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Tanzania Fly-in Safaris
Fly-in safaris are a popular choice in Tanzania. A well-established travel industry ensures that logistics run very smoothly. This includes a large network of flights to and between safari destinations, so that most parks and reserves are now accessible by air as well as by road. In the past, flying into Tanzanian parks and reserves tended to be extremely expensive as this was only possible with chartered flights. More recently, the concept of scheduled safari flights has opened up fly-in Tanzanian safaris to more people. Aside from the obvious time-saving logistical advantages of a fly-in safari over a road safari, you’ll have the bonus of an aerial view of the park before landing.
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Best Seller
6-Day Fly-in and Drive-out Luxury Safari
$4,070 to $4,400 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Arusha (End)
African Big Cats Safaris
5.0/5 – 364 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Serengeti Fly in, Fly out Safari Luxury Safari
$2,475 to $2,640 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Zanzibar (End)
Safari Soles
5.0/5 – 248 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
9-Day Fly-in & Drive Safari Northern Tanzania
$3,666 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Northern Serengeti NP, Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP), Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron, Arusha (End)
Paradise & Wilderness
4.9/5 – 133 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Beach to Bush, Fly in, Fly out Luxury Safari
$2,750 to $2,860 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Zanzibar (End)
Serengeti Wakanda Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 475 Reviews
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3-Day Private Midrange Fly in Fly out Safari
$1,612 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Mountain Warriors Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 78 Reviews
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5-Day Flying Safari Dar Es Salaam - Ruaha - Zanzibar
$2,475 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Iringa (City), Ruaha NP, Zanzibar (End)
Go Giraffe Safaris
5.0/5 – 15 Reviews
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7-Day Tanzania Ultimate Beach & Safari Adventure
$3,300 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Lekobe Adventures Safaris
5.0/5 – 17 Reviews
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3-Day Fly in Luxury Enjoyable Honeymoon
$2,000 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Go Serengeti African Tours
5.0/5 – 125 Reviews
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5-Day Dream Trip to Serengeti and Ngorongoro
$1,539 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Arusha (City), Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar (End)
Psalms Adventures
4.9/5 – 18 Reviews
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3-Day Fly in Zanzibar Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
$1,397 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Kiboko Land Adventures
5.0/5 – 22 Reviews
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3-Day Private Serengeti Flying Safari
$1,430 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Penuel Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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Best Seller
4-Day Northern - Luxury Safari Direct Fly Inn and Out
$2,145 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Mercy Yetu Safaris
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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5-Day Fly in Serengeti Safari
$2,310 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Arusha (End)
Manka Safaris Solutions
4.6/5 – 5 Reviews
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5-Day Amazing Safari with Mara Wildebeest Migration
$2,965 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Northern Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Mystery Adventures
4.8/5 – 23 Reviews
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4-Day Drive-in and Fly-out Selous Safari Package
$1,441 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Zanzibar (End)
Selous Kinga Lodge
4.3/5 – 12 Reviews
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3-Day All-Inclusive Luxury Big Five Safari
$1,925 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
African Polecat Safaris
4.8/5 – 92 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Fly-in from Dar Es Salaam to Serengeti NP
$2,310 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Dar es Salaam Airport (End)
Sercar Serengeti Wildlife Excursion Safaris
5.0/5 – 20 Reviews
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4-Day Zanzibar to Nyerere National Park Flight Package
$941 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Nyerere NP, Zanzibar (End)
Ngekewa Tours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 42 Reviews
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3-Day Tanzania Mid Range Safari Two Way Flight
$1,912 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented Camp & Tented Bush CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Golden Trips Tanzania
4.8/5 – 33 Reviews
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4-Day Fly in Luxury Serengeti Ngorongoro and Night Game
$2,750 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Zanzibar (End)
Dancing Simba Safaris
4.8/5 – 38 Reviews
5 Questions About Tanzania Fly-in Safaris
Answered by
Ariadne van Zandbergen
Ariadne is a renowned Africa expert. She and her husband write and update many Bradt guides together, including the ‘Tanzania’ guide. She first visited Tanzania 25 years ago, and returns to visit the parks and reserves every three to four years. She has visited most parks on both road and fly-in safaris.› More about Ariadne
5 Questions About Tanzania Fly-in Safaris
What are the pros and cons of a driver-guide vs fly-in safari in Tanzania?
“There are two ways to travel in the country. You can either book a safari where a driver-guide travels with you for the duration of your trip. He or she will drive you from park to park and will usually conduct the game drives as well. In this case the guide will be a constant throughout your holiday. You might have to cover big distances between parks, which can be tiresome, but you’ll get to see a lot of rural Tanzania, away from the tourist hot spots. Alternatively, you can opt for a Tanzanian fly-in safari where you travel from park to park by light aircraft. This will save you a lot of time as it cuts out many additional kilometers spent in the car, often on bumpy roads. When you fly between parks, you’ll be met at the airstrip by your local guide who will look after you for the duration of your stay at that particular destination. So, you’ll have a different guide in each place. These guides work on-site and tend to be more knowledgeable than the general guides based in the cities. On a fly-in safari, your game drives will be conducted in the lodge’s open-sided vehicles. These spacious, open cars are superior to the pop-up-roof 4x4s used for road safaris. It is also possible to combine both types of safari. You could, for instance, book a road safari to Serengeti National Park or Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) with a fly-in extension to a more-remote part of the country, e.g. to see chimpanzee in Mahale Mountains National Park.”
1Is a fly-in safari much more expensive than a road safari?
“Flying from destination to destination is usually more expensive than a road safari in Tanzania. And while there are many advantages to a fly-in safari, many people booking a safari are budget-conscious. However, several local carriers now offer scheduled flights between parks. Furthermore, competition between different carriers flying to the popular parks has grown in recent years, bringing down the prices. Most importantly, there is usually no need for chartered flights. Since flying from park to park is essentially more time-productive, you can probably do a safari in fewer days compared to a similar road safari. Taking that into account, you might find a fly-in package doesn’t actually work out to be a lot more expensive than a road safari. Having said that, fly-in packages usually focus on the most exclusive and upmarket all-inclusive lodges, and these come at a premium price.”
2What are the luggage restrictions on a fly-in trip in Tanzania?
“Safari flights are mostly on small light aircraft, and strict luggage restrictions apply, usually 15kg/33lb per person. As the planes are quite small, they also ask you to use a soft bag, such as a duffel bag, which is easier to store in a confined space. As you will be allowed more on your international flight, you can either pack with these small aircraft restrictions in mind, or you can leave some luggage with your tour operator or hotel at your city of entry. To accommodate the luggage restrictions, most lodges will do same-day laundry and many luxury lodges even include it in their package. Luggage restrictions on safari flights can be problematic for keen photographers with large lenses and lots of other equipment. If in doubt, always check with your tour operator in advance. In extreme cases you might need to book an extra seat.”
3How reliable and safe are the small aircraft used for a fly-in safari in Tanzania?
“A fly-in safari and the light aircraft used in Tanzania are very safe. Tanzania has a well-established safari industry, and most of the local carriers have been operating for many years. Aside from having very strict safety regulations, they are generally very reliable too. Although several carriers offer scheduled flights to the popular parks and reserves, they do so in a flexible manner depending on bookings. The route will be scheduled, but stops at different airstrips are planned according to the bookings. That means that exact timings are usually announced the day before any given flight. The lodges are in direct contact with the airlines, and they inform their guests in ample time. They also organize transfers to and from the airstrips.”
4Are some parks or reserves in Tanzania more suitable to this type of safari?
“Most parks and reserves can be visited on a road or fly-in safari. Both tour options are popular in the Northern circuit (Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks). As the Ngorongoro Conservation Area lies en route to the Serengeti, a great option is to drive one way and fly back. This saves time and avoids having to drive the same route twice. The Southern circuit (Mikumi, Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks) is a bit more remote. Many visitors opt to fly-in, although a road trip is the budget-friendly option, especially if only visiting one reserve. The Western circuit is almost exclusively visited on fly-in safaris. It includes Katavi, Mahale Mountains and Gombe National Parks. Katavi is a typical savannah reserve with lion, elephant and so on, while Mahale and Gombe both offer the more-specialized attraction of chimp trekking on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Katavi and Mahale are usually visited together as they are connected by a convenient flight schedule. Katavi can theoretically be visited by road, but this is hardly ever done as it is so remote and difficult to reach. There are no access roads at all to Mahale and Gombe. Visitors usually come by flight, followed by a private boat transfer. The inaccessibility of the Western circuit makes it very exclusive. There is just a handful of small, mostly rustic lodges in these parks. Fly-in packages are expensive, but visitors get a special wild experience away from the crowds.”
5Tanzania Reviews
Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.
The perfect safari destination
With almost a quarter of this vast country dedicated to wildlife reserves and national parks, Tanzania is justifiably regarded as Africa’s premier safari destination. It’s one of my favourite countries, not just for the bush, beaches...
Brian is an award winning travel writer, author of safari books and regular contributor to magazines such as BBC Wildlife and Travel Africa.
Wilderness unlimited
Tanzania may be one of the world’s poorest countries but its national parks and game reserves are the crown jewels of Africa. First among equals is the Serengeti, probably the most famous wildlife refuge on the planet, a wilderness the...
Paradise
Love the country and the people of Tanzania. I have visited, Dar es Selam, Karagwe, Arusha, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar and every where we went was such a beautiful place and welcoming people. I can’t wait to go back.
A very picturesque country
I climbed Kilimanjaro guided by a wonderful tour guide Angelo. This was a unique experience as I managed to climb the summit and meet the sunrise over Africa. I want to thank the whole team who accompanied me on the way up. All my stuff...
A Magical Experience
This was my first time in the motherland. I had no idea what to expect, and I knew I wanted to experience all that Tanzania had to offer. It was honestly the most amazing vacation I have ever been on. I got to experience so many things-...
A beautiful immersion
We loved the safari ! Everything was amazing, the wildlife, the scenic beauty, everything was wonderful. We want to thank the team for the welcome. This trip is one of our best memories so far. Hope to see you soon !