Ballooning over the Masai Mara

[Mikes]

Whilst on a recent trip through Kenya and Tanzania, we spent an hour or two on a balloon ride over the Masai Mara game reserve. Great way of seeing the savanna grasslands there after three days on the bumpy, dusty roads. Recent rains have resulted in good food and water for the animals in both countries, and the annual northwards migration of wildebeest (and zebras) had only just got underway - a few weeks late. A 4am start, but well worth it. All images except the first were taken with a 70-200/2.8 VRll lens.

[Fons Baerken]

Wonderful flight! Mike

[Erik Lund]

Very nicely captured! Ballooning is quite an experience Priceless look on that girafe

[armando_m]

Wonderful experience

[Akira]

Love the second and the fourth ones!

[Mikes]

Wonderful flight! Mike

Wonderful experience

Thanks, Fons and Armando - it was a great experience. I have to admit that I was a reluctant ballooner, having read many reports of balloon crashes around the world. But our "pilot" was very capable and experienced - she has been doing this in the Masai Mara for 21 years. She lives in Coffs Harbour, Australia and commutes!

Very nicely captured! Ballooning is quite an experience Priceless look on that girafe

Thanks, Eric. We weren't as close as this image implies. When I magnified the image and saw the giraffe's expression, I had to print it!

Love the second and the fourth ones!

Thanks, Akira. My wife and I took over 8,000 shots over the three weeks we were in Africa! Very time consuming to sort and process. Will have to drop the cameras into Nikon Ginza for a clean when I get back to Tokyo early next month.

[Akira]

Thanks, Akira. My wife and I took over 8,000 shots over the three weeks we were in Africa! Very time consuming to sort and process. Will have to drop the cameras into Nikon Ginza for a clean when I get back to Tokyo early next month.

The amount of shots indicate the amount of enjoyment you had in Africa.    Hope you, your wife and your cameras and lenses to stay in a good shape!