Tanzania has several airports, although the most common access points are Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam) on the coast and Kilimanjaro International Airport in the north-east of the country or connections are available from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (Nairobi, Kenya).
Guests heading out on safari can fly into either destination and link up with scheduled light aircraft flights to airstrips in the wilderness areas. A typical route would be to arrive at Kilimanjaro, where your safari operator would be waiting to drive you to Arusha, where you would spend the night. Early the next morning, you could catch any of a number of flights that depart from Arusha heading out onto the safari circuit. In the south, guests arriving in Dar es Salaam can connect to light aircraft flights to Arusha or into the southern parks of Selous or Ruaha, depending on their arrival time. If you are travelling to the remote western parks, flights depart only twice a week and take up to five hours to reach their destination.
Flights
SCHEDULED INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
The gateways to Tanzania are Dar es Salaam and Nairobi in Kenya. (Limited international scheduled flights also fly directly to Kilimanjaro.) Daily scheduled domestic flights link these gateways with Tanzania’s wildlife areas.
SHUTTLE/CHARTER FLIGHTS
Daily flights link the international airports with Tanzania’s wildlife areas via Arusha Airport using a reliable network of light aircraft flights sold on a scheduled seat in plane or private charter basis. Please note the luggage limit on these aircrafts is 15 kg (33 lb), packed in soft bags.
Transfers
SELF-DRIVE
Self-drive is not recommended in Tanzania as it is a vast country with varying road conditions, and 4×4 transport is required for most areas.
GUIDED DRIVING SAFARIS
We have a fleet of vehicles and can tailor-make itineraries throughout the country.
TRAVEL TIMES
When travelling through Tanzania it is useful to have the correct expectation as to how distance and time relate. Please reference our guidelines below when calculating how far you can travel in a given amount of time.
What to remember when travelling around Tanzania
Tanzania is a vast country and the distances between attractions can be considerable. It is therefore advisable that you consult a tour operator to help you organise flights and transfers. Keep in mind that some of the attractions, like the Selous Game Reserve and the Ruaha National Park, are quite remote locations and you will need to arrange air transport if you wish to visit them.
Road conditions are variable, there are long distances to be covered and 4×4 transport is required for most areas. This method of travel is not recommended in Tanzania. If you decide to travel by road, be prepared for a long, dusty and potentially exhausting trip.
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