What You Need to Know: Our 1-day Mikumi fly-in safari from Zanzibar costs US$964 per person on a group-sharing basis, including return flights, Mikumi park fees, lunch, drinking water and pickup and drop-off at your Zanzibar hotel. You fly about 45–60 minutes in a shared light aircraft to the airstrip inside Mikumi National Park, spend the day on game drives in a shared 4x4 with a driver-guide, and fly back in the late afternoon. From Paje, expect a pickup around 5 am; we confirm the exact times when you book.
Who Is the Mikumi Day Trip from Zanzibar For?
It is for beach travelers who want to see big game but have only one day to spare: guests on a short Zanzibar stay, honeymooners who want one safari day in a beach week, and visitors flying in from the Gulf or Europe for a long weekend. Flying straight into the park is what makes one day enough: there is no 4.5–5 hour drive from Dar es Salaam, so most of the day is spent with the animals.
| This day trip suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You have one free day on Zanzibar | You can spare a night: the 2-day Mikumi safari from Zanzibar, with an afternoon and a sunrise game drive |
| You are happy to share the flight and vehicle with other travelers | You want your own vehicle and guide: a private day trip is quoted on request |
| You want elephants, giraffes and zebras in open country | You want the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater: our safaris from Zanzibar |
| You prefer dry land to boats and diving | You want a boat safari: Nyerere National Park |
How the Group-Sharing Safari Works
On a group-sharing day you join other travelers going to Mikumi on the same date. You share two things: the seats on a light-aircraft charter from Zanzibar to the Mikumi airstrip, and the 4x4 safari vehicle and driver-guide in the park. Everything else is the same as a private trip: the same game drives, park fees, lunch and hotel transfers.
- Your seat: we confirm your seat on the flight, and the flight times, when you book.
- Your vehicle: a 4x4 safari vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, shared by your group.
- Luggage: it is a day trip, so bring only a small daypack; light aircraft have strict weight limits, and your main luggage stays at your hotel.
- Private option: if you'd rather have the vehicle to yourselves, ask us for a private quote.
Your Day, Step by Step
These are typical times; the exact pickup and flight times depend on the day's flight and your hotel, and we confirm them in your booking.
| Approximate time | What happens |
|---|---|
| About 5 am | Pickup from your hotel in Paje (later from hotels nearer the airport) |
| About 6 am | Check-in at Zanzibar airport |
| Early morning | Shared flight to Mikumi, about 45–60 minutes |
| Morning to mid-afternoon | Game drives, the Hippo Pools and lunch in the park |
| Late afternoon | Flight back to Zanzibar |
| Early evening | Back at your hotel |
-
Early morning: Pickup from Your Zanzibar Hotel
Your driver collects you from your hotel well before sunrise. From Paje and the other east-coast beaches the drive to Zanzibar's airport takes about an hour, so expect a pickup around 5 am; hotels nearer the airport are collected later. Bring your passport: you need it for the flight.
Hotel pickupAbout 1 hour from Paje -
Morning: Fly from Zanzibar to Mikumi National Park
You check in for a shared light-aircraft flight with the other travelers in the group and fly west across the Indian Ocean channel and the mainland for about 45–60 minutes, landing at the airstrip inside Mikumi National Park.
Shared charter flightAbout 45–60 minutes -
Morning to afternoon: Game Drives on the Mkata Floodplain
Your driver-guide meets the plane with a 4x4 safari vehicle shared by your group. The airstrip is in the park, so the game drive starts almost at once: the open Mkata floodplain, where elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and wildebeest graze in the open, the Hippo Pools, and the woodland edges where lions rest in the shade.
Lunch is in the park, with drinking water through the day, and then you carry on game driving until it is time to head back to the airstrip.
Mkata floodplainHippo PoolsLunch in the park -
Late afternoon: Fly Back to Zanzibar and Transfer to Your Hotel
The return flight lands on Zanzibar in the late afternoon, and your driver takes you back to your hotel: about an hour to Paje, so you are back on the beach in the early evening.
Return flightHotel drop-off
What Can You See in Mikumi in a Day?
Mikumi's Mkata floodplain is open grassland, which is why a single day works so well here: the animals are easy to find, even in the middle of the day.
- Elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and zebras out on the plains
- Wildebeest, impala, eland and Lichtenstein's hartebeest
- Lions, often resting in the shade; leopards are rarer, in the woodland
- Hippos at the Hippo Pools
- More than 400 bird species, including lilac-breasted rollers and bateleur eagles
Predators are most active in the early morning and late afternoon; if lions are your main wish, the overnight trip gives you a sunrise game drive. Read more in our Mikumi National Park safari guide.
How Much Is a Mikumi Fly-In Day Trip from Zanzibar?
US$964 per person, on a group-sharing basis, with the return flights included. A private day trip, children's prices and larger groups are quoted on request.
| Mikumi trip | Price |
|---|---|
| 1-day fly-in safari from Zanzibar, group sharing, flights included | US$964 per person |
| 2-day Mikumi safari from Zanzibar, via Dar es Salaam, 2 sharing, flights included | From US$1,928 per person |
| Day trip from Dar es Salaam, by road | From US$482 per person |
| Mikumi park fee (included) | About US$35.40 per adult per 24 hours, incl. 18% VAT |
What the Mikumi Day Trip Includes
- Return shared flights between Zanzibar and the Mikumi airstrip
- Pickup and drop-off at your hotel on Zanzibar, including Paje and the east coast
- Game drives in a shared 4x4 safari vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide
- Mikumi National Park fees and government taxes
- Lunch and drinking water
Not included
- International flights to Zanzibar
- Tanzania visa and the mandatory inbound travel insurance (US$44 per adult), if not already arranged for your Zanzibar stay
- Tips for your driver-guide, other drinks and personal expenses
One Day by Air or Two Days via Dar es Salaam?
| 1-day fly-in (this trip) | 2-day via Dar es Salaam | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there | Flight straight to the park, about 45–60 minutes | Flight to Dar es Salaam, then 4.5–5 hours by road |
| Time in the park | Most of one day | An afternoon and a sunrise game drive |
| Night | Back at your Zanzibar hotel | Bastian Camp or similar, near the park |
| Vehicle | Shared with the group | Private |
| Price | US$964 per person | From US$1,928 per person (2 sharing) |
Choose the day trip when one day is all you have; choose two days for private game drives and the best light at dawn.
When Is the Best Time for a Mikumi Day Trip?
Mikumi is open all year. June to October, the dry season, is the best time: the grass is short and the animals gather near water. From November to May the plains are green, with young animals and migrant birds, and the long rains of April and May can make some park tracks muddy. Check the weather on Zanzibar too: small planes don't fly in poor visibility, and we will tell you if the flight has to move.
What to Bring
- Your passport, for the flight
- A small daypack with sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a light jacket for the early start
- Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens
- Neutral-colored clothes; avoid bright white and dark blue, which attract tsetse flies in some areas
- Cash in small notes for tips
How to Book the Mikumi Day Trip from Zanzibar
Send us your date, the number of travelers and the name of your hotel through the booking form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com. We reply with a written quotation, your pickup time and the flight times for your date. Book as early as you can: the shared flights have a limited number of seats. Payment and cancellation terms are set out in your quotation.
Common Questions About the Mikumi Day Trip from Zanzibar
Can you do a safari from Zanzibar in one day?
Yes. On our 1-day Mikumi fly-in safari you fly from Zanzibar to the airstrip in Mikumi National Park in the morning, spend the day on game drives and fly back the same afternoon.
How long is the flight from Zanzibar to Mikumi?
About 45–60 minutes each way in a light aircraft, landing at the airstrip inside the park.
What time is the pickup from Paje?
Usually around 5 am: Paje is about an hour's drive from Zanzibar's airport, and the flight leaves early in the morning. We confirm the exact pickup time with your booking.
How much is the Mikumi day trip from Zanzibar?
US$964 per person on a group-sharing basis, including the return flights, park fees, lunch, water and hotel transfers on Zanzibar.
What is included in the price?
Return shared flights between Zanzibar and Mikumi, pickup and drop-off at your Zanzibar hotel, game drives in a shared 4x4 with a driver-guide, Mikumi park fees and taxes, lunch and drinking water.
Is the group safari private?
No. You share the flight and the safari vehicle with other travelers on the same day. A private Mikumi day trip from Zanzibar is quoted on request.
Is this trip suitable if I don't want to swim or dive?
Yes. It is a land safari: a flight, game drives in a vehicle and lunch in the park, with no water activities at all.
Do I need a visa for Mikumi if I am already on Zanzibar?
No. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so the visa you entered with covers the mainland too; bring your passport for the flight.
The Bottom Line
If you are on Zanzibar with one free day and want a real safari, fly straight into Mikumi: about 45–60 minutes each way, a day of game drives on the open Mkata floodplain, and back at your hotel by the evening. US$964 per person on a group-sharing basis, with flights, park fees, lunch and hotel transfers included. With a second day to spare, take the 2-day safari for a sunrise game drive.