Flying safaris · Light aircraft to the parks
Flying safaris from Arusha Airport
The fastest way into Tanzania’s northern circuit: a light-aircraft hop from ARK to a bush airstrip near your camp, instead of a long day on the road. Here’s how flying safaris work, what you can pack, and where you can fly.
What is a flying safari?
A flying safari uses small aircraft to move between Arusha Airport and remote airstrips deep in the national parks, instead of long overland drives. From ARK you fly to a bush strip near your camp — often in under an hour — where your guide meets you for the game drive. It’s the standard way to reach the Serengeti and the more remote corners of the northern circuit.
The big decision
Should you fly or drive on a Tanzania safari?
Fly if you want to save time and reach remote camps quickly — a flight of under an hour can replace a 6–8 hour drive. Drive if you’re on a tighter budget, want to see the landscape and villages between parks, or are carrying more luggage than light aircraft allow. Many safaris do both: drive the nearer parks, and fly the far ones.
| Flying | Driving | |
|---|---|---|
| Time between parks | Under ~1 hr to most strips | 2–8 hr on the road |
| Luggage | Strict soft-bag limit (~15 kg) | No strict weight limit |
| Cost | Higher per leg | Usually cheaper |
| Scenery | Aerial views; less between | See the country and villages |
| Best for | Remote camps, the Serengeti, saving time | Budget trips, nearer parks, flexible stops |
The mechanics
How does a flying safari work?
Most flying safaris use scheduled shared flights that work like a bus in the sky: the aircraft leaves Arusha in the morning and may touch down at two or three airstrips before yours, dropping and collecting passengers. You’re weighed with your bag at check-in, fly in a small aircraft of around a dozen seats, land on a dirt strip, and your guide is waiting.
- Check in at Arusha Airport — you and your bag are weighed together.
- Board a small aircraft, often a 12-seat Cessna Grand Caravan.
- Fly to your park — the flight may stop at a strip or two on the way.
- Land on a bush airstrip — no terminal, just a cleared dirt strip.
- Meet your guide and drive straight into your first game drive.
Why does my flight stop on the way? Shared safari flights collect and drop passengers at several airstrips, like a bus route — it adds a little time but keeps fly-in safaris affordable. If you want a direct, private flight on your own schedule, that’s a charter; your operator can arrange one.
The most important rule
What can you pack for a flying safari?
Light-aircraft safari flights limit you to roughly 15 kg (33 lb) per person in a soft-sided bag, usually including your hand luggage — some carriers allow up to 20 kg. Hard suitcases are refused because they don’t fit the small holds, and everything is weighed before boarding. Pack a soft duffel, and store any excess at your Arusha or Zanzibar hotel to collect later.
| Airline | Weight limit | Bag type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Aviation | ~15 kg | Soft bags only | Approx. 76 × 48 × 29 cm; excess as space allows |
| Regional Air | ~15 kg | Soft bags only | Includes hand luggage |
| Air Excel | ~15 kg | Soft bags only | Confirm exact limit at booking |
| Auric Air | ~20 kg | Soft bags advised | Up to approx. 90 × 65 × 35 cm |
| Precision Air | ~20 kg | Soft bags advised | Larger ATR turboprop routes |
The soft-bag rules, in short:
No hard-shell or wheeled suitcases · everything is weighed at check-in · a small daypack (5–7 kg) usually counts within your total · there are no overhead lockers, so you hold hand luggage on your lap · drones are banned in Tanzania’s national parks without a permit · final loading is at the pilot’s discretion for weight and balance.
What to expect
What is it like to fly on a safari plane?
Safari planes are small — typically 6 to 12 seats — with no jet bridge, no overhead lockers and sometimes no assigned seats. You walk across the apron to board, hold your hand luggage on your lap, and the pilot may seat passengers by weight for balance. Airstrips are simple dirt clearings, and short weather delays are normal in the rainy season.
- You walk to the aircraft across the apron — there’s no jet bridge or airbridge.
- Hand luggage sits on your lap; small cabins have no overhead or under-seat lockers.
- You may be seated by weight so the pilot can balance the aircraft.
- Airstrips are basic — a dirt or grass strip, sometimes with animals to clear first.
- Follow the crew’s lead around the aircraft and on the strip, including with cameras.
- Weather delays happen in the rains — build a little slack into tight connections. Pole pole.
The destinations
Where can you fly on a safari from Arusha?
From ARK, light aircraft reach all the main northern-circuit parks — the Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Tarangire — plus Zanzibar for a safari-and-beach finish. The Ngorongoro Crater has no airstrip of its own, so you fly to Lake Manyara and drive up to the rim.
Serengeti
Central Seronera and the wider Serengeti airstrips — the classic fly-in for the migration plains.
Flights & airstrips → ARK → LKYLake Manyara
The airstrip for Lake Manyara — and the way to reach Ngorongoro by air, then drive up.
Flights & airstrips → ARK → TARANGIRETarangire
Dry-season elephant country, easily paired with a Lake Manyara stop on the same circuit.
Flights & airstrips → ARK → ZNZZanzibar
The safari-and-beach finale, and one of the busiest scheduled routes out of Arusha.
Flights to Zanzibar →Best time for a flying safari
The dry months (June–October and December–February) mean clearer flying and peak game viewing — book early.
Seasons & timing → Who fliesSafari airlines
Coastal, Regional Air, Air Excel, Auric and more — the carriers that operate the bush-strip network.
Airline directory → The parksThe northern circuit
An overview of the parks a flying safari from Arusha unlocks, and how they fit together.
Northern circuit →Quick answers
Flying safari FAQ
What is a flying safari?
A flying safari uses small aircraft to move between Arusha Airport and remote airstrips in the national parks, instead of long road transfers. You fly to a bush strip near your camp, where your guide meets you for the game drive.
Should I fly or drive between the parks?
Fly to save time and reach remote camps — a flight under an hour can replace a 6–8 hour drive. Drive to keep costs down, see the landscape between parks, or carry more luggage. Many safaris combine both.
What is the luggage limit on a flying safari?
Usually around 15 kg (33 lb) per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage, though some carriers such as Auric Air and Precision allow up to 20 kg. Everything is weighed before boarding, so confirm your airline’s exact limit.
Can I bring a hard suitcase or wheeled bag?
No. Hard-shell and wheeled suitcases don’t fit the small cargo holds and are refused. Pack a soft-sided duffel with no rigid frame, and leave any excess luggage at your Arusha or Zanzibar hotel to collect afterwards.
Can I fly to the Ngorongoro Crater?
Not directly — Ngorongoro has no airstrip of its own. Air travellers fly to the Lake Manyara airstrip and drive up to the crater rim, roughly an hour and a half away.
How long are the flights, and why do they stop on the way?
Most legs are under an hour, but scheduled safari flights work like a bus and may stop at two or three airstrips to drop and collect passengers. A charter flies you directly on your own schedule.
Are the planes small, and are they safe?
Yes, they’re small — typically 6 to 12 seats, like the Cessna Grand Caravan — flown by established safari carriers. Bags and passengers are weighed so the pilot can balance the aircraft, which is routine for light-aircraft operations.
Can I bring a drone on a flying safari?
Drones are banned in Tanzania’s national parks without a special permit, and safari flights restrict them. Don’t pack one unless you’ve arranged the necessary authorisation in advance.