How To Get To Serengeti National Park : Serengeti National park is located in the Northern region of Tanzania which was officially established in 1951 and it considered to be among the most visited national parks in the country due to the fact that it is recorded that it receives a total population of about 90,000 tourists per year hence it also highly recommended to be a perfect destination one could ever visit while on a safari in Tanzania. Serengeti National Park covers a total surface area of about five, 7000 square kilometers, it is found between Arusha region and Simiyu region, and it stretches from Lake Natron and Ngoro Ngoro conservation area, which is situated within the western part of Lake Victoria. In addition, for tourists planning to travel to this national park can always opt to either use road transport means or air transport means more especially for those individuals who prefer to skip the long trips due to their tight schedule.
Road Transport.
Tourists who plan to use road transport means in order to be able to access Serengeti national park can opt to book a drive-in safari. In addition, these self-drives always start from the town of Arusha. As it will go for about approximately eight hours to travel from Arusha to the Serengeti National Park, an overnight stay at one or more wildlife sites en route is usually part of your Tanzania safari itinerary. More so, the Serengeti National Park is accessible when travelling by (rental) vehicle. Please keep in mind that careful planning is necessary when driving by yourself through the Serengeti National Park. A 4×4 vehicle is required to be able to access all roads throughout the year. Petrol is sold at Seronera in the Southern Serengeti. In addition, some of the reasons as to why some individuals prefer road transport means is that it gives you opportunities to explore well through the beautiful landscapes of the country while capturing classic views of many attractions in the country. In addition, while on the road trips, they have chances to make stop overs in any place they would like which marks their safari a successful one.
Entrance Gates in Serengeti National park.
There are around four main entrance gates that tourists can go through in order to be able to access inside the park and these include the following below;
- Naabi Hill Gate; and this entry point is considered to be Serengeti’s main gate, and therefore also the busiest. Naabi Hills Gate is located approximately 45 kilometers from Seronera. Gate is open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily.
- Ndabaka Gate: and this gate is the Main access gate for the Western Corridor area; approximately a 1.5-hour’s drive from Mwanza and 145 kilometers from Seronera. Gate is open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily but please note that last entry is at 16h00.
- Klein’s Gate; Klein’s Gate is located in the far northeast of the Serengeti. Gate is open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily but please note that last entry is at 16h00.
- Bologonya Gate; Bologonya Gate is located en route to or from Kenya, but the border is currently closed and unlikely to open soon.
Park fees in Serengeti National Park
Upon entering Serengeti National Park through one of the above-mentioned gates, you are required to pay park fees. These Serengeti park fees are usually included in the rate when booking an organized safari package. The following entrance fees apply:
- Per adult (16+ years old): US$ 82.60 per person per 24 hours.
- Per child (between 5 and 15 years old): US$ 23.60 per child per 24 hours.
- Children below the age of 5 years old: free of charge.
Air Transport.
International air travel
The recommended point of entry is Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which lies between the towns of Moshi and Arusha. The airport is located about 200 miles / 320 kilometers from the park’s southern entrance. There are a couple of international flight options such as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (daily), Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines (a few of times per week). Kilimanjaro International Airport also has daily connections with Nairobi (NBO) in Kenya, which offers more international flight possibilities. Additional airlines such as British Airways, Emirates and others fly into Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam (DAR). Please note that arriving at Dar es Salaam may require an extra overnight and a domestic flight on a small regional airline with luggage restrictions. More information about flights may be reviewed on our Kilimanjaro Airport page.
Regional air travel
The favored route for a Serengeti fly-in safari is by flying from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). From here, it will take approximately 1 to 5 hours to fly to one of seven airstrips within the Serengeti National Park. All flights are operated by local airlines such as Grumeti Air or Coastal Aviation. Once landed at the airstrip, the lodge staff will pick you up and transfer you to your final destination where a cold drink will be ready and waiting (please allow another 45 minutes to 2 hours for road transfer – depending on the chosen lodge). More information about flights to Serengeti.
More so, tourists can book their flights from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) or Wilson Airport (WIL) to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). When travelling from the Lake Victoria area, the favoured airport is Mwanza Airport (MWZ). There are also direct flights from the Serengeti to Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and other national parks in Tanzania such Lake Manyara and Tarangire.
Serengeti fly-in safaris (private airstrips)
Looking for a faster and even more convenient option to get to the Serengeti? A scheduled or private charter flight is the way to go. Some of the more exclusive lodges have their own airstrip and are able to arrange direct scheduled and/or private charter flights from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) to their airstrip.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information and inquiries about how to get in Serengeti National park and Book with our tours and travel companies such as; Achieve Global Safaris who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Tanzania.
