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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
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 – 475 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 – 293 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Luxury Ngorongoro & Serengeti Tanzania Tour
$3,996 to $4,072 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp & Tented Bush Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 162 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 – 533 Reviews
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5-Day Fly in- Midrange Safari Northern Circuit
$2,673 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar (End)
Mountain Warriors Tours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 120 Reviews
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4-Day Fly in and out Safari from Zanzibar to Serengeti
$2,079 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Kilipath African Safari
4.9/5 – 83 Reviews
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3-Day Fly-in Outbreak in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
$1,690 to $1,760 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Go Makini Tanzania Expedition
5.0/5 – 27 Reviews
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4-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro from Zanzibar
$1,969 to $1,991 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Lekobe Adventures Safaris
5.0/5 – 25 Reviews
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3-Day Great Migration - Calving Season 2025
$2,695 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Kilidove Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 33 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Honeymoon Safari in Serengeti / from Zanz'B
$2,189 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (End)
Akondo Adventures
5.0/5 – 14 Reviews
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4-Day Mid Range Safari Serengeti Fly In
$2,881 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Loren African Safaris
4.9/5 – 14 Reviews
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3-Day Serengeti Fly-in Safari from Arusha
$1,540 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Arusha Airport (End)
Professional Safaris
4.9/5 – 64 Reviews
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4-Day Wilderness from Zanzibar- Shores to Savannah
$2,470 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Silvergrass Adventures
5.0/5 – 1 Reviews
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4-Day Best of Luxury Adventures Tanzania
$1,931 to $2,564 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Arusha (End)
Ultra Africa Adventures
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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3-Day Great Tanzania's Trio Escape
$1,521 to $1,532 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Zanzibar (End)
Fondness Vacations
5.0/5 – 1 Reviews
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3-Day Fly in Budget Safari Direct at Nyerere NP
$935 to $1,034 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Nyerere NP, Zanzibar (End)
Raha Adventure Safaris
5.0/5 – 29 Reviews
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4-Day Fly in Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Tour
$2,376 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Josh Dreamland Safari
5.0/5 – 11 Reviews
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8-Day Comfort Flying Safari Ruaha, Dar Es Salaam Beach
$2,728 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & ResortYou Visit: Dar es Salaam Airport (Start), Ruaha NP, Dar es Salaam Beaches, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Go Giraffe Safaris
5.0/5 – 20 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Tour from Zanzibar to Serengeti and Crater
$2,027 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Goldfinch Adventures
5.0/5 – 30 Reviews
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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 – 418 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...
Perfect destination - so many different environments and microclimates, you get a bit of everything
My sister and I went to Kenya and Tanzania and both were amazing, but Tanzania was just something special. The food was incredible, the scenery, parks and animals were beyond what you'd expect, everything was seamless and worked out great,...
friendly people, many animals and scenic beauty
best Safari we ever did with Topy Tours through Serengeti, Arusha, Ngorogoro and other parks. Icredible experience to sleep in a tent in the middle of Serengeti and watching Zebras next to our tent. All people, whom we met were very...
Magnificent Nature and wildlife
The parks the animals the camps are amazing! We were so lucky and the weather was amazing! The most important point for Tanzania is the nature and the wild animals! But the most downsize thing are the street and beach hawkers all over...
Country blessed with great open grasslands, rugged natural beauty and abundance of wildlife
Tanzania was very welcoming for tourists. The wildlife tour operators seem very well regulated and self disciplined - we went with Savannah Explorers who were very professional and supportive ( thanks, Sultan!) - right from making a bespoke...