How to get to the Mwiba Lodge Serengeti

INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC FLIGHT ROUTES TO THE SERENGETI

Tanzania is served by a number of international airlines, including the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar. The Kilimanjaro International Airport in the north of the country is the closest for connections to the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve, either through Arusha Airport or the Lake Manyara Airstrip.

Depending on your arrival time, you may need to overnight in Arusha, Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar prior to flying to the Southern Serengeti the following day.

ARRIVING INTO KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL (JRO)

Kilimanjaro International Airport is served by a number of airlines, including Condor, Ethiopian Airlines, Fastjet, Kenya Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Precision Air, Safarilink, Turkish Airlines, RwandaAir and Fly Dubai. If your international flight arrives before 11:00 am, it is possible to make a same day connection to Mwiba Airstrip in the Serengeti (subject to a minimum of two passengers being booked on the flight). The flight time from Kilimanjaro International to the Mwiba Airstrip is approximately one hour.

For international flight arrivals before 10:15 am, there is also the option for a one-hour land transfer to Arusha Airport, from where you may board a connecting flight to the Lobo Airstrip at 1:00 pm.

If your international flight doesn’t allow for a same-day connecting flight to the Mwiba Airstrip, our Safari Expert team would be happy to assist you in arranging a one-hour road transfer into the nearby town of Arusha for an overnight stay before flying to Mwiba the next morning.

Suggested Arusha Accommodations:  

    •    Arusha Coffee Lodge

    •    Legendary Coffee Lodge

ARRIVING INTO JULIUS NYERERE INTERNATIONAL IN DAR ES SALAAM (DAR)

Julius Nyerere International airport is served by a number of airlines, including Egypt Air, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Fastjet, FlyDubai, Kenya Airways, Malawian Airlines, Precision Air, Qatar Airways, South African Airlines, Turkish Airlines.

For international flight arrivals before 7.30am, it’s possible to board a connecting flight to to Mwiba Airstrip from the airport's domestic terminal (a five-minute taxi ride from the international terminal), with a flight time of approximately two hours. Alternatively, connecting domestic flights are available to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

If your international flight arrives too late to allow for a same day connection, our team of safari experts are happy to arrange airport transfers to your chosen accommodation for the night. You can then board an early morning flight to the Southern Serengeti the following day from the airport's domestic terminal.

Suggested Dar Es Salaam Accommodation:

    •    Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam

    •    The Oysterbay Hotel

ARRIVING INTO ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL

Zanzibar International Airport is served by a number of airlines, including Fastjet, FlyDubai, Kenya Airways, MANGO, Meridiana, Qatar Airways, Precision Air, Oman Air, Ethiopia Airline and Turkish Airlines.

For international flights that arrive before 8:00 am, it’s possible to connect on a domestic flight to the Mwiba Airstrip on the same day. If your international flight arrives after 8:00 am, you will need to spend the night on the beautiful island of Zanzibar. It boasts a number of beach resorts where you can relax overnight or for a few days if you so wish. Alternatively, you can overnight in the charismatic capital of Stone Town, which is just a 10-minute drive from the airport.

Our safari team is on hand to arrange domestic flights, airport transfers and local accommodation that suits your flight itinerary.

Suggested Zanzibar Accommodations:

    •    Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Stone Town

ARRIVING INTO NAIROBI AIRPORT (JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL)

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is served by a number of airlines, including Air Mauritius, British Airways, China Southern, Egypt Air, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Fastjet, FlyDubai, Kenya Airways and KLM.

If your international flight lands into Nairobi before 7:00 am, you may have the option to connect with a domestic flight to Mwiba Airstrip or you can board a short flight to Kilimanjaro International Airportand connect to Mwiba Airstrip the same day (listed above).  For arrivals into Nairobi later in the day, it is possible to board a late afternoon flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, from where our team of safari experts would be happy to organise an airport transfer and overnight accommodation arrangements in Arusha.

Alternatively, you may choose to spend the night in Nairobi and board the early morning flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport the following morning and connect onwards to the Mwiba Airstrip. If your international flight arrives into Nairobi in the early afternoon, there is also the option to charter a private flight directly toMwiba the same day (Check out our private Charters Flights section).

Suggested Nairobi Accommodations:

    •    Sankara Nairobi

    •    Tribe Hotel

    •    Hemingways Hotel

DOMESTIC FLIGHT CONNECTIONS TO THE SERENGETI

The Mwiba Lodge is located in the Southern Serengeti National Park and just 15 minutes’ drive from the Mwiba Airstrip (MW1). There are four main airports in Tanzania that offer connecting flights to the Sasakwa Airstrip: Arusha Airport (ARK), Julius Nyerere International in Dar Es Salaam (DAR), Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ).

TRAVELLING FROM ARUSHA AIRPORT (ARK)

Several daily flights to the Mwiba Airstrip are offered from Arusha Airport by a choice of local airlines, with the latest departure time currently scheduled at 1:00 pm. The direct flight time between Arusha Airport and the Mwiba Airstrip is approximately 15 minutes.

TRAVELLING FROM KILIMANJARO (JRO)

Dependent on demand, morning flights operate from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti, with the latest departure at 11am. Otherwise, ground transfers can be arranged to Arusha Airport, from where further domestic flights are available.

TRAVELLING FROM DAR ES SALAAM  (DAR)

Morning flights are available from Dar Es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport to the Mwiba Airstrip. However, most will stop at various other airstrips en route and won’t arrive at theMwibaAirstrip until the early afternoon.

TRAVELLING FROM ZANZIBAR (ZNZ)

One direct flight departs daily from Zanzibar to the Serenget, with the journey taking around 2 hours 50 minutes. Alternatively, there are various options available for non-direct flights.

CHARTER FLIGHTS

In addition to scheduled flight routes, it’s also possible to charter a private aircraft directly to the Mwiba Airstrip from various airports in Tanzania. Unlike scheduled flights, these private charters have the benefit ofno luggage weight restrictions, which makes them a good choice for those who can’t pack light. You can also select the flight time that’s convenient for you, with the option to land at the Mwiba Airstrip at any time during daylight hours (sunset is between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm).

LOCAL AIRLINES AND LUGGAGE RESTRICTIONS

Local Tanzanian airlines include Air Excel, Coastal Aviation, Regional Air, Auric Air and Flightlink. They all use Cessna Grand Caravans or similar aircraft that can accommodate 9 to 13 passengers. Luggage is restricted to 15 kgs per passenger and must be carried in soft-sided bags or suitcases (no hard shell cases are permitted).