A yellow tethered helium balloon ascended into the air this morning at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as staff prepared for the re-opening of the Balloon Safari experience. A newly designed balloon will be lifting guests 400 feet in the air starting this Saturday, Feb. 7, as guests observe clear and unobstructed views of giraffe, rhinos, impala and other exotic and endangered animals at the Safari Park. [caption id="attachment_113059" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The Balloon Safari offers sweeping views of the Safari Park, its animals, and the surrounding  beautiful San Pasqual Valley.[/caption] Modeled after the hot air balloon tours of the Serengeti, the Balloon Safari can hold up to 30 passengers in an open-air gondola as the tethered balloon rises silently into the sky. The Balloon Safari allows guests to hover in place over the Safari Park, experiencing the view that the hawks, eagles, and other birds in the San Pasqual Valley see. Designed by the company Aerophile, the system consumes no more energy than an elevator and is completely noiseless."Now that we have the new balloon, we will be able to take more passengers on more flights daily," Dami An Jones, operations manager of admissions and guest services said.  "We have a better capacity for the different weather conditions that we have here in the valley, so we will be able to offer more flights for our guests to enjoy a wonderful scenic view." The Balloon Safari takes 8-10 minutes and costs $20 for guests. Children 11 and younger must be accompanied by an adult, and the safari availability is subject to weather conditions.  For more information visit sdzsafaripark.org. Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents.  The work of these entities is inspiring children through the San Diego Zoo Kids network, reaching out through the Internet and in children’s hospitals nationwide.  The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.