The modern hot air balloon adventure begins… In the dark before dawn, guests are shuttled to the launch site, which varies each morning depending on wind and weather | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Eric and Nancy Hesemans founded Namib Sky over 30 years ago and brought the first hot air balloon to Namibia in 1991. Here, their son Denis angles a fan to best fill up the balloon | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Company founder, Eric Hesemans, was a pioneer for tourism to this area. When they started flying over 30 years ago, the Sesriem campsite was the only accommodation option in the area | Source: Melanie van Zyl

The crew on the ground is just as important as the pilots in the sky on this balloon safari. They safely herded us into the basket, arranging us into the quadrants by weight, and were there to fetch us when it was time to land | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Denis Hesemans, the son of the founder of Namib Sky Balloons, has been riding in balloons since the age of three – “but flying licensed since the age of 16”, he says. Today he pilots most of the balloons that soar above the Sossusvlei region | Source: Melanie van Zyl

This is the view when you look up from the basket. A hot air balloon ride is marked by its silence. The vessel defies gravity with serene stillness, then punctured by bursts of gas flames that help the pilot steer across the scenery | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Pandemic-era ballooning. Namib Sky resumed operations a year ago, in May 2020, and all air passengers wore masks on the flight | Source: Melanie van Zyl

During the flight, pilot Denis dished details about the area. “Ballooning was a pioneer of tourism to Sossusvlei. Back then, there was no one living here because there’s no water. My parents were some of the first to stay” | Source: Melanie van Zyl

“Usually, we fly every single day,” Denis said between booming propane blasts and the soupy silence of the Namib Desert. “On busy days, as many as four balloons are going up in the morning.” With over two thousand flights Denis is the safety officer for Namib Sky as well as the Designated Examiner for Namibia | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Can you spot the ground crew? The cars are waiting beside a patch of Fairy Circles. Until recently, science could not explain why these grassland bald patches dotted the desert | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Researchers say the toxic Euphorbia plant is responsible for these bare circular patches in the ground | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Once the airship was up and running, Namib Sky Balloon Safaris needed a steadier stream of guests and so they built Kulula Lodge. The lodge is now owned by Wilderness Safaris and there are over 30 stays sprinkled across the surrounding sands in the Sossusvlei region | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Why is a flight so expensive? There are several factors. The balloon itself costs as much as a brand new series Mercedes but only lasts a few hundred hours, drinks 200 litres of gas per hour and requires a staff crew to get it going. The location is also highly costly. This balloon company holds two concessions to fly over both the Namib Naukluft Park and the Namib Rand Nature Reserve | Source: Melanie van Zyl

We go wherever the wind blows. A hot air balloon pilot can’t really ‘steer’ the craft, only adjust the burners to desired altitude and seek out directional wind channels to move sideways. It is truly an aeronautical art | Source: Melanie van Zyl

The wind worked in our favour and we crisscrossed the desert sands beside the Namib Naukluft National Park. Just as we prepared to descend, a Brown hyena trotted into view | Source: Melanie van Zyl

For the descent, the ground crew is essential. Landing can be sedate or sporty, depending on the winds. Ours was thankfully sedate and we easily plopped down onto the trailer thanks to these helping hands. A sporty landing often sees the basket toppling over and requires the passenger to brace and hang on tight – but it’s still safe! | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Once landed, the balloon soon flops down and ropes need to be carefully sorted | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Then the vessel is gently folded up, releasing any trapped air | Source: Melanie van Zyl

The glorious morning then culminates in a champagne breakfast spread in true style | Source: Melanie van Zyl

You’ll never forget that sensation of floating in silence across the Namibian sky | Source: Melanie van Zyl

Recently revamped, Little Kulala design is inspired by Dead Vlei. There are 11 climate-controlled, thatched suites, each with a private plunge pool, merging seamlessly into the timeless desert setting | Source: Melanie van Zyl

The room’s shaded sala has a roll-out bed for siestas during the day or for sleep-outs under the stars | Source: Melanie van Zyl

The view from Kwessi Dunes lodge is spectacular and the glass windows and doors at the main area look out onto the undulating sand that only ends when it meets the mountains, far in the distance | Source: Melanie van Zyl