How to Get to Tanzania: A Practical Guide for Safari Travelers

Traveling to Tanzania is straightforward once you understand which airport best suits your itinerary and how international routes connect to the country’s safari regions and islands. This guide is written for travelers planning wildlife safaris, mountain treks, and coastal holidays who want to arrive efficiently and avoid unnecessary internal flights or long road transfers.

Choosing the Right Airport for Your Safari

Tanzania has several international entry points, but selecting the correct one depends heavily on where your journey begins inside the country.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

This is the preferred gateway for northern circuit safaris and Mount Kilimanjaro climbs. Guests heading to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, or Lake Manyara normally fly here and transfer onward by road or light aircraft. Arusha and Moshi, the two main safari towns in the north, sit within convenient driving distance.

Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR)

Dar es Salaam works best for travelers visiting Tanzania’s southern and western parks or those with business or coastal itineraries. It is commonly used for trips to Ruaha National Park, Nyerere National Park, and Katavi, usually followed by a scheduled or chartered domestic flight.

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ)

This airport serves Zanzibar Island and is ideal for travelers beginning or ending their holiday on the beach. Many safari itineraries combine the Serengeti with Zanzibar, in which case guests often arrive through Kilimanjaro and depart from Zanzibar or the reverse.

Selecting the right entry point saves time and reduces internal connections, which is particularly important when safari schedules are tight.

Flying to Tanzania from Abroad

International flights typically reach Tanzania with one connection through major aviation hubs in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa.

Travelers from Europe commonly connect through Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Istanbul, or Doha before continuing to Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam. North American routes usually follow a similar pattern, routing via Europe or the Gulf states. Guests coming from Asia or Australia often transit through Doha, Dubai, Addis Ababa, or Istanbul. Within Africa, regional services from Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, and Kigali make Tanzania easily accessible.

Several long haul carriers operate these routes on a regular basis, including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Fly Emirates. Schedules vary seasonally, but these airlines form the backbone of Tanzania’s international access.

Visa and Entry Requirements

Most visitors require a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. This can usually be obtained online before departure, on arrival at major airports, or through a Tanzanian embassy.

Passports must remain valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry and should contain at least one blank page. Tourist visas are typically issued for stays of up to ninety days.

Yellow fever certificates are not required for travelers arriving directly from Europe, North America, or Asia. They are required when entering from, or transiting through, countries where yellow fever is endemic, so travelers should check their routing carefully before departure.

Moving Onward After Arrival

Most safari guests are met at the airport by their tour operator and transferred directly to a hotel or into a private four wheel drive safari vehicle. For remote parks and island extensions, scheduled light aircraft flights are widely used and connect Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Serengeti airstrips, and Zanzibar in under two hours.

In cities such as Dar es Salaam or on Zanzibar, hotels and private drivers commonly arrange airport pick ups, which is preferable to relying on unplanned taxis after a long international flight.

When to Book Your Flights

Tanzania can be visited year round, but flight demand follows safari seasons closely. June through October is the busiest period and generally requires booking several months in advance. December through February is also popular, particularly for travelers interested in the wildebeest calving season in the southern Serengeti. March to May and November tend to be quieter and can offer better airfares, although some remote camps close during heavier rains.

Preparing Before Departure

Before flying, travelers should ensure their documentation is complete and accessible, including passports, visas, travel insurance, vaccination certificates where applicable, and printed copies of their safari itinerary and airport transfer arrangements. Having a small amount of cash for arrival expenses is also sensible, even when most major payments have been handled in advance.