hour to the launch field. Quick briefing, weather report, and all was looking good. Each team started the preparation and inflation of their balloons. We had 3 pilots (Uwe P1, Sanjay P2 and Lars) along with a photographer / videographer Pablo from Argentina. Our ground crew was my wife Rita, Uwe’s wife Charlotte, and Lars’s wife Finella. Balloons inflated, final checks done, final kiss from the wives, and take off.

We were balloon number 3 to take off. We had decided to climb at a constant rate of 2 to 3 meters per second. So up up and away we went in our beautiful balloon. Climbing, climbing, through the clouds, and out in the open skies. We crossed the Mawenzi peak first. Impressive in its own right, but dwarfed by Mount Kibo, commonly known as Mount Kilimanjaro. The clouds, the halo around the sun, the presence of friends in the balloon made me feel special, as if I was touched by angels, like spending a night in Angama, which aptly means ‘suspended in mid-air’ in Swahili.

At 4000 meters, I started the flow of oxygen, for the occupants and the burners. It is very important that the burners are not starved of oxygen. We had special flares to reignite them in case...

We slowed our climb a bit at 4000 meters to catch a more southerly flow, so eventually we will be able to fly over the top of the Killi. 15 minutes later we started our ascend again, and lo and behold, we were right on top of the highest point on Mount Kibo’s crater rim is called Uhuru, the Swahili word for “freedom” Truly a feeling of euphoria enveloped the basket, we could not imagine that we had done it.

THE BEST SELFIE MOMENT

For the rest of the flight, we were still in awe, landed next to a village Roseline, and the whole village came out to greet us, the school was given off to celebrate this unique event, all the kids and adults helped us pack up, and we were back to the hotel, tired, exhilarated, big smiles on all our faces, still trying to fathom what we had achieved.

Still thinking back, the whole experience seems surreal, out of this world, how we small humans have conquered even the highest peaks. A bit of humility to know that our actions on this earth will melt the snow cap on this majestic mountain in 20 years. Our actions have far reaching consequences. Sustainability, responsible tourism, leaving a small or no footprint on the places we go to, that is the key. We all have to do our part.