Flights to Zanzibar from Serengeti

Schedule & Costs of Flights

There are daily scheduled flight, with the same plane returning back to Zanzibar Airport after every set of flights. The flying time is usually 3 hours though actual time depends on how many interim stops the flight will make, ( known as ''hops'') as they land to drop or pick up passengers from various Airports or airstrips. Most flights limit stops to the fewest possible so the timing of 3 hours to the Serengeti is practially fairly accurate. See the schedule below. The prices for a one way flight from Zanzibar to Serengeti range from US$ 250 - 350 per person while a return ( two way) flight would cost anything from US$ 430 - 490 per person including taxes, depending on the season and availability.

Airlines

As mentioned above Auric Air and Coastal Aviation are the mtwo main airlines that offer direct flight from Zanzibar to Serengeti and vice versa. The airline generally have an excellent safety record and operate to high standards with professional staff.

Zanzibar Airport

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, previously known as Kisauni Airport and Zanzibar International Airport, was renamed in 2010 in honour of Abeid Amani Karume, the island's first president. It is the main airport in the Zanzibar Archipelago located on Unguja Island, approximately 5 kilometres south of Zanzibar City, the capital of Zanzibar, and has flights to East Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The airport has three terminals: Terminal 1 which is inactive. It is a small building found on the northern side of terminal 2 and currently used as the airport office. Terminal 2 for domestic flights and the New Terminal 3 which was officially opened in October 2020, used for international flights.

Airstrips in Serengeti

There are close to a dozen airtsrips in Serengeti, including the community wildlife conservancies and game ranches surrounding the main park. It is imperative to book your flight to the airstrip nearest to your accommodation to avoid unnecessarily long transfers which also happen to be rather expensive. See more details on some of the airstrips in Serengeti including Kogatende,Seronera, Sasakwa Grumeti, Lobo, Serengeti Kusini, Fort Ikoma and Kirawira airstrips.

Flying Packages

Fly-in Safaris to Serengeti are popular due to the convenience of the short one hour flight compared to the 5 to 6 hour road journey from Arusha. Flights to Serengeti being readily available, a flying package safari is possible to book for most safari lodges and camps in the reserve. Flying to Serengeti is also suggested for those who want to enjoy game drives in an Open sided safari vehicle.

Why Fly to Serengeti: Advantages & Disadvantages of Flying to Serengeti

The main advantage of flying from Arusha / Zanzibar / Dar es Salaam to Serengeti is to save time especially useful for shorter safaris such as an overnight or two night trip, since it is a One hour flight versus a 5 to 6 hour road trip, though you need to cater for a 45 minute reporting time and the time taken to get you to Arusha airport ( 20- 30 mins), so the difference in time is really more like 3 hours. Secondly, with the road to Serengeti being bumpy and dusty in places, passengers with a medical or back conditions that can become worse with road travel should only consider flying.

The disadvantages of flying include the cost, especially so if there are more than two passengers in a group. Baggage is limited to only 15 kilos per passenger and this includes carry on and check-in. Lastly, the road trip, though long, does give one the real feel for the country you are visiting and offer a more adventurous journey to your destination, further increasing the occasion of being in the wilderness.