Best Way to Get To Serengeti National Park

Best Way to Get To Serengeti National Park

Best Travel Options to Serengeti National Park.

Best Way to Get to Serengeti National Park: When Serengeti is mentioned, one may think it is obscure, and yet in reality, it is quite easily accessible. Most travellers begin their Serengeti safari tours from either Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or the busy Arusha Town, which is the gateway to Tanzania safaris in the northern Tanzania circuit. From there, travellers get to the Serengeti by a short flight or by road transfer. It is possible to combine both flying and road transfer so that you get to experience it all.

Getting to Serengeti National Park by Air

International Air Travel

To get to Tanzania internationally for your Serengeti safari, it is highly recommended that you fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). JRO is found between the towns of Moshi and Arusha and is only about 320 km from the southern gate of Serengeti. International airlines like KLM, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways, among others, operate flights to Kilimanjaro, some with connections to Nairobi. Nairobi has more international flight possibilities, and as such, if it is favourable for you, flying to NBO is okay, and then connect from NB or Wilson Airport to JRO or Arusha Airport or even directly to Serengeti Park. British Airways, Emirates, and Qatar Airways fly into Dar es Salaam; from there, you would need a domestic flight to JRO or Arusha Airport.

Regional/Domestic Air Travel

For convenience and time saving, the best route is to fly into the Serengeti from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport. It takes anything from 1 to 5 hours to any of the different airstrips in Serengeti National Park. These flights are operated by local airlines like Flight Link, Auric Air, Regional Air, and Coastal Aviation, among others. Once you land at your airstrip in the Serengeti, you will meet your driver-guide or lodge staff to transfer you to your lodge or start your safari in the Serengeti immediately. After your Serengeti safari, you can fly back to JRO or Arusha Airport or even fly direct to Zanzibar for a beach holiday.

Serengeti airstrips include:

  • Seronera Airstrip (SEU) is located in central Serengeti. Lodges and camps this airstrip services include Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, Lemala Ewanjan, Four Seasons, Melia Serengeti Lodge, Serengeti Serena, and Central Serengeti Tanzania Bush Camp, among others.
  • Kogatende Airstrip (KOG) serves the northern Serengeti park, especially selling out fast for travel during the migration.
  • Grumeti Airstrip serves the Western Serengeti National Park
  • Ndutu Airstrip (NDT) in southern Serengeti National Park serves Ndutu Safari Lodge, Lake Masek Tented Lodge, and Sanctuary Kusini Camp
  • Sasakwa Airstrip (SSK) serves the Grumeti Game Reserve area and the western corridor. Lodges it serves include, among others, Singita Sasakwa Lodge and Singita Sabora Tented Camp.
  • Lobo Airstrip (LOB) is also located in the northern Serengeti and serves accommodation like Taasa Lodge, &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas, and many more.
Sasakwa Airstrip
Sasakwa Airstrip

Getting to Serengeti by Road

The most popular way to get to Serengeti National Park is by road. Typically, the drive-in safaris start from Arusha town. The drive is about 7 hours from Arusha to the Serengeti. To break the drive, an overnight stay in other Tanzanian destinations is common, say in Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Natron, or even the Ngorongoro Crater. The drive-in by road is done with 4×4 safari land cruisers fit for the terrain, with experienced driver guides.

Self-drive safaris in the Serengeti, although not recommended, can be done when one rents a vehicle. Very careful planning is recommended lest you get stranded or, worse, lost in the park. Important to note that petrol is sold in Seronera.

Serengeti National Park gates include the following:

  • Naabi Hill Gate, which is the main gate to the park, is approximately 45 km from the Seronera area. It is the busiest gate.
  • Ndabaka Gate is the main access gate for the Western Corridor. It is about 1.5 hours from Mwanza and 125 km from Seronera. The last entry through the Ndabaka Gate is 1600 hrs.
  • Klein’s Gate is found in the far north-east of the park, and just like Ndabaka, the last entry is 1600 hrs.
  • The Bologonya gate previously linked Tanzania to Kenya but has, for a very long time, been closed.

The gates are open from 6 am to 6 pm daily, apart from Ndabaka’s and Klein’s gate closing hours noted above.

Getting to Serengeti National Park can be done by both road and air. If convenience and time-saving are your priority, then getting to the Serengeti by air is your preferred option. If exploring and enjoying the scenic road transfer is what you are interested in, then getting to the Serengeti by road is your best option. As mentioned earlier, you can experience both options. Reach out to us for a customised Serengeti safari tour.