By Business Insider Reporter
When most travellers think of Serengeti Balloon Safaris (SBS), they picture breathtaking dawn flights over the endless plains – elephants moving silently through the savannah, wildebeest herds below like a living river, and the golden sunrise stretching across the horizon.
But behind those magical moments, the company is quietly writing a very different story – one that links every balloon flight to climate action, forest conservation, and rural empowerment in western Tanzania.
Flying with purpose
For 34 years, Serengeti Balloon Safaris has been a pioneer of experiential tourism.
Today, its mission goes far beyond showcasing Tanzania’s natural beauty. The company offsets its entire Scope 1–3 carbon emissions through a groundbreaking partnership with Carbon Tanzania.
Instead of relying on generic offset schemes, SBS invests directly in the Ntakata Mountains REDD+ project – an initiative that empowers eight farming communities to protect 216,000 hectares of Miombo woodland bordering Mahale Mountains National Park.
The results are staggering. Each year, approximately 1.25 million trees are safeguarded, preventing more than 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere. Since 2017, the project has generated 2.37 million carbon credits, channelling more than US $9.34 million back into local communities.
Transforming communities, not just forests
What makes this model so unique is that its benefits stretch far beyond carbon. Carbon revenues have become a lifeline for social and economic transformation in the region:
Education and health: Schools are built, classrooms refurbished, and sanitation facilities improved. Dispensaries and village clinics have sprung up, supported by health insurance schemes that reach thousands. Even teacher and health staff housing – often a neglected need in rural areas – has been addressed.
Jobs and conservation: More than 100 Village Game Scouts patrol the Ntakata forests, protecting wildlife and dismantling snares. At the same time, “Carbon Champions” train community members in climate resilience, forest management, and sustainable practices.
Women and entrepreneurship: Community-run savings groups, known as COCOBA (Community Conservation Banks), provide microloans to small enterprises. In 2023 alone, 32 COCOBA groups supported over 500 members, leading to the creation of nearly 190 women-owned businesses.
Tourism as a catalyst for change
For SBS, sustainability isn’t an add-on; it’s at the heart of their brand. Every balloon ride funds a model where tourism helps rural families send children to school, access healthcare, and start businesses – all while protecting one of Tanzania’s most critical ecosystems.
“Carbon offsetting is often described as a climate solution,” the company notes, “but in our case, it is also a pathway to inclusive development.”
A different kind of travel
When guests choose Serengeti Balloon Safaris, they aren’t just signing up for a spectacular aerial adventure. They are joining a movement where tourism dollars uplift communities, preserve biodiversity, and fight climate change. The Ntakata Mountains are no longer just a protected woodland – they are a living example of how local stewardship, powered by global travellers, can deliver both environmental and social impact. As the company proudly puts it: “When you fly with us, you fly with purpose.”
