Serengeti to Arusha Flight 2024: How to Get to the Magnificent Serengeti • Chick About Town

Did you come to this post looking for Arusha to Serengeti flights?

If so, I can tell you quite a bit about that.

Arusha to Serengeti Flights/Flights From Arusha to Serengeti/Flight From Arusha to Serengeti/Arusha Airport to Serengeti

The most convenient way to get from Arusha to Serengeti is to fly from Arusha to one of the Serengeti’s seven airstrips.

Arusha is served by two airports: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and Arusha Airport (ARK).

There are flights to the Serengeti from both these airports.

It can take between 1 and 5 hours to fly from Arusha to one of seven airstrips within the Serengeti National Park depending on what the endpoints of your flight are.

All flights are operated by local airlines such as Grumeti Air and Coastal Aviation.

Once you land at one of the Serengeti’s airstrips, you will be picked up by staff from wherever you will be staying and driven to your lodge.

This can take another 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on where you will be staying.

If you are looking for a faster and even more convenient option than this, a scheduled or private charter flight is the way to go.

Some of the more exclusive lodges have their own airstrips and are able to arrange direct scheduled and/or private charter flights from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport to their airstrip.

If you prefer to travel by road from Arusha to Serengeti, it will take approximately eight hours.

An overnight stay at one or more wildlife sites en route is a good way to break up this journey.

Serengeti to Arusha Flight

Flights from Serengeti to Arusha offer a convenient and scenic way to travel between these two iconic locations in Tanzania.

These flights are typically operated by small regional airlines, such as Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, and Regional Air, which use small aircraft like Cessnas or Caravans.

The journey provides stunning aerial views of the Serengeti National Park, the Great Rift Valley, and, occasionally, Mount Kilimanjaro on clear days.

Key Details:

Duration: The flight typically takes around 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the specific airstrip in the Serengeti you’re departing from.
Airstrips: In the Serengeti, there are several airstrips such as Seronera, Kogatende, and Grumeti, each servicing different regions of the park. Flights from these airstrips land at Arusha Airport (ARK), which is closer to the city center than Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).
Baggage Allowance: Due to the smaller size of the aircraft, baggage allowance is usually limited to around 15 kg (33 lbs) per passenger, with excess luggage requiring additional arrangements or fees.
Scheduling: Flights are often scheduled around safari activities, with early morning or late afternoon departures, allowing travelers to maximize their time in the park.

These flights are popular among tourists who want to save time and enjoy the picturesque landscapes from above.

They also serve as a practical connection for those moving between different safari lodges or between the Serengeti and other Tanzanian destinations like Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam.

Cape Town to Serengeti Flights

You cannot fly directly from Cape Town to the Serengeti. The easiest way to fly on this route is to fly from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam with an airline that flies internationally such as Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, or Airlink, and then fly between Dar es Salaam and the Serengeti with a smaller Tanzanian airline such as Coastal Aviation or Auric Air.

Serengeti National Park Flights

If you are interested in flights to Serengeti National Park, in general, find out more about those here.

Flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area/Flights to Ngorongoro Crater

There are no international airports in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).

Airport Near Ngorongoro Crater/Ngorongoro Crater Airport

The international airport closest to Ngorongoro is Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is approximately 200 kilometers away.

Ngorongoro Airstrip (Ngorongoro Airport)

Ngorongoro is accessible by air, though. There is an airstrip on the crater rim close to the headquarters of the NCA.

Flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area are usually charter flights to this airstrip or to another airstrip nearby, though scheduled flights do exist.

Airlines That Operate Scheduled Flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Coastal Aviation Coastal Aviation operates flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area that land at one of two airports/airstrips. One of the airstrips is Ndutu Airstrip which is within the NCA, close to the Serengeti, and the other is Lake Manyara Airport, about 40 minutes drive from the Lodoare Gate of the NCA.
Another airline that operates flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area from Arusha Airport and Kilimanjaro Airport is Air Excel. Like Coastal Aviation, Air Excel flights land both at Ndutu Airstrip and Lake Manyara Airport.
A third airline that operates scheduled flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area–both Lake Manyara Airport & Ndutu Airstrip–is Regional Air.
ZanAir operates flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area but only to Lake Manyara Airport.
Auric Air operates daily flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, landing both at Lake Manyara Airport & Ndutu Airstrip.
Flightlink operates regular flights to Lake Manyara Airport.

Note that all these scheduled flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area land either at Lake Manyara Airport (a 40-minute drive away) or at Ndutu Airstrip (in the NCA near the Serengeti) and not the airstrip on the rim of the Crater.

No scheduled service can go to the Crater as weather can be unpredictable.

Other Flights to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

On top of the above scheduled flights to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, it is possible to arrange for special flights to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. For instance…

How to Reach Arusha

The easiest way for you to get to Arusha, most probably, is to fly there.

Arusha is served by two airports: Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha Airport.

If you want to get to Arusha from outside Tanzania, then you will most likely need to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Arusha Airport is a domestic airport, and you can fly into this airport from several locations across Tanzania.

Coastal Aviation also operates a flight between Kigali, Rwanda and Arusha Airport.

How to Reach Arusha by Road

Getting to Arusha by road is very possible because Arusha is connected by good quality highways running both north and south through it, as well as east and west.

Arusha is an easy 4-5 hour drive from Nairobi, Kenya, across an international border, and a 10-11 hour drive from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Photo Credit: YellowZebra

2 comments

Ana Katrina Lopez says:

February 3, 2019 at 16:00

This is an amazing post about the Ngorongoro Conversation Area! Did you know that when the Ngorongoro Crater was still a massive supervolcano it stood to be taller than Africa’s current highest point – Mt. Kilimanjaro? I found this fact interesting and wanted to share it with you. And now it’s home to amazing wildlife! I’ve heard so much about the Ngorongoro Conversation Area being one of the best spots to visit if I want to get a glimpse of an amazing array of wildlife. Apparently, it is home to close to 25,000 wild creatures. Definitely thinking of visiting here.

1. Biche says:
  
  February 17, 2019 at 20:13
  
  Hi Ana,
  
  Welcome to Chick About Town! Thanks for the kudos on this post.
  
  Yes, I did know about the volcano that created the crater being taller than Mt. Kilimanjaro. I thought that was a fascinating fact too. 🙂
  
  You have never visited the Crater before? You must do this some time soon. I am Tanzanian and it is possibly my favourite place in the country. It’s truly stupendous and breathtaking.
  
  I can’t wait to hear what you think of it when you finally visit.
  
  Biche

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