Captain Abeid Soka, the chief pilot at Serengeti Balloon Safaris, has just become part of an exclusive group of balloon pilots who flew over the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, and the first Tanzanian to do so on 22 December 2021.
‘We took off from Usseri, very near the Kenya border on the eastern side of the mountain and ascended steeply through the clouds, within 55 minutes we were above the height of Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro’s second highest peak, before descending over the saddle and climbing again,’ Soka said.
There were 11 hot air balloons in total, each with two pilots selected from the best across the globe. The congress of hot air balloons also included pilot Josep Maria Llado, the world number one pilot along with other international pilots. There were 11 hot air balloons in total.
The pilots were breathing oxygen from 3 000 metres as an important safety measure with their fast climb. Pretty soon, he was flying over the crater of Kibo, the highest point on the African continent.
‘Carrying my Tanzanian flag as I looked down deep into the crater was an incredibly proud moment,’ Captain Soka said. ‘It was amazingly clear up there, that image will never leave me.’
‘After clearing the summit and stabilizing the flight in the downward moving air currents, we flew low over Shira plateau, across the Londorrosi forest and out over the farmlands of West Kilimanjaro before selecting a clear space for a gentle landing’.
Soka comes from the Chagga tribe that call Kilimanjor home and the Mountain of God. He grew up on the southern slopes of Kilimanjaro, making this achievement especially significant for him.
He has been chief balloon pilot of Serengeti Balloon Safaris since 2015 and is now back in Serengeti flying over much smaller peaks.
This event was made possible by Serengeti Balloon Safaris and sponsored by Ultra Magic Balloons.
Pictures: Supplied by Serengeti Balloon Safaris
ALSO READ
8 lovely spots in SA to go hot air ballooning for Valentine’s Day
