Serengeti Airstrips: Which one to Use?
Covering nearly 15,000 square kilometers, Serengeti National Park is not just a destination, but it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. The park’s vast expanse makes Serengeti airstrips crucial for swift access to diverse regions. Also, Serengeti’s vast size means that small airstrips are essential for quick access to different regions. Additionally, each of these airstrips in Serengeti National Park unlocks unique habitats and thrilling safari experiences.
Hence, connecting you to the Great Wildebeest Migration in Serengeti at Mara River, serene kopjes teeming with leopards, or predator-prey dramas in the grasslands. Whether you land at Seronera, Grumeti, or Kogatende, these Serengeti airstrips ensure your fly-in safari delivers unforgettable wildlife adventures tailored to your dreams.
List of the Serengeti Airstrips in Tanzania
1. Seronera Airstrip, Serengeti
Seronera airstrip is located at the heart of the Serengeti in the Central Valley. Also, it is just a 45-minute flight from either Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport and is the busiest airstrip in Serengeti. surrounded by iconic savannah landscapes teeming with wildlife. Seronera airstrip is best for all year-round game viewing, mostly predator sighting. So, you can see prides of lions just lying comfortably in the grasslands near Seronera airstrip.
This Serengeti airstrip serves as an easy access to most regions and lodges like the Seronera wildlife lodge( 15 minutes away), Kubu Kubu Tented Camp (30 minutes), and Osupuko Camp(40 minutes).
Direct flights from Arusha Airport (ARK) land here regularly, making it ideal for quick fly-in Serengeti safari tours—typically just 1 hour from Arusha, with fares starting around $265 one-way. Flights from Dar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ) often include a brief stopover in Arusha for customs clearance. This happens especially on international routes, adding minimal time to your trip to Serengeti. From there, connections to Seronera Airstrip are frequent, operated by airlines like Auric Air, Coastal Aviation, and Precision Air, with multiple daily departures.
2. Kogatende Airstrip, Serengeti
Kogatende airstrip is situated in the northern Serengeti, near the Mara River. Hence, one is likely to witness the aerial perspective of the dramatic wildebeest river crossings. It is also 120 km north of Seronera, which is approximately a 2-hour bush flight. Kogatende Airstrip opens the door to one of nature’s most dramatic events, which is the great wildebeest traversing that usually happens between July and October. Outside of the African migration season, the region around Kogatende airstrip still teems with elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and predators.
In peak season, there are direct flights from Arusha, but in the low season, the service is limited because Flights from the south, like from Dar es Salaam/Zanzibar, will first stop in Arusha. Also, it is common for a flight from Arusha to make a quick stop at Seronera airstrip or Lobo airstrip before continuing north to Kogatende. Hence, making it a two-stop journey from the south. Lastly, Kogatende airstrip is in proximity to Serengeti camps, including Safari Camp (15 minutes), Mara Tented Lodge (25 minutes), and Mara Tented Lodge (25 minutes).
3. Lobo Airstrip, Serengeti
Located in the Northeastern Serengeti is the Lobo airstrip, which is 80 km northeast of Seronera and roughly a 1-hour flight from Arusha. The Lobo area is one of the park’s least visited yet most picturesque regions. These landscapes in the region provide shaded havens for lions and leopards, making Lobo a prime spot for thrilling Serengeti safari adventures. As a key migration corridor, Lobo airstrip Serengeti comes alive from June to November, when massive wildebeest herds surge north (June–July) and return south (October–November).
Lobo airstrip serves nearby Serengeti accommodations such as Lobo Wildlife Lodge (10 minutes), Migration Camp (35 minutes) and Lobo Public Campsite (10 minutes). Flights to Lobo airstrip are typically an add-on segment because one will board a 1-hour flight from Arusha that is destined for Seronera airstrip (fares start at ~$265 one-way via Auric Air or Coastal Aviation). So, after landing at Seronera airstrip, the plane will continue with the remaining passengers on a short flight going north to Lobo airstrip. Hence, your fly-in safari Serengeti to Lobo airstrip will have at least one stop.
4. Fort Ikoma Airstrip, Serengeti
Fort Ikoma Airstrip is located in the Northwestern Serengeti. Also, it is near the Grumeti Game Reserve, about 100 km west of Seronera Airstrip. Fort Ikoma Airstrip provides access to the Serengeti’s western corridor, where the Grumeti River winds through woodland and savannah. The region around Fort Ikoma Airstrip has huge Nile crocodiles, and from June to July, there are Grumeti River crossings of wildebeests in Tanzania.
Fort Ikoma Airstrip is near Serengeti lodges such as Kirawira Serena Camp (20 minutes), Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp (25 minutes), and Mbalageti Safari Lodge (45 minutes). The best time to use this airstrip in Serengeti is from May to July when the migration moves through this corridor, and wildlife congregates near the river. This airstrip sees less scheduled traffic among the other Serengeti airstrips. So, for one to get here, your flight has a stop at Seronera Airstrip because the Fort Ikoma Airstrip acts as a secondary stop on a route that may continue further to other western strips or the Grumeti area.
5. Ndutu Airstrip, Serengeti
The Ndutu airstrip is located in the Southern Serengeti. This Serengeti airstrip is around the calving grounds of the wildebeests and is approximately 150 km south of the Seronera Area. So, this takes around a 1.5-hour flight to get there. The Ndutu Airstrip is famous for the Great Migration’s calving season that occurs between December and March. So, this is where over half a million wildebeest give birth on these nutrient-rich plains. Therefore, this attracts lions, cheetahs, and hyenas in large numbers, so the experience around Ndutu airstrip is a must-see activity in Tanzania.
The Ndutu Area, where this airstrip is located is an excellent place for photography with wide horizons and striking light. Also, it serves lodges in Serengeti, including Ndutu Safari Lodge (15 minutes), Lake Masek Tented Camp (20 minutes) and Nasikia Mobile Camp (30 minutes). This is a highly seasonal airstrip in Serengeti because during the peak season, there are direct flights from Arusha. Though flights originating from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar will first stop in Arusha. And a common routing for some airlines is a flight from Arusha that stops at Lake Manyara Airstrip to pick up passengers from those lodges before soaring over the Ngorongoro highlands to reach Ndutu Airstrip in Serengeti.
6. Kuro Airstrip, Serengeti
Kuro Airstrip is the Ultimate Exclusive Access to the remote and wild north-eastern Serengeti in Tanzania. So, this Kuro Airstrip borders Loliondo, is ideal for guests of the high-end mobile camps that operate here. Note that the best time to go to Serengeti using Kuro Airstrip is from June to October and from December to February. There are no scheduled commercial flights to Kuro Serengeti airstrip because access is strictly via private charter flight from Arusha.
Hence, there are no stopovers; so it offers a direct and breathtaking flight over stunning, unpopulated landscapes. For a scheduled flight, the closest you could get is Lobo or Kogatende airstrip, followed by a very long and rough road transfer.
7. Sasakwa Airstrip, Serengeti
Sasakwa airstrip is located in Western Serengeti, within the private Singita Grumeti Reserve. Also, it is approximately 110 km west of Seronera Airstrip. So, it is best for people going to Serengeti National Park for Luxury safaris, private reserves and high-end photography. Sasakwa Airstrip caters mainly to guests staying at the ultra-luxury safari in Singita properties. The region’s landscape around Sasakwa airstrip is stunning endowed with rolling sun-kissed grasslands, riverine forests and tranquil valleys. Sasakwa airstrip being in a private reserve means fewer vehicles, guided walks and night drives are permitted hence a great exclusive adventure.
This Serengeti Airstrip is in proximity to accommodations such as Singita Sasakwa Lodge (10 minutes), Sabora Tented Camp (25 minutes) and Faru Faru Lodge (30 minutes). Additionally, the best time to use this airstrip during a Serengeti fly-in safari is from May to August when his migration passes nearby. If one is using a scheduled shuttle flight from Arusha to Sasakwa airstrip the stopover will be at Seronera airstrip. But if it is a charter flight, it will go from Arusha directly to Sasakwa airstrip.
7. Grumeti Kirawira Airstrip in Serengeti National Park
This is among the most remote Serengeti airstrips. Grumeti Kirawira Airstrip is a Gateway to the Grumeti Plains because it is coated along the Western corridor. Also, this airstrip in Serengeti is in proximity to the Grumeti River and 95 km west of Seronera. Use this airstrip if you want game drives along the Grumeti River and viewing dramatic crossings through the crocodile-infested waters. The area around Grumeti Kirawira Airstrip offers access to the lush riverine forests of the western Serengeti. Additionally, it is a paradise for birders and those seeking dramaticwildebeest views crossing the Grumeti River while evading crocodiles and lions.
Lastly. Kirawira airstrip is near lodges such as the Kirawira Serena Camp (5 minutes) and Grumeti Hills Lodge (30 minutes). However, there no direct flights from Arusha to Kirawira airstrip. So, there are usually stopovers made at either Lake Manyara airstrip, Seronera airstrip or Grumeti airstrip.
9. Kusini Airstrip, Serengeti
This airstrip is located in the remote areas of Southwestern Serengeti approximately 90 km southwest of Seronera. Kusini is remote and quiet airstrip, surrounded by rolling plains and acacia woodland. The area around this airstrip is famous for big cats, particularly cheetahs and leopards. Also it offers exceptional birdwatching safaris in Tanzania most especially during the wet months.
It serves camps such as Sanctuary Kusini Camp (10 minutes) and the Kusini Safari Camp (20 minutes). So, the Best Time to Visit Serengeti through Kusini Airstrip is from December to April. This is because during these months, the migratory herds are seen passing through this region of Kusini airstrip. Also, the landscape around the airstrip turns vibrant green making it idea for photography. From Arusha Airport if it is a shuttle flight, the stop overs can either be at Seronera or Ndutu area.
Each of these Serengeti airstrips opens a different chapter of the park’s story. From the predator-rich plains of Seronera to the remote northern wilderness of Kogatende and the calving grounds of Ndutu. So, these airstrips in Serengeti National Park connect travelers to the i’s most extraordinary safari moments. Flying between these Serengeti National Park airstrips isn’t just convenient because it’s part of the adventure.
But it offers aerial views of wildebeest herds stretching to the horizon and landscapes that change from woodland to endless savannah. Book your fly-in safaris in Serengeti with our Serengeti Masai Mara Experts
