Brace yourself for an early start, but it’s well worth it. As the mist lifts slowly in the pre-dawn haze, the roar of burners filling the balloon is the backdrop to a welcome coffee at the club house, before you climb into the basket. After the pre-flight checks, the tethering rope is released and you rise elegantly into the sky, at first skimming over the trees and fields before climbing higher. The stunning landscape of the Magliesberg Mountains now begins to reveal itself, patchwork farms bounded by craggy ridges (locals will tell you these are the second-oldest mountains in the world); in the distance you may be able to spot Sun City and the ancient volcanic landscape of the Pilanesberg National Park. Your pilot will expertly use the different airstreams to control the direction of the balloon, and this accuracy thankfully extends to finding a good landing spot and setting you back down on terra firma for a quick glass of fizz before you’re whisked back to the club house for an extremely hearty breakfast.
