What You Need to Know: The 10-day private luxury fly-in safari costs from US$11,305 per person for two travelers (US$10,470 each for four). It includes two scheduled light-aircraft flights, Arusha to Seronera and Kogatende to Arusha, airport transfers, nine nights at luxury lodges and camps (six of them in the Serengeti), all park fees, the crater service fee and a private Land Cruiser with your own Mweka-trained driver-guide, who meets you at the Seronera airstrip. It is best from July to October, when the migration herds are in the northern Serengeti; in other months we quote a version that flies to the area where the herds are.
Who Is the Luxury Fly-In Safari For?
It is for travelers who want as much time as possible in the Serengeti and as little as possible on the road to it: honeymooners, couples marking a special occasion, and anyone who finds long transfer days tiring. By road, the Serengeti is a full day's drive from Arusha and the northern Serengeti is a long day more; flying the two longest legs gives you those days back as game drives and lodge time. Your guide and vehicle are waiting at the airstrip, so you still have a private safari on the ground.
| This safari suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You want six nights in the Serengeti without the long drives | You'd rather drive the whole way and pay less: the 10-day private luxury safari by road |
| You are celebrating a honeymoon or a special occasion | You also want a beach: our 14-day honeymoon safari and Zanzibar |
| You are traveling between July and October | You have one week: the 7-day luxury river-crossing safari, which drives in and flies back |
How Much Time Does Flying Save on This Safari?
The two flights replace the two longest drives of a northern circuit safari. Approximate times:
| Leg | By road | By air |
|---|---|---|
| Arusha to the central Serengeti | About 7–8 hours, crossing the Ngorongoro highlands | About 1–2 hours, depending on stops |
| Northern Serengeti (Kogatende) to Arusha | A long day, usually broken with a night on the way | About 2 hours |
In between, the drive from the central Serengeti to the north is kept as a full game-drive day, because the country on the way, past the Lobo hills, is some of the most beautiful in the park.
10-Day Luxury Fly-In Safari Itinerary, Day by Day
Fly in, three nights in the central Serengeti, a game drive north, three nights near the Mara River, fly out, then the crater and Tarangire by road. Day by day:
-
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro, a night in Arusha
Airport pickup and the drive of about an hour to a quiet garden lodge in Arusha to rest after the flight.
Stay: Arusha Coffee Lodge by Elewana or Gran Meliá Arusha, or similar.
Airport pickupArushaDinner, depending on your arrival -
Day 2: Fly to Seronera and meet your guide
A short transfer to Arusha airport and a scheduled light-aircraft flight to the Seronera airstrip in the heart of the Serengeti. Your guide meets you on the airstrip with the Land Cruiser, and your first game drive starts on the way to the lodge.
Stay: Four Seasons Serengeti, Serengeti Serena Lodge or Nyota Luxury Tented Camp, or similar, three nights.
Flight, game driveCentral SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 3: The Seronera valley
A full day in the Seronera area, known for lions and for leopards resting in the trees along the river. A sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti (US$490 per person) is a fine way to start one of these mornings.
Big catsCentral SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 4: Kopjes and quiet corners of the central Serengeti
Time to slow down: a morning among the granite kopjes where lion prides rest, an afternoon at the lodge, and a private sundowner or bush dinner that we can arrange with the lodge on request.
KopjesCentral SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 5: Game drive north to the Mara River
A full day driving north through the Lobo hills and the open country of the northern Serengeti, with a picnic lunch, arriving at your camp near the Mara River in the late afternoon.
Stay: Malaika Mara River Luxury Camp, Serengeti Ark Safari Lodge, Mara Mara Tented Lodge or River Camp, or similar, three nights.
Northern SerengetiKogatende areaBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 6: At the Mara River
From July to October your guide follows the herds along the river and waits with you for a crossing, which can take hours to start and is never guaranteed. Crocodiles, hippos and the big cats of the north make the waiting worthwhile.
River crossingsMara RiverBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 7: The remote north
A second full day in one of the least visited parts of the park, between the river and the hills toward the Kenyan border.
Northern SerengetiKogatende areaBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 8: Fly to Arusha, drive to the crater rim
A morning flight from the Kogatende airstrip back to Arusha, where a Land Cruiser and guide meet you for the drive of about three hours to your lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim.
Stay: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge or Lion's Paw, or similar.
Flight, crater viewKogatende, Arusha, crater rimBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater, then Tarangire
An early descent to the crater floor for lions, buffaloes, zebras and the chance of a black rhino, a picnic by the hippo pool, then the drive to Tarangire for the night.
Stay: Elephant Springs by Karibu Camps, Maramboi Tented Lodge or Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge, or similar.
Crater game driveNgorongoro, TarangireBreakfast, picnic lunch, dinner -
Day 10: Tarangire, back to Kilimanjaro airport
A morning game drive among Tarangire's elephants and baobabs, then the drive back to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your evening flight, or a flight to Zanzibar on request.
ElephantsTarangire, airportBreakfast, lunch box
Where You Stay on the Luxury Fly-In Safari
Six of the nine nights are in the Serengeti, at lodges and camps close to the airstrips. Night by night, always "or similar":
| Night | Area | Luxury lodges (or similar) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arusha | Arusha Coffee Lodge by Elewana, Gran Meliá Arusha |
| 2–4 | Central Serengeti | Four Seasons Serengeti, Serengeti Serena Lodge, Nyota Luxury Tented Camp |
| 5–7 | Northern Serengeti, near the Mara River | Malaika Mara River Luxury Camp, Serengeti Ark Safari Lodge, Mara Mara Tented Lodge, River Camp |
| 8 | Ngorongoro Crater rim | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Lion's Paw |
| 9 | Tarangire | Elephant Springs by Karibu Camps, Maramboi Tented Lodge, Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge |
How Much Does the Luxury Fly-In Safari Cost?
From US$11,305 per person for two travelers, with both flights. The price per person falls as more travelers share the vehicles:
| Travelers | Luxury, per person | Same route at mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$15,265 | US$9,610 |
| 2 | US$11,305 | US$7,295 |
| 3 | US$10,450 | US$6,485 |
| 4 | US$10,470 | US$6,465 |
| 5 | US$10,125 | US$6,145 |
| 6 | US$10,195 | US$6,185 |
It costs more than the 10-day private luxury safari by road (from US$9,605 for the July-to-October version) because of the second flight, the extra Serengeti nights and the vehicle that drives out empty to meet you at Seronera and back from the north.
Park fees on the 10-Day Private Luxury Fly-In Safari
Included in the price; the 2026 rates for reference:
| Fee | 2026 rate (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Serengeti National Park | US$82.60 per person per 24 hours |
| Concession fee (nights inside the parks and on the crater rim) | Per person per night, by season |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area (also charged when you drive through) | US$70.80 per person per 24 hours |
| Ngorongoro crater service fee | US$295 per vehicle per descent |
| Tarangire National Park | About US$59 per person per 24 hours |
What the 10-Day Private Luxury Fly-In Safari Includes
Your price includes:
- Scheduled light-aircraft flights from Arusha to Seronera and from Kogatende to Arusha
- Airport pickup and drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport, and transfers to and from Arusha airport
- Nine nights at luxury lodges and camps, six of them in the Serengeti, with meals as listed
- A private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, charging points and a fridge, and your own Mweka-trained driver-guide in the Serengeti and for the crater and Tarangire
- All park, conservation and concession fees, and the Ngorongoro crater service fee
- Drinking water in the vehicle
Not included in the 10-Day Private Luxury Fly-In Safari price
Not included:
- International flights and visas (US$100 for US citizens)
- Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance, US$44 per adult from October 1, 2026 (we can help you buy it)
- Travel insurance, including medical evacuation
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
- Drinks, except where a lodge includes them, and personal items
- Excess luggage on the flights
- Optional activities, such as a sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti (US$490 per person) or Tarangire (US$460)
What to Know About the Light-Aircraft Flights
The flights are scheduled services with Auric Air or Coastal Aviation in small propeller aircraft, which land on gravel airstrips inside the park. A few practical points:
- Luggage: usually 15 kg per person, including hand luggage and cameras, in a soft bag without wheels. We keep anything you don't need in Arusha until day 8.
- Stops: scheduled flights often land at other airstrips on the way, so the flight can take longer than the direct time.
- Timing: flight times are confirmed close to travel, and your guide plans the day around them.
- Views: on a clear day you see the Ngorongoro highlands and the Serengeti plains from the air.
When Is the Best Time for the Luxury Fly-In Safari?
This route is built for July to October, when the herds are in the northern Serengeti and crossing the Mara River. The north is beautiful and quiet in other months too, but if the migration matters to you, we change where you fly:
| Months | Where the herds usually are | What we suggest |
|---|---|---|
| July to October | Northern Serengeti and the Mara River | This itinerary as written |
| December to March | Southern plains around Ndutu | A version with nights at Ndutu instead of the north, quoted on request |
| April to June and November | Moving through the central and western Serengeti | More nights in the central Serengeti, quoted on request |
Month-by-month detail is in the Great Migration by month.
How to Book the Luxury Fly-In Safari
Send your dates, the number of travelers and any occasion you are celebrating through the form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com; for July to October, book as early as you can, as the northern camps fill first. We reply with a written quotation that names every lodge for your dates. A 30% deposit confirms the safari and the balance is paid on arrival, by Pesapal (card or mobile money) or bank transfer in US dollars; cancellations follow our booking terms.
Common Questions About the Luxury Fly-In Safari
Short answers to the questions our guests ask us most often:
How much is a 10-day luxury fly-in safari in Tanzania?
From US$11,305 per person for two travelers and US$10,470 each for four, including two flights, nine luxury lodge nights with meals, park fees and a private vehicle and guide.
How much luggage can we take on the light aircraft?
Usually 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage and cameras. We can store the rest in Arusha.
Why not fly between the central and northern Serengeti too?
The drive north is one of the best game-drive days of the trip, so we keep it on the ground; we can add a flight on request.
Is the fly-in safari good for a honeymoon?
Yes. Less time on the road means more time at the lodges, and we can arrange a private dinner or a balloon flight, and tell the lodges about your occasion.
Can we end the safari on Zanzibar?
Yes. Instead of flying home from Kilimanjaro on day 10, we can book a flight to Zanzibar and a luxury beach hotel.
Should You Book the 10-Day Private Luxury Fly-In Safari?
Book it if you want six nights in the Serengeti, including three in the remote north, without the two longest drives, and you are traveling between July and October: from US$11,305 per person. If you'd rather keep the cost down and don't mind the road, the 10-day private luxury safari covers the same parks from US$8,840.
See all our luxury Tanzania safaris.