Tanzania Flying Safari
The smartest way to move between Tanzania's greatest parks.
A flying safari is not about viewing wildlife from the air it is about using light aircraft as a fast, efficient transfer between destinations, so you spend less time travelling and more time in the bush. Instead of long overland drives between parks, a short charter flight connects you from one airstrip to the next, where your guide and vehicle are waiting on the ground to begin your game drives immediately.
At Trixie Safaris, we design flying safari itineraries across Tanzania’s northern, southern, and western circuits whether you want to fly in and fly out, drive in and fly out, or fly in and drive out. The combination is entirely flexible, and our team will build the right route for your time and interests.
More time in the bush, less time on the road
Tanzania’s national parks are separated by significant distances. Driving between Arusha and the Serengeti, for example, takes the better part of a day. A charter flight covers the same distance in under 90 minutes — giving you an extra half day of game drives at your destination.
Reach parks that are difficult to access by road
Some of Tanzania’s most rewarding and least visited wildlife areas involve very long or challenging road journeys. The Selous Game Reserve, Ruaha National Park, Mahale Mountains, and Katavi National Park are all exceptional destinations that are simply impractical to reach by road within a standard itinerary. Charter flights make these remote parks accessible without sacrificing days of travel time.
Flexible transfer options to suit your itinerary
Flying safaris are not one-size-fits-all. Depending on your route, budget, and time available, we can arrange three different transfer combinations
Tanzania's Three Safari Circuits
The Northern Circuit
Tanzania’s most visited and most celebrated safari region, the northern circuit centres on Arusha and encompasses Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This is the stage for the Great Wildebeest Migration — the largest overland movement of animals on Earth — and home to some of the highest densities of lion, leopard, elephant, and cheetah found anywhere in Africa. The northern circuit is well served by scheduled bush flights operating between Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro, making it the most straightforward circuit to combine as a flying safari.
The Southern Circuit
Tanzania’s southern circuit is wilder, more remote, and significantly less visited than the north — offering an exclusive and undisturbed bush experience that is increasingly rare in Africa. The circuit’s two flagship destinations are the Selous Game Reserve (now partially renamed Nyerere National Park), one of the largest protected areas in the world, and Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest national park and home to the country’s biggest elephant population. Both parks are most practically accessed by charter flight from Dar es Salaam or directly from the northern circuit. Game drives, boat safaris on the Rufiji River, and walking safaris are all available in the south, adding diversity to any itinerary that combines the northern and southern parks.
The Western Circuit
Tanzania’s western circuit is the country’s most remote and most exclusive safari destination — a true wilderness reserved for those seeking an exceptional and off-the-beaten-track experience. Mahale Mountains National Park, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, is one of the world’s premier destinations for chimpanzee trekking, with habituated communities living in montane forest above the crystal-clear waters of the lake. Katavi National Park, located further inland, is among Africa’s last true wild frontiers — a vast, seasonally flooded ecosystem that floods with buffalo, hippo, and crocodile during the dry season, with almost no other visitors. Both parks are accessible only by charter flight, typically routing through Dar es Salaam or Arusha.
