WORTH A TRY?

THE VERDICT

SKY SAFARI

advise we were heading for Springbok Valley as the second balloon joined us in the heavens. The sun appeared from behind a flat-topped mountain to flood the landscape in golden light as the dunes basked in our collective admiration, initial nerves blown away by the heart-thumping views.

At the whim of the wind, we were soon drifting towards a mountain rising like a gnarled brown tooth out of the sand. Its rocky counters loomed large as Tracy expertly brought us up and over the ridge, the second balloon following gracefully in our wake. En route, we spotted an array of flora and fauna: a lone quiver tree clinging to the side of a mountain, the snowy rumps of leaping springbok, baby oryx and those mesmerising zebras.

The balloon arrived at a pockmarked plain and Tracy brought us low so we could get a closer look at mysterious rings of bare earth known as “fairy circles”. Scientists believe they are the work of sand termites, but the local Himba people regard these sacred spots as the footprints of gods. Suspended a few yards above these mini craters, which were thought to only occur in Namibia until the discovery of similar circles in Australia in 2014, felt a rare privilege.

All too soon, it was time to return to earth. The ground crew were on hand as Tracy skilfully brought the balloon to land on a trailer no wider than the basket. The valley rang to the sound of our applause.

A fleet of minibuses whisked us off to a splendid champagne breakfast, complete with white linen tablecloths and a buffet worthy of a five-star hotel, overlooking the valley. We raised a glass to a glorious flight and a land of sand and silence.