Hot Air Ballooning | Magaliesberg

Overview

Bill Harrops Balloon Safaris

Owned and managed by husband and wife team Bill and Mary Harrop, this balloon safari operation rests in the capable hands of a couple who have been in the balloon operation business for the better part of three decades.

Sip on a glass of bubbles and soak in the experience as Bill Harrop and his team steer you over the green valleys, beautiful mountains, glassy lakes and a tapestry of farmlands. Bill Harrops operates his balloon safari in the Magaliesberg area just north of Johannesburg - a location which boasts some of the most amazing ballooning conditions around the world. Bill Harrops is a licensed, non-scheduled air transport service - (License No: N146D).

Just after take off over the Magaliesberg

Getting ready for the launch, Bill Harrop's Original Balloon Safaris

How it works

Hot Air Balloon Flight

Larger balloons carry between six and 18 passengers at a time, which allows the balloon operator to treat each passenger to one of the most memorable, enjoyable experiences of his/her life. Don’t believe it? Just ask the 3000 happy passengers that do a balloon safari each year with Bill Harrops Balloon Safaris!

Balloon trips commence every morning at sunrise
Hot coffee/tea is served while the crew prepares the balloon for flight
The flight is approximately one hour in length
Champagne is served on the landing
After your flight, you will be transferred to a ground base for a freshly cooked, country-style breakfast
A champagne brunch and citations for bravery are also included

Restrictions
Children must be 7 years and older and must be 1.3 metres in height.
Passengers must be fit and able to jump unassisted from a height of 60cm and stand for the duration of the flight.

Packages including accommodation & a flight
Special Select Ballooning Lodges packages are also available. These include dinner and African accommodation at a fine lodge or country house near our balloon launch field, as well as the hot air balloon flight, and an optional car rental at a special rate. Special game-viewing balloon safaris are also available on request. Please do not hesitate to contact a friendly African Travel Gateway representative should you have any further queries about hot air balloon trips.

Information

How Do I Prepare For a Hot Air Balloon Flight

BRING: Pack a camera, binoculars and video camera if you can access this technology. The views from aloft are incredible and you will be disappointed if you bring nothing to record your experience.

CLOTHING: Early mornings are quite chilly, so we recommend that participants dress in layers to peel off as the day gets warmer.

FITNESS: You should be fit enough to climb in and out of a basket. Participants should be nimble, able to jump unassisted from a height of 60cm and stand for the duration of the flight.

Read Why Our Clients Love Us

Mark Crawford

01 August 2026

Wow! That is the best word to describe our fantastic safari experience crafted by Petru and the team from African Travel Gateway. Every detail was perfectly executed: from flights, to transport, to game lodges. We stayed at Notten’s and Bateleur Safari camps - both were spectacular lodges with wonderful accommodations, terrific staff, great food and fantastic daily game drives that provided up-close wildlife viewing. Thank you African Travel Gateway for the trip of a lifetime!

Lisa Wilson

31 July 2026

Petru is the absolute best African Safari Travel agent! We have used her three times with a group of 4 twice and recently with a group of 10, July 2026. Petru is full of knowledge, very organized and has made each and everyone one of our safari trips flawless and perfect. I highly recommend Petru and give her +5 stars

Mary Johnson

31 July 2026

We just returned from South Africa with the King Party of 10 people. Petra arranged and coordinated every detail of our time which was wonderful! She really went beyond the call of duty trying to locate my missing iPad . Thank you so much for an out of this world experience !

Char Putvin

31 July 2026

Our agent, Petru, was amazing. She suggested the perfect itinerary based on our interests. Arrangements were flawless from start to finish. She checked in during our trip to make sure all was going as planned. She really cared about our group of 10 and wanted this trip to be everything we dreamed about and more.

Angie King

31 July 2026

I've been fortunate enough to use this agency 4 times; just as with the other trips, this one was spectacular. Petru is simply a rock star. This time, Petru organized a trip for 10 from the United States. This trip was flawless. Petru provides excellent communication, is extremely detailed oriented and she is very patient. She is committed to customer service. I absolutely love the app that has all our documentation and important information right on your phone. She helped me choose two extraordinary bush camps for our group and negotiated prices. She makes the process very easy to plan on our end. I do think it benefits anyone from outside South Africa to use a local travel agency. I do hope to return for a 5th time and when I do I will not hesitate to use this agency and Petru again.

Sirisha Durbhakula

13 July 2026

Lize was a wonderful agent. Incredibly responsive and adaptive to an intergenerational trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Worked within our budget and gave us the best experiences!

Tane Taylor

05 June 2026

Some trips are great, and some stay with you forever. My journey through Cape Town, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls was definitely the latter. Each destination offered something completely different. The beauty and energy of Cape Town, the magic of the Okavango Delta, and the sheer awe of Victoria Falls. Despite moving between such diverse places, everything flowed seamlessly from start to finish and for that I have to thank the team at African Travel Gateway who took care of every detail with an incredible level of care and professionalism. Communication was clear throughout, every arrangement worked perfectly, and the planning behind the scenes was evident at every stage. I felt completely stress-free for most of the tour and wouldn't hesitate to recommend African Travel Gateway to anyone looking to travel to Africa. Thank you guys! I could not have done it without you and I will be in touch to plan another one soon. I have far too many wonderful photos from the trip to share, but here are a few I hope you like.

Diogo Miranda

08 April 2026

I booked a trip to Botswana through African Travel Gateway – Customized Safaris, including a 3-day stay at Amber Camp, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, everything ran smoothly and without any issues. The entire journey met — and in many ways exceeded — my expectations. The level of organization and attention to detail gave me complete peace of mind throughout the trip. What truly stood out was the exceptional support from the team. They were always available, attentive, and genuinely committed to ensuring everything went perfectly. This was easily one of the best trips I’ve ever had, and I would highly recommend African Travel Gateway to anyone looking for a seamless and memorable safari experience.

Ali Bararsani

22 January 2026

I had a bucket list trip. African Travel Gateway is first class all the way. I travel extensively. +/- 100,000 miles for business & pleasure in 2025. I live in Los Angeles & wanted to plan a trip of a lifetime for my girlfriend ( as a surprise birthday present in September 2025 ) I worked directly with Lize Enderstein through the entire booking/travel process. She was delightful. Personable. Communicated in a timely manner in spite of 10-11 hour time difference with Los Angeles. There was a hiccup on our trip at Mostwari Game Reserve ( i.e., hot air balloon ride that had to be canceled due to bad weather ). Balloon ride was scheduled for January 2. Lize communicated me real-time on New Years Day & worked with me to process refund for that portion of the trip. The attention to detail that Lize & African travel gateway provided was impeccable. Top notch. They will be my "go to" travel agency for any & all trips to African continent on a going forward basis. Go Lize!

Driss Moumni

30 December 2025

We had an absolutely incredible experience working with Petru at African Travel Gateway. Our two-week trip (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe) was truly once-in-a-lifetime, with memories we’ll cherish forever. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Botswana was the clear highlight of the trip. The sheer quantity and variety of wildlife we saw was amazing, and the standard of the safari lodges — especially Moremi Game Lodge — exceeded our expectations. We really felt we benefited from Petru’s experience when it came to selecting the right safari lodges, striking a balance between comfort, amenities, and overall value for money. Petru was incredibly attentive and thoughtful in putting this trip together, especially on fairly short notice, and it really showed. We were also very glad not to have to deal with booking flights, transfers, and activities ourselves — having everything seamlessly organized made the entire journey much more relaxing. Highly recommended!

William McCormack

20 November 2025

I cannot say enough about the service received from African Travel Agent Petru. From beginning to end it was excellent. The detail and the professionalism is to be attained by others. Ive had 3 trips over number of years and each time I am delighted with the engagement, suggestions, etc and most importantly the trips we highlights to me. Ive recommended Petru to friends and those who did reach out were also very pleased. I highly recommend this agent and company. Till we engage again, Thank you Petru and continue delivering a top service.

Guy Hudson

20 November 2025

We’ve been booking through African Travel Gateway for over 25 years now and honestly, they’ve never dropped the ball once. They have looked after us for ages and just get what works for our family. This last trip we took the three kids (11, 9 and 6) to South Africa – Cape Town, a few nights camping in the Karoo, and then Kruger. They put the whole thing together perfectly: nothing felt rushed, everything suited the kids, and the logistics were completely painless. Cape Town was great fun (Table Mountain, penguins, the works). The Karoo nights were something else – massive sky full of stars, big campfire, total peace and quiet the kids still go on about. And Kruger… wow. We saw the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino – plus heaps of giraffe, zebra and everything else, pretty much every single drive. The guides were brilliant with the children and kept everyone safe. Everything just worked – flights, transfers, the lot. They checked in along the way and tweaked little things when we needed. Proper personal service. If you’re thinking of taking kids to South Africa, we can’t recommend African Travel Gateway enough.

Pierre Boucher

30 September 2025

A heartfelt thank you to Bianca for arranging our unforgettable journey through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and your attention to detail made all the difference. Alex and I enjoyed every moment — from the breathtaking landscapes to the incredible wildlife and the welcoming people we met along the way. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and we are so grateful for all the care and effort you put into making it perfect. With sincere appreciation,

Mark Montague

04 August 2025

We had a wonderful time visiting South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We had a party of 10, including 4 grandchildren ages 10 and 8 and everything went beautifully. Lize did a great job helping us plan the itinerary, booking flights within Africa and identifying the best lodging and camps for us to visit. We saw the Big 5 on two separate days and also saw African wild dogs. Each of our camps in Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls and Moremi Game Reserve had a distinct style but all were welcoming and comfortable and animals proliferated. We would definitely use African Travel Gateway if we return to Africa. Thanks Lize!

Andrew Beardmore

18 July 2025

Working with Lize, we crafted our second fully customized self-drive adventure through Southern Africa - this time in Northern Namibia. The itinerary was a perfect blend of rugged campsites and luxurious lodges. Lize’s expert knowledge and thoughtful advice were invaluable, everything was planned to perfection. We had the most incredible time, experiencing so much of what this stunning region has to offer, yet it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface. We can’t wait for our next adventure!