Well prepared for your trip
Flying to Tanzania
Direct or with a stopover? Overnight flight or daytime flight? And is flying home from Zanzibar a smart move? Everything you want to know about the flight, with the tips we give our own travellers.
Ndege - Plane
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Safari njema - Safe travels
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Karibu - Welcome
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Pole pole - Take it easy
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Hakuna Matata - No worries
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Travel with meaning
Your trip begins with the ticket
The flight is often the first thing you arrange, and immediately one of the trickiest choices. Prices vary a lot, journey times differ and so does the experience along the way.
Good to know: if you book your safari with us, we arrange the flight as part of it. Prefer to book it yourself? That’s fine too, but do it in consultation with us, so you know for certain the vehicle, your guide and the accommodation are available on those dates.
Unsure about your flight or route? Just ask. We’re happy to think it through with you, even before you book anything.
What does it cost?
Ticket prices by season
What a return flight from the Netherlands costs depends mainly on the season, and on how early you book. These are the prices we see regularly.
Low season · March · April · May
€850 – €1,100
Often the best fares, more availability and a quiet time to travel.
Booking advice: 3 to 5 months ahead is usually fine.
Mid season · June · Sept · Nov
€1,000 – €1,300
A good balance between price, weather and how busy the parks are.
Booking advice: 4 to 6 months ahead is a good moment.
High season · July · Aug · Oct · Christmas
€1,200 – €1,600+
Sometimes higher still during school holidays: for families especially, tickets add up quickly.
Booking advice: book 6 to 9 months ahead.
Book in good time ✦
Don’t wait for a last-minute deal. That sometimes works for Spain, but rarely for Tanzania. If you see a good flight at a fair price and roughly know when you want to travel, waiting is usually not wise, certainly not in the school holidays.
The big choice
Direct or with a stopover?
It comes down to three things: comfort, budget and how much travel time you find acceptable. This is how our travellers usually choose.
8–9 hours
Direct with KLM
KLM flies direct from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). For many travellers the most comfortable option.
+ No connection stress, the shortest journey time
+ Less chance of delayed baggage
+ Easier for families and older travellers
− Often more expensive
− Less flexibility on price
Travellers who put comfort and ease first usually choose KLM.
12–16 hours
With a stopover
Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines or Kenya Airways, connecting through Doha or Istanbul, for example.
+ Often cheaper
+ More choice of departure times
+ Regularly attractive premium fares
− Longer total journey time
− Risk of long layovers, more tiring
Qatar Airways via Doha is often found comfortable, with convenient connection times.
Our best tip
Out to Kilimanjaro, home from Zanzibar
Combining your safari with Zanzibar? Then book what’s known as an open-jaw ticket: you fly into Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) and home from Zanzibar (ZNZ). No detour back to Arusha, no holiday days wasted.
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Amsterdam → Kilimanjaro
You land at JRO, the starting point for safaris in northern Tanzania. A quiet first night in Arusha.
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Safari in the north
Tarangire, Ngorongoro, the Serengeti: your route, at your pace, with your own guide.
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Bush flight to Zanzibar
From an airstrip in the Serengeti straight to the beach. The view along the way is worth the flight on its own.
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Zanzibar → Amsterdam
Home rested, direct from ZNZ. No detour back to Arusha.
Safari and relaxation flow beautifully into one another this way. Travellers almost always find this the most enjoyable structure. We arrange the domestic flight and make sure everything lines up.
Where do you land?
Three airports, three kinds of trip
For a classic safari in the north, Kilimanjaro Airport is almost always the best starting point.
Kilimanjaro Airport
The most popular airport for safaris in northern Tanzania: the Serengeti, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Arusha National Park.
By far the most safaris start here: our standard advice.
Zanzibar Airport
Perfect when the beach holiday is the main event, or when you finish your safari by the sea and fly home from here.
The ideal second half of an open-jaw ticket.
Dar es Salaam
More often used for southern Tanzania or business travel. For a classic northern safari it is usually not the logical choice.
Considering the south? We’re happy to think it through with you.
Baggage
Take less than you think
The most common mistake: too much luggage. You need surprisingly little on safari, and many places to stay offer a laundry service.
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Choose light, comfortable clothing in muted colours and avoid bright colours
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Bring a jumper or fleece for the cool early mornings
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Good walking shoes are enough, hiking boots aren’t needed
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Leave the second suitcase at home: less really is more on safari
Hard suitcase or soft bag?
Choose a soft holdall (duffel bag). On domestic flights, from the Serengeti to Zanzibar, for example, 15 kg including hand luggage is very common, and a soft bag fits more easily into the small aircraft. Internationally you can usually take 23 kg.
Domestic flights
Many routes combine a safari with a bush flight. The Serengeti to Zanzibar is the classic. Airlines such as Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, Flightlink and Air Tanzania fly daily. Small aircraft are completely normal, departure times can shift and weight limits are taken seriously.
For many travellers the bush flight turns out to be one of the best parts of the trip: the view across the Serengeti is unforgettable. If you book with us, this flight is simply part of your itinerary and we keep an eye on any changes.
Frequently asked questions
Flying to Tanzania in brief
Answers to the questions we get most often. Can’t find your question? We’d love to hear it.
Can you fly direct to Tanzania?
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Yes. From Amsterdam, KLM flies direct to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) in 8 to 9 hours.
Which is cheaper: direct or with a stopover?
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Do you arrange the flight too?
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How much baggage can I take to Tanzania?
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Is flying home from Zanzibar a good idea?
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When should I book my flight?
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Safari njema - safe travels
We’ll help you think through your flight
If you book your safari with us, we arrange the flight as well, and if you prefer to book it yourself, we coordinate together. Tell us your plans and we will advise honestly on route, timing and budget.