Fly-in safaris in Tanzania
The central Serengeti is about 325 kilometres from Arusha, most of a day by road. By light aircraft it takes a little over an hour. We can add flights to any itinerary, either to replace one long drive or to reach a part of the Serengeti that is too far to drive to and back in the time you have.
When a flight is worth it
Flying back from the Serengeti to Arusha on the last day saves about seven hours on the road, and it is the flight most of our guests add. On a trip of a week or less, it gives you another morning of game driving.
From July to October the herds cross the Mara River in the far north of the Serengeti, around Kogatende. It is two days' drive from Arusha, so most people fly in for the crossings and out again.
If you are adding Zanzibar, you can fly from a Serengeti airstrip to the island on the same day. The flight usually stops in Arusha on the way, but you stay on board or change planes at the airstrip, with no night in town.
The airstrips
Each area of the Serengeti has its own airstrip, and we choose the one closest to where the herds are in the month you travel.
Seronera, in the central Serengeti. About 1 hour 10 minutes from Arusha, and open all year. It serves the resident lion, leopard and cheetah country our itineraries are built around.
Ndutu, on the southern plains. About an hour from Arusha, and the airstrip for the calving season from January to March.
Grumeti and Kirawira, in the western corridor. The airstrips for the herds in June and July.
Kogatende, in the northern Serengeti. About 2 hours from Arusha, usually with a stop, and the airstrip for the Mara River crossings from July to October.
There are also airstrips at Kuro in Tarangire and at Lake Manyara, though both parks are close enough to Arusha that most people drive.
The airlines
Scheduled safari flights in northern Tanzania are run by a small number of local airlines, and we book with three of them.
Coastal Aviation has flown safari routes since 1987 and has the widest network, with daily flights to more than 40 airstrips across Tanzania. Auric Air, founded in 2001, flies a similar network of park airstrips and coastal routes. Both use the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, a single-engine turboprop that seats about twelve and is built for short gravel airstrips.
Flightlink, founded in 2004, flies from Arusha to Seronera, Kogatende and Fort Ikoma in the Serengeti, and to Lake Manyara and Zanzibar. It has a mix of aircraft, from the Caravan up to larger twin-engine planes on some of its routes.
The safari flights run as shuttles. One aircraft leaves Arusha in the morning and stops at several airstrips to drop off and collect guests, so a flight listed at one hour can take two if your airstrip is last on the route. The airline confirms the exact time the day before.
Safety
Every airline we book holds a current Air Operator Certificate from the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority and carries passenger liability insurance.
Coastal Aviation and Auric Air, the two airlines behind most of our Serengeti flights, also hold the IATA Standard Safety Assessment certificate. This is an independent audit of how an airline runs its flights, maintains its aircraft and trains its pilots.
Your itinerary names the airline for every flight, so you know who you are flying with before you pay. If you'd like to fly only with Coastal or Auric, tell us and we'll plan the flights around it.
Safari pilots fly these routes every day and know the airstrips well. The pilot has the final say on the weather and on what goes on board, and will wait for a storm to pass before taking off. In the long rains in April and May, that can mean a delay of an hour or more.
If you'd rather not fly, every itinerary works by road, and we can show you the drive and the flight side by side.
Luggage
Coastal Aviation allows 15 kg per person and Auric Air 20 kg. Flightlink's allowance depends on the aircraft, and we give you the figure for your flights when we send your itinerary. Remember both your hand luggage and camera bag count towards the weight limits. Use a soft bag without wheels or a frame, because it has to fit the aircraft's cargo pod. We can leave a larger case at your Arusha hotel until you come back. Camps can wash clothes daily, so 15 kg is enough for a week.
If you are carrying heavy camera equipment, you can buy extra weight in advance, or book an extra seat for it. Tell us when you book, because the pilot has the final say on what goes on board.
What it costs
A one-way flight from the Serengeti to Arusha costs about £200 to £250 per person, and Kogatende about £400.
Prices rise by about 10 to 15 per cent from June to October. Park fees still apply on the days you are in the park. We price any flights into your itinerary from the start, so the quote you receive includes them.
Mention a fly-in when you get in touch, and we'll show you the route and the price both ways, by air and by road.