International Flights to Tanzania
DELTA / KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINE.
The most convenient, efficient and safest point of entry into Tanzania is Kilimanjaro International Airport via Amsterdam on the daily Delta / KLM Airlines flight. Kilimanjaro Airport, which is next to the small city of Arusha, is the origination point for all Northern Tanzania safaris. The only major airline serving Kilimanjaro is KLM Airline, a code share partner of Delta. Delta /KLM Flights can easily be booked directly at delta.com. Airport codes for major East African cities are Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR), Nairobi (NBO), Entebbe (EBB), and Zanzibar (ZNZ).
KLM/ Delta offer daily flights from most major cities in the U.S to Kilimanjaro International Airport. The flight consists of two segments. The first segment is from your departure city in the U.S direct to Amsterdam. The second segment is from Amsterdam nonstop to Kilimanjaro Airport.
The daily flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro Airport arrives into Kilimanjaro Airport in the late evening. Accordingly, we highly recommend Lake Duluti Lodge or River Trees Country Inn, which is located close to the airport, on your arrival night.
For those individuals adding an extension to Zanzibar or Pemba Island after a safari, it is more optimal to depart from Dar es Salaam (15-minute flight from Zanzibar) as opposed to Kilimanjaro (1-hour and 15-minute flight from Zanzibar). Additionally, and as clarify above, the daily return KLM flight from Kilimanjaro stops in Dar es Salaam before continuing on to Amsterdam. In conclusion, for those adding a Zanzibar extension, we recommend a Kilimanjaro arrival and a Dar es Salaam departure. This routing is not considered an ‘open jaw’ ticket and can easily be arranged. For those individuals adding a Kenya or Rwanda safari extension, we recommend a Kilimanjaro Airport arrival with a Kigali or Nairobi departure. Again, this is not considered an ‘open jaw’ ticket and can easily be arranged.
The non-stop KLM flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro qualifies for the Yellow Fever Vaccination Exemption. All travelers flying this “non-stop’ KLM flight from the U.S/Europe to Tanzania do not transit through a Yellow Fever Infected Country and are NOT required to have the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.
TURKISH AIRLINE & QATAR AIRWAYS
Starting in 2013, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways now offer non-stop flights on a regular basis from Istanbul and Doha to Kilimanjaro Airport. There is also regular non-stop service between several major cities in the U.S and Istanbul and Doha making Turkish Airline and Qatar Airways a great alternative to KLM Airlines especially considering these two airlines have significantly reduced fares and efficient flight routing/travel time.
Turkish Airline has introduced non-stop flights to Istanbul from 8 cities now (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta, Boston and Washington D.C). Once in Istanbul, it is a relatively quick 6-hour flight non-stop to Kilimanjaro Airport. This makes flying to Tanzania from the U.S on Turkish Airlines via Istanbul a great option. Some routes on Turkish Airlines may trigger an overnight layover in Istanbul, Turkey on the way back from Kilimanjaro.
ALTERNATIVE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS ON BRITISH AIRWAYS, SWISS AIR, EMIRATES, AND SAA.
As clarify above, the most convenient and efficient way of getting to Tanzania is on the daily Delta / KLM flight directly into Kilimanjaro Airport via Amsterdam. Again, the Kilimanjaro-Arusha area is the launching point for all Tanzania safaris. If a direct Kilimanjaro arrival on Delta / KLM is not possible, there are several good alternatives on British Airways, Swiss Air and Emirates Airlines. Each of these airlines has arrivals into Nairobi, Kenya and/or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Besides our main Galloping Safaris Office in Arusha, we have satellite offices in Both Nairobi & Dar es Salaam to facilitate transfers, overnights layovers and connecting flights to Kilimanjaro to begin your safari. The flight time from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro Airport is 50-minutes and the flight time from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro is 1-hour and 15-minutes. Upon arrival into Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, we can provide connecting flights to Kilimanjaro. Depending on your specific flight schedule, an overnight may be required in Nairobi or Dar es Salaam before connecting onwards to Kilimanjaro.
If this is the case, we can also arrange hotels and corresponding transfers in both Kenya and Tanzania.
Please note that all travelers flying to Tanzania via or in transit through a Yellow Fever Infected Country such as Kenya, Ethiopian and Uganda, Rwanda are required to show proof of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. For example, this would include those persons flying to Tanzania through Nairobi, Kenya on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Swiss Air, Kenya Airways, Brussels Airlines, KLM and Emirates.
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS ALTERNATIVE.
South African Airways offers daily flights from Johannesburg (JNB), South Africa to Da es Salaam, Tanzania. This is good option for those individuals routing through South Africa for any number of reasons or for those adding a South African extension to Cape Town or Victoria Falls. The daily flight (approximately 4-hours in duration) departs Johannesburg at 9.50 am and arrive Dar es Salaam International Airport terminal III at 1.50 pm.
Upon arrival into Dar es salaam, we can provide transfers to the domestic terminal and a Precision Air flight departing Dar es Salaam at 6.00pm and arriving Kilimanjaro Airport at 7.15pm or an Air Excel flight departing Dar es Salaam at 4.20pm and arriving Arusha Airport at 6.25pm. The return flight on SAA departs Dar es Salaam at 3.35pm and arrives Johannesburg at 6.50pm.
To facilitate this return flight at the end of your safari, we would fly you on Precision Air departing Kilimanjaro Airport at 11.00am or departing Kilimanjaro at 11.00am and arriving Dar es Salaam at 12.50pm via Zanzibar. An overnight at one of the lodges in the Arusha area is required the night before or layover in Dar es Salaam.
SWISS AIR ALTERNATIVE.
Swiss Air has several flights a week between the U.S and East Africa via Zurich, Switzerland. The second leg of the flight departs Zurich in the morning and arrives Nairobi at about 6.30pm and then continues onwards to Dar es Salaam arriving at about 8.30pm.
The return flight departs Dar es Salaam at about 9.30pm to Nairobi and then Nairobi at about 11.30pm arriving Zurich the following morning. When using Swiss Air, we recommend flying into Dar es Salaam and out of Nairobi. This is the less expensive option as you avoid Kenya visa requirements.
Upon your evening Swiss Air arrival into Dar es Salaam we can provide transfers and accommodations at the charming Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro.
The following morning, we would transfer you back to the Dar es Salaam Airport terminal I or II for your Flight Link or Coastal Aviation flight departing Dar es Salaam at 7.15am and arriving Arusha Airport at 9.00am.
EMIRATES AIRLINE ALTERNATIVE.
Emirates Airlines has daily flights from New York (JFK) to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi via Dubai using the brand new 1340-500 aircraft. Emirates Airline consistently receives the highest ratings and awards for service and comfort. The economy seats are little larger than most other airlines and each comes equipped with a personal entertainment system with video on demand. The flight consists of two non-stop segments with the first the first from JFK to Dubai and the second from Dubai to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi.
BRITISH AIRWAYS ALTERNATIVE.
British Airways offers flights to Nairobi (NBO) daily flights from the U.S to Nairobi via London.
The British Airways daily Nairobi flight arrives about 9.00pm requiring an overnight in Nairobi. Upon arrival we can issue Kenya visas and provide transfers and hotel accommodations at the charming Hemingway Nairobi Hotel or Palacina Hotel.
The following morning, we would transfer you back to the Nairobi airport for a 50-minute flight to Kilimanjaro on Precision Air at 8.00am or 10.00am to 10.50am. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport,
We would issue your Tanzania visa or you obtain online before and fly you to the Lake Manyara or Serengeti to begin your safari. There are two flights from Arusha to the Serengeti that you could connect with including Coastal Aviation at 10.45pm to 15.15 or Regional Air at 10.30pm to 2.30pm.
The return flight departs Nairobi at about 11.00pm, which conveniently lines up with a Precision Air flight from Kilimanjaro Airport to Nairobi Airport at 7.40pm. When routing through either Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, the beginning and ending of your safari itinerary will be adjusted accordingly to provide the most efficient logistics.