How to Get to Serengeti National Park: Flights, Routes, and Transfer Options

How Do You Get to Serengeti National Park?

The most practical way to get to the Serengeti National Park is by flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) in northern Tanzania, then taking a charter flight to one of the Serengeti’s internal airstrips — the entire journey from an international gateway takes 4–6 hours. Road access from Arusha is also possible but adds 8–10 hours of driving.

Step 1: International Flights to Tanzania

The two main international entry points for Serengeti safaris are:

• Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) — Near Arusha, northern Tanzania. Served by KLM (Amsterdam), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Qatar Airways (Doha), Kenya Airways (Nairobi), and Turkish Airlines (Istanbul). Most European and North American travellers connect here.
• Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam (DAR) — Tanzania’s main hub. More flight options but requires a domestic connection to Arusha or direct charter to Serengeti. Less convenient for northern safari circuits.
• Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) — Many travellers connect through Nairobi and then fly directly to the Serengeti on a charter, especially for combined Kenya-Tanzania itineraries.

Step 2: Charter Flights Into the Serengeti

Once in Tanzania, scheduled charter services operated by companies including Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, Regional Air, and Safarilink (Kenya) fly daily routes from Arusha to Serengeti airstrips. Key airstrips include:

• Seronera Airstrip (SEU) — Central Serengeti, the main hub. Most camps near Seronera use this strip.
• Kogatende / Fort Ikoma Airstrip — Northern Serengeti, near Lamai area.
• Grumeti Airstrip — Western corridor camps.
• Ndutu Airstrip — Southern Serengeti / calving season camps.

Charter flight costs: USD 300–600 per person per leg, depending on aircraft size and routing. Most Serengeti safari camps will book flights as part of the overall package.

Step 3: Ground Transfer or Road Drive

From Arusha, a road drive to the Serengeti takes 8–10 hours via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Ndutu. This route passes through the Ngorongoro Crater rim and is used by some travellers combining Ngorongoro with the Serengeti on a loop itinerary. Experienced safari operators use Toyota Land Cruisers with rooftop hatches for this drive.

Tanzania e-Visa Requirements

Most nationalities require a Tanzania visa. The Tanzania e-Visa is available online at visa.immigration.go.tz and costs USD 50 for single entry. Apply at least 2 weeks before travel. Citizens of the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan) may enter on a common pass.

Practical Travel Tips

• Allow an overnight in Arusha if your international connection arrives late — early morning Serengeti charters depart Arusha around 07:00–09:00
• Weight limits on light aircraft are strictly enforced: typically 15 kg per person in soft-sided bags
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you are arriving from a yellow fever risk country
• Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended — the Serengeti is remote and serious medical situations require air evacuation

For flight routing and transfer logistics into the Serengeti, African Safari Group coordinates the full journey from your international airport to your first camp.