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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
3-Day Serengeti-Ngorongoro -Tarangire Safari from Zanz'B
$1,696 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (End)
Akondo Adventures
5.0/5 – 47 Reviews
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5-Day Nature Fly-in & out Safari - Only Top Safari Parks
$2,662 to $2,772 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (End)
See Endless Adventures Tanzania
5.0/5 – 46 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Above and Beyond - Luxury
$2,640 to $3,090 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania
4.9/5 – 493 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Fly in Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Lake Manyara
$3,135 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Zanzibar (End)
Safari Soles
5.0/5 – 327 Reviews
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4-Day Serengeti Luxury Tour in Tanzania
$4,039 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.8/5 – 176 Reviews
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Best Seller
6-Day Fly-in and Drive-out Luxury Safari
$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 – 465 Reviews
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3-Day Flyin Private Camping to Serengeti & Ngorongoro
$1,771 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Lekobe Adventures Safaris
5.0/5 – 44 Reviews
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5-Day Fly in Wild Encounters Safari in Serengeti
$2,490 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (End)
Go Makini Tanzania Expedition
4.8/5 – 54 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Fly in Zanzibar to Northern Circuit Classic Safari
$2,530 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (End)
Serengeti Wakanda Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 585 Reviews
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3-Day Safari Zanzibar Nyerere National Park (Selous)
$1,103 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Nyerere NP, Zanzibar (End)
Greg Adventures
5.0/5 – 36 Reviews
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4-Day Fly in Tanzania Great Migration
$2,202 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Northern Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Mountain Warriors Tours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 186 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Mid-Range Serengeti Safari Fly from / to Zanzibar
$2,585 to $2,785 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Zanzibar Airport (End)
Lion King Adventures
5.0/5 – 1,218 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
9-Day Wildlife Paradise Journey
$3,665 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
4.8/5 – 217 Reviews
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3-Day Zanzibar Island to Serengeti National Park
$2,910 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (End)
Get Together Adventures
5.0/5 – 18 Reviews
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4-Day Endless Plains from Zanzibar to Serengeti
$2,265 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (End)
King Mufasa Expeditions
5.0/5 – 24 Reviews
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3-Day Tanzania Mid Range Safari Two Way Flight
$2,132 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented Camp & Tented Bush CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Golden Trips Tanzania
5.0/5 – 66 Reviews
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4-Day Tanzania Luxury Safari - Serengeti & Ngorongoro
$3,377 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Zanzibar (End)
Kla Adventures
5.0/5 – 28 Reviews
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7-Day Zanzibar Activities Safari & Serengeti Exploration
$2,959 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Arusha (End)
Amshar Serengeti Adventures
5.0/5 – 128 Reviews
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3-Day Serengeti Fly-in with Ngorongoro Crater
$1,513 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Mystery Adventures
4.8/5 – 34 Reviews
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3-Day Serengeti Fly-in and out Comfortable Safari
$1,507 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Arusha Airport (End)
Shengena Adventure
4.6/5 – 68 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...
Such an amazing country, the wildlife is unbelievable
We did a week safari followed by 6 days in Zanzibar and both were sensational. Firstly, our safari was with Serengeti Smile who looked after my family of four brilliantly, and we saw all the big 5 and more. The whole experience was amazing....
Great experience
We took a your days tour to Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro Crater and Serengeti Park. The first day we had a shared tour with four other great people and a decent guide and saw some beautiful landscape and some animals but the lodge (Africa...
Tanzania, Magnificence everywhere
An Unforgettable Adventure in Tanzania Tanzania is nothing short of breathtaking. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this would be a journey unlike any other. The national parks are some of the most stunning I’ve ever seen. Each...
Richful in nature
Happy to have taken a safari tour to Tanzania, got to experience rich wildlife. In Lake Manyara, we saw sleeping lions in trees, many exotic animals, and not least a whole giraffe family, all up close. I found Tarangire a bit boring,...