International Flights on Delta / KLM Airlines

As discussed above, the most convenient, efficient and safest point of entry into Tanzania is Kilimanjaro Airport via Amsterdam on the daily Delta / KLM Airlines flight. Kilimanjaro Airport, which is next to the small town of Arusha, is the origination point for all Northern Tanzania safaris. The only major airline serving Kilimanjaro is KLM Airlines, a code share partner of Delta. Delta / KLM flights can easily be booked directly at delta.com. Airport codes for major East African cities are Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR), Nairobi (NBO), Entebbe (EBB) and Zanzibar (ZNZ).

KLM/ Delta offer daily flights from most major cities in the U.S. to Kilimanjaro International Airport. The flight consists of two segments. The first segment is from your departure city in the U.S. direct to Amsterdam. The second segment is from Amsterdam non-stop to Kilimanjaro. The daily flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro arrives into Kilimanjaro in the late evening. Accordingly, we highly recommend Mount Meru Resort, which is located close to the airport, on your arrival night. Our signature fly in and drive back safaris begin early the following morning with a short flight to the Serengeti. On the outbound flight from Kilimanjaro to Amsterdam, the KLM flight departs late at night and we normally incorporate a day room at Mount Meru Resort to relax before your departing flight.

For planning purposes, if you were to depart the U.S. on a Monday, you would arrive Kilimanjaro on Tuesday night. On the contrary, a departure from Kilimanjaro on a Monday would yield a Tuesday afternoon arrival back in the U.S. You may wish to add a layover in Amsterdam for a night or two to help break up the long flight. If you do choose a layover in Amsterdam, it is recommended that you incorporate the layover at the beginning of your trip. Additionally, you may wish to add a 2nd night in the Arusha/Kilimanjaro area at the beginning of your trip to recuperate from the flight and before beginning your safari.

KLM operates 747-400s on its U.S. to Amsterdam routes. From Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro, KLM operates 767-200s, which are comfortable wide body aircraft. Flight time from the east coast to Amsterdam is about 7 hours while it is about 10 hours from the west coast. Flight time from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro is about 8 hours. The return flight times are a little longer. Please note that there is a 45-minute stop over in Dar es Salaam on the return flight from Kilimanjaro to Amsterdam though you are not permitted to leave the aircraft.

For those individuals adding an extension to Zanzibar after a safari, it is more optimal to depart from Dar es Salaam (15-minute flight from Zanzibar) as opposed to Kilimanjaro (1-hour and 15-minute flight from Zanzibar). Additionally and as discussed above, the daily return KLM flight from Kilimanjaro stops in Dar es Salaam before continuing on to Amsterdam. In conclusion, for those adding a Zanzibar extension, we recommend a Kilimanjaro arrival and a Dar es Salaam departure. This routing is not considered an 'open jaw' ticket and can easily be arranged. For those individuals adding a Kenya or Uganda safari extension, we recommend a Kilimanjaro arrival with a Nairobi departure. Again, this is not considered an 'open jaw' ticket and can easily be arranged.

Some of the flight connections from the U.S. to Kilimanjaro on KLM Airlines may have significant layovers (2 - 6 hours) in the Amsterdam airport before the connecting flight. Accordingly, you may wish to consider this great little hotel inside the Amsterdam airport (no clearing immigration or security) that you can book by the hour (or overnight) - Yotel Hotel The cost is about 65 Euros for 4 hours for a premium room and you get a cozy little cabin (air con, comfy bed, shower, toilet, sink, tv, wifi, pull out desk & room service).

Arrival Procedures on Delta / KLM Airlines

Tanzania Visa fees are included in your private, custom-tailored safari and are prepaid in advance of your arrival into Kilimanjaro International Airport. Our dedicated Africa Dream Safaris (ADS) visa specialist will meet you in the customs area immediately upon arrival and welcome you to the gracious and beautiful country of Tanzania. They will have your name posted on a sign and will issue your Tanzania Visa, making your arrival to East Africa easy and efficient. With ADS you'll skip the long lines! Each person will simply need to provide a passport valid for at least 6 months past your arrival date and with at least 2 blank pages. All safaris are 100% escorted and chauffeured from arrival to departure.

There are NO required vaccinations (with the exception of the Yellow Fever Vaccination in some rare cases) for entry into Tanzania. Those individuals that are NOT required to have the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate are all travelers flying 'non-stop' from the U.S./Europe/Asia/Middle East to Tanzania such as they do not transit through a Yellow Fever Infected Country. For example, this includes the KLM non-stop flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro, the British Airways non-stop flight from London to Dar es Salaam and the Turkish Airlines non-stop flight from Istanbul to Kilimanjaro.

Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways

Starting in 2013, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways now offer non-stop flights on a regular basis from Istanbul and Doha to Kilimanjaro. There is also regular non-stop service between several major cities in the U.S. and Istanbul and Doha making Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways a great alternative to KLM Airlines especially considering these two airlines have significantly reduced fares and efficient flight routing/travel time.

Turkish Airlines has introduced non-stop flights to Istanbul from 4 cities now (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C.). Once in Istanbul, it is a relatively quick 6-hour flight non-stop to Kilimanjaro. This makes flying to Tanzania from the U.S. on Turkish Airlines via Istanbul a great option. Some routes on Turkish Airlines may trigger an overnight layover in Istanbul, Turkey on the way back from Kilimanjaro. Many ADS returning guests have reported positive feedback on this forced layover as the sightseeing opportunities in Istanbul, one of the largest tourist destinations in the world, can be tremendous.

If you do find yourself with a flight itinerary that includes one night in Istanbul, you can either get your Turkey Visa in advance by going online and obtaining a Turkey e-Visa with 3 easy steps (#1 apply online, #2 make payment via credit card and #3 download your e-visa) at: (|*Link=http://evisa.gov.tr/en*|evisa.gov.tr/en|*LinkNewTab*|). Make sure to keep the Visa in your passport and take with you for entry into Turkey. Alternatively, you can get your visa upon arrival at Istanbul Airport for a cost of $20 per person. Just join the visa line first, pay the $20 and get your visa affixed to your passport. Then, and only then should you proceed to the immigration line.

Lastly, you may wish to consider flying Comfort Class (i.e. Economy Plus) on Turkish Airlines on the transatlantic portion of the flight. Comfort Class has a better seat configuration with 2-3-2 and a more generous seat pitch (a measurement of leg room) of 46.0 and seat width of 19.5 (111 degrees recline) compared with the Economy seat configuration is 3-3-3 (seat pitch and width of 31 and 18, respectively). Note this only available on the Boeing 777 version 2 aircraft.

Alternative International Flights on British Airways,

Swiss Air, Emirates & SAA

As discussed above, the most convenient and efficient way of getting to Tanzania is on the daily Delta / KLM flight directly into Kilimanjaro via Amsterdam. Again, the Kilimanjaro-Arusha area is the launching point for all Tanzania safaris. If a direct Kilimanjaro arrival on Delta / KLM is not possible, there are several good alternatives on British Airways, Swiss Air and Emirates Airlines. Each of these airlines has arrivals into Nairobi, Kenya and/or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Besides our main Africa Dream Safaris office in Arusha, we have affiliate offices in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam to facilitate transfers, overnight layovers and connecting flights to Kilimanjaro to begin your safari. The flight time from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro is 50-minutes and the flight time from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro is 1-hour and 15-minutes. Upon arrival into Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, we can provide connecting flights to Kilimanjaro. Depending on your specific flight schedule, an overnight may be required in Nairobi or Dar es Salaam before connecting onwards to Kilimanjaro. If this is the case, we can also arrange hotels and corresponding transfers in both Kenya and Tanzania.

Please note that we are able to issue visas at Nairobi Airport (Kenya Visas) and Kilimanjaro Airport (Tanzania Visas). We are unable to issue Tanzania visas at the Dar es Salaam airport. For those persons arriving into Dar es Salaam, you will need to obtain your own individual Tanzania Visas upon arrival at a cost of $100 per person. Simply fill out the short form upon arrival into Dar es Salaam.

Please note that all travelers flying to Tanzania via or in transit through a Yellow Fever Infected Country such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda are required to show proof of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. For example, this would include those persons flying to Tanzania through Nairobi, Kenya on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Swiss Air, Kenya Airways, Brussels Airlines, KLM and Emirates. Please see the health section for further information.

Below is a listing of additional costs associated with an alternate Nairobi or Dar es Salaam arrival should you choose not to book a direct Kilimanjaro arrival.

Nairobi Arrival Option A - 1 Night at Palacina

• $988 per person
• Includes 1 X overnight accommodations at the Palacina Hotel in Narobi
• Includes VIP meet and greet services in Nairobi
• Includes Kenya Visa Fees
• Includes Airport transfers Nairobi / Palacina / Nairobi
• Includes flights Nairobi / Kilimanjaro / Nairobi**

Nairobi Arrival Option B - 2 Nights at Palacina

• $1,398 Per Person
• Includes 2 X overnight accommodations at the Palacina Hotel in Narobi
• Includes full day tour in Nairobi including Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Sanctuary, Karen Blixen Museum and KWS Animal Orphanage visits
• Includes VIP meet and greet services in Nairobi
• Includes Kenya visa fees
• Includes Airport transfers Nairobi / Palacina / Nairobi
• Includes flights Nairobi / Kilimanjaro / Nairobi**

Nairobi Arrival Option C - 1 Night at Giraffe Manor

• $1,131 Per Person
• Includes 1 x overnight accommodations at the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
• Includes VIP meet and greet services in Nairobi
• Includes Kenya Visa Fees
• Includes Airport transfers Nairobi / Giraffe Manor / Nairobi
• Includes flights Nairobi / Kilimanjaro / Nairobi**

Nairobi Arrival Option D - 2 Nights at Giraffe Manor

• $1,684 Per Person
• Includes 2 x overnights accommodations at the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi
• Includes full day tour in Nairobi including Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Sanctuary, Karen Blixen Museum and KWS Animal Orphanage visits
• Includes VIP meet and greet services in Nairobi
• Includes Kenya Visa Fees
• Includes Airport transfers Nairobi / Giraffe Manor / Nairobi
• Includes flights Nairobi / Kilimanjaro / Nairobi**

Dar es Salaam Arrival

• $875 Per Person
• Includes overnight accommodations at the Dar es Salaam Kempinski
• hotel upon arrival on a bed and breakfast basis
• Includes day room at the Dar es Salaam Kempinski hotel upon departure
• Includes meet and greet services in Dar es Salaam
• Includes airport transfers in Dar es Salaam
• Includes flights Dar es Salaam / Arusha or Kilimanjaro / Dar es Salaam**
• Excludes Tanzania Visa Fees* ($100 Per Person Visa credit available)

General Notes:

• We are unable to issue VIP Tanzania Visas at the Dar es Salaam Airport
• Clients may wish to book their internal flights directly online with Air Kenya or Precision Air

British Airways Alternative

British Airways offers flights to both Nairobi (NBO) and Dar es Salaam (DAR) where you can connect to Kilimanjaro on a regional flight to begin your safari. There are 3 flights a week from the U.S. to Dar es Salaam and daily flights from the U.S. to Nairobi via London.

The British Airways Dar es Salaam flight arrives about 7.00am into Dar es Salaam. Upon arrival we can provide transfers to the domestic terminal and a Precision Air flight departing Dar es Salaam at 8.20am and arriving Kilimanjaro at 9.35am or a Coastal Aviation flight departing Dar es Salaam at 9.00am and arriving Arusha at 11.00am. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro or Arusha, we can either fly you to the Serengeti (Coastal Aviation Arusha to Serengeti 12.30pm - 2.10pm) to immediately begin your safari or you may wish to spend the night in Kilimanjaro-Arusha before flying to the Serengeti the following morning. We highly recommend the latter. The return flight departs Dar es Salaam at about 8.35am and an overnight stay in Dar es Salaam is required the night before. The afternoon before your return flight we would fly you on Precision Air from Kilimanjaro to Dar es Salaam at 3.50pm to 5.40pm or Air Excel from Arusha to Dar es Salaam at 12.30pm to 2.35pm. We would then provide transfers and accommodations at the charming Royal Palm Hotel in Dar es Salaam. The following morning we would transfer you back to the Dar es Salaam Airport for your morning British Airways departure.

The British Airways daily Nairobi flight arrives about 9.00pm requiring an overnight in Nairobi. Upon arrival we can issue Kenya visas and provide transfers and hotel accommodations at the charming Palacina Hotel in Nairobi. The following morning we would transfer you back to the Nairobi airport for a 50-minute flight to Kilimanjaro on Precision Air at 8.00am to 8.50am or 10.00am to 10.50am. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro, we would issue your Tanzania visas and fly you to the Serengeti to begin your safari. There are two flights from Arusha to the Serengeti that you could connect with including Coastal Aviation at 12.30pm to 2.10pm or Regional Air at 3.00pm to 4.05pm. The return flight departs Nairobi at about 11.00pm, which conveniently lines up with a Precision Air flight from Kilimanjaro to Nairobi at 7.40pm to 8.30pm. When routing through either Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, the beginning and ending of your safari itinerary will be adjusted accordingly to provide the most efficient logistics.

Swiss Air Alternative Flights

Swiss Air has several flights a week between the U.S. and East Africa via Zurich, Switzerland. The second leg of the flight departs Zurich in the morning and arrives in Nairobi at about 6.30pm and then continues onward to Dar es Salaam arriving at about 8.30pm. The return flight departs Dar es Salaam at about 9.30pm to Nairobi and then departs Nairobi at about 11.30pm arriving Zurich the following morning. When using Swiss Air, we recommend flying into Dar es Salaam* and out of Nairobi. This is the less expensive option as you avoid Kenya visa requirements.

Upon your evening Swiss Air arrival into Dar es Salaam* we can provide transfers and accommodations at the charming Kempinski Hotel. The following morning we would transfer you back to the Dar es Salaam Airport for your Coastal Aviation flight departing Dar es Salaam at 9.00am and arriving Arusha at 11.00am. We can then fly you to the Serengeti to begin your safari on Coastal Aviation departing Arusha at 12.30pm and arriving in the Serengeti at 2.10pm. The return flight on Swiss Air departs Nairobi at about 11.30pm, which conveniently lines up with a Precision Air flight from Kilimanjaro to Nairobi at 7.40pm to 8.30pm.

* Note we are unable to issue VIP Tanzania Visas at the Dar es Salaam Airport

Emirates Airlines Alternative

Emirates Airlines has daily flights from New York (JFK) to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi via Dubai using the brand new A340-500 aircraft. Emirates Airlines consistently receives the highest ratings and awards for service and comfort. The economy seats are a little larger then most other airlines and each comes equipped with a personal entertainment system with video on demand. The flight consists of two non-stop segments with the first from JFK to Dubai and the second from Dubai to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi.

South African Airways Alternative

South African Airways offers daily flights from Johannesburg (JNB), South Africa to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This is a good option for those individuals routing through South Africa for any number of reasons or for those adding a South African extension to Cape Town or Victoria Falls. The daily flight (approximately 4-hours in duration) departs Johannesburg at 9.50am and arrives Dar es Salaam at 2.20pm.

Upon arrival into Dar es Salaam, we can provide transfers to the domestic terminal and a Precision Air flight departing Dar es Salaam at 6.00pm and arriving Kilimanjaro at 7.15pm or an Air Excel flight departing Dar es Salaam at 4.20pm and arriving Arusha at 6.25pm. The return flight on SAA departs Dar es Salaam at 3.20pm and arrives Johannesburg at 6.05pm. To facilitate this return flight at the end of your safari, we would fly you on Precision Air departing Kilimanjaro at 9.15am and arriving Dar es Salaam at 10.30am or departing Kilimanjaro at 11.00am and arriving Dar es Salaam at 12.50pm via Zanzibar. An overnight at one of the lodges in the Arusha-Kilimanjaro area is required the night before.

The South African immigration authorities require that all travelers have two blank pages, clearly marked "VISA" and free of any other entry/exit stamps reserved in your passport for the exclusive use of South African Immigration stamps. Travelers who do not have the required two pages may be denied boarding at the point of departure from the United States. Clients traveling to both Kenya and South Africa require 4 blank pages.