Airports in Tanzania: major airports

Date of publication
24 March 2020

Tanzania is located in Africa and is a state with as many as 16 national parks and with over 30 percent of its territory protected as wilderness. Anyone about to plan a trip to this land can only be a nature lover.

Reaching Tanzania from Italy is not allowed with a direct flight, although there are plenty of international and smaller airports, as well as airstrips for private flights and domestic flights. So don’t worry you can plan your Tanzania vacation without any problems, you just need to pay attention to where you want to go so you can book the correct flight of arrival and departure.

Also keep in mind that the hottest time in Tanzania is between January and February, while between June and August temperatures are milder; July through September is the best time to go to Tanzania and combine fantastic safaris with beach days on Tanzania’s islands, such as Zanzibar or Pemba.

Let us now turn to the list of airports in Tanzania.

Major airports in Tanzania

Before moving on to the list of airports we would like to point out that you can apply for an arrival visa at the airports of: Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar. Then be careful to bring your passport, which must still be valid for 6 months after entering Tanzania.

Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR)

Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar Es Salaam is Tanzania’s main airport, not far from the city center and is the airport to choose as a stopover if you want to visit the Southern Tanzanian Parks such as: Ruaha National Park, to be visited safely accompanied by rangers or even the Selous Reserve a large protected area with as much as 54,000 square kilometers.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is the most important for international traffic in the country served by several European airlines is the ‘ airport in Tanzania to choose if you want to visit the Northern Parks of the country such as: Tarangire Park the richest in baobabs, where you can admire giraffes, elephants, baboons and birds with amazing colors, you can then head to Lake Manyara National Park where you can find Lake Manyara

This airport is located 40 km from the city of Arusha

Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume (ZNZ)

South of Stone Town is the Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume (ZNZ) with steadily increasing air traffic allowing the arrival of tourists from all over the world. It is located only 5 km from the south of Zanzibar.

Mwanza Airport

Mwanza Airport in Eastern Tanzania is located near Lake Victoria so there is no shortage of tourists and it is one of the national airports of commercial importance as well. It is about 9 km from northern Mwanza and there are numerous buses that take tourists to their destinations. From here the ideal destinations for a tour are: Bukoba, Dar es Salaam (former capital and largest city in the country) and Kilimanjaro.

Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)

This airport is the main airport in East Africa, from here in about five hours you can reach Arusha, located between Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Parks and Kilimanjaro.

The convenience of domestic flights in Tanzania

Tanzania has plenty of inland flights that are ideal for those who choose a safari vacation; airports in Tanzania are full of runways for flights used for tourism and travel in the area. Tourists are never left to their own devices, and with the many internal flights it is possible to move easily from, for example, parks to coastal areas.

In addition, the Fly-In safari with internal flights is really great, you fly from park to park and upon arrival at the airport a guide is waiting for you for transfer and various organized excursions on foot or by boat.

Gianluca Donati

Gianluca Donati

Co-founder and Safari Organizer at Safari Avventura Gianluca Donati is the organizer and marketing manager at Safari Avventura, a local tour operator specializing in safaris across Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Uganda. Driven by a deep passion for African nature and local hospitality, Gianluca co-founded the agency with expert guide Francis, whom he met during a safari. Since then, he has devoted over a decade to perfecting authentic, ethical itineraries deeply connected to Tanzania’s wildlife, cultures, and landscapes. His expertise includes organizing over 30 unique routes through the country’s main national parks and reserves, as well as promoting responsible safaris certified by TanzaniaTourism. Gianluca combines first-hand knowledge of the land with a client-focused approach, making him a trusted reference for Italian travelers seeking to experience the true essence of Africa.

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