Point of Entry - Kilimanjaro Airport

The most convenient and efficient point of entry into Tanzania is Kilimanjaro Airport (airport code is JRO), which is next to the small town of Arusha and the origination point for all our safaris. There are four airlines that service Kilimanjaro Airport from the U.S. and Canada including Delta/KLM Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines. There are pros and cons with each airline (discussed in the following sections) and the best choice will certainly come down to pricing, availability of direct flight routing and European layover plans (if any). In general, Delta/KLM is the most popular choice given the large number of connections from North America while Qatar Airways offers the most comfortable experience with a relatively new fleet and excellent amenities, service, and seats.

Minimize Flight Segments

Given the frequent flight delays in the U.S. that many of our guests have experienced in recent years, we recommend, where possible, to minimize flight segments from the U.S. to Tanzania and to schedule an extra night (two nights total) in the Arusha-Kilimanjaro area before your safari begins. Our safaris always include one night in Arusha-Kilimanjaro before the safari begins, and adding an additional night (referred to as an Arusha Layover) is a simple and cost effective adjustment. The vast majority of flight delays our guests experience last no longer than 24-hours and having two nights in Arusha-Kilimanjaro would ensure that you don't miss any time on safari.

Personal Assistance with Booking

If you'd like some additional assistance with booking your flights, feel free to call Cathy King who is an airline booking agent. Cathy has helped many of our guests with airline bookings to Tanzania in the past, and she is familiar with the appropriate routings. She is not tied to any one airline, so she really can make an unbiased decision based on your situation. She is based in North Carolina - Eastern Standard Time.

Delta /KLM Airlines

The largest airline serving Kilimanjaro is KLM Airlines, a codeshare partner of Delta Airlines. We estimate that about 40% of our guests use the Delta/KLM routing from North America to Tanzania. The flight consists of two segments. The first segment is from your departure city in North America direct to Amsterdam (19 cities in North America offer nonstop service to Amsterdam on Delta/KLM). The second segment is from Amsterdam nonstop to Kilimanjaro. The daily flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro arrives into Kilimanjaro between 7.00pm and 9.00pm in the evening depending upon the season. As previously mentioned, we highly recommend scheduling two nights upon arrival in Arusha-Kilimanjaro before the safari begins and this is especially valid with the evening arrival on Delta/KLM. On the outbound flight from Kilimanjaro to Amsterdam, the Delta/KLM flight departs between 8.00pm and 10.00pm in the evening and we usually incorporate a day room at a hotel in Arusha to relax before your departing flight.

For planning purposes, if you were to depart the U.S. on a Monday, you would arrive at Kilimanjaro on Tuesday night. On the return trip, a departure from Kilimanjaro on a Monday would yield a Tuesday arrival back in the U.S. 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 technical stopover in Dar es Salaam on the return flight from Kilimanjaro to Amsterdam, though you are not permitted to leave the aircraft.

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. For shorter layovers in Amsterdam, we recommend the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel, which is inside the Amsterdam Airport. It's great because it's actually inside the terminal so you can walk there with your luggage (only about a 10-minute walk inside the terminal after you clear customs). Plus, it's a 5-minute walk from the train station, which has direct trains to Amsterdam Centre for all the shops, restaurants and museums. This train ride is only about 20-minutes. Accordingly, as soon as you get off the plane you have an easy walk to the Sheraton to check in and relax. Then, you can take a train to Amsterdam Centre and go see the sights. The best part is that when you leave you don't have to stress about getting to the airport because your hotel is actually inside the airport!

Some of the flight connections from North America to Kilimanjaro on Delta/KLM Airlines may have significant layovers (4 - 8 hours) in the Amsterdam airport before the connecting flight to Tanzania. Accordingly, you may wish to consider this great little hotel which is located inside customs on the transit side of Amsterdam Airport: Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal.

What we like about Delta/KLM:

• Large number of connections in the U.S. and Canada with nonstop service to Amsterdam and onwards to Kilimanjaro
• Delta Premium Select Cabin (i.e. Economy plus)
• Opportunity to combine the safari with a European trip with an extended Amsterdam layover

What we don't like about Delta/KLM:

• Risk of delayed flights out of the U.S. (though to be fair this could happen with any airline)
• Difficult to add layover days in Amsterdam on restrictive fares without increasing airfare costs

Qatar Airways

Winner of the 'World's Best Airline' for several years in a row as well as the 'World's Best Business Class' award by Skytrax, Qatar Airways is arguably the best option for guests flying both economy and business class to Tanzania. This airline has gained popularity in recent years and has greatly expanded operations in North America with nonstop service from 11 cities in North America to Doha and then onwards to Tanzania. We estimate that about 30% of our guests use Qatar Airways to travel to Tanzania.

With Qatar Airways, the first segment is from your departure city in North America direct to Doha, and the second segment is from Doha nonstop to Kilimanjaro. Qatar Airways offers a couple different flight options but most of our guests arrive into Kilimanjaro on the morning flight at 7.30am (the departing flight leaves at about 9.30am). As previously mentioned, we highly recommend scheduling two nights upon arrival in Arusha-Kilimanjaro before the safari begins, but with the early morning Qatar Airways arrival it's certainly viable to incorporate just one night upon arrival in Arusha-Kilimanjaro and fly to the Serengeti the next morning to begin your safari.

Regarding the return trip home, the morning departure on Qatar Airways necessitates spending the night in Arusha-Kilimanjaro beforehand. Most of our itineraries include a dayroom in Arusha on the last day but we can convert this dayroom to an overnight room at a reduced cost to facilitate the morning departure.

One of the downsides with utilizing Qatar Airways is the long layovers in Doha on many of the routes between the U.S. and Tanzania especially on the outbound legs. However, the Doha airport is among the nicest in the world with a myriad of dining, shopping, rest options and one of the most luxurious Starbucks you'll find anywhere! There are several lounges available (complimentary for business class and a fee required for economy class passengers) with unlimited food and drinks. For layovers in Doha which are more than a couple hours, we highly recommend the Oryx Hotel, which is located inside the terminal right across from the business class lounge (you do not need to clear customs). The Oryx Hotel features comfortable rooms, a large gym, indoor swimming pool and a spa. Please note that the Oryx Hotel sells out quickly and we recommend making reservations directly on their website when you initially book your flights.

What we like about Qatar Airways:

• Voted World's Best Airline and offers best in class 'in flight' amenities, service and food
• The new 'Qsuites' in Business Class provide an extraordinary flying experience
• Service to both Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar (convenient if adding a Zanzibar Extension)
• Doha Airport is modern and efficient with excellent lounges and 'in terminal' hotels

What we don't like about Qatar Airways:

• Airfares can be expensive, depending upon availability
• Many flights from the U.S. to Tanzania have long layovers in Doha

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines is one of our favorite airline choices for travel to Tanzania, but with a few caveats as described further below. This airline offers comparable service and comfort to what you would experience on Delta/KLM, though we'd give Turkish Airways the edge with their excellent business class service on specifically the transatlantic flight segment. Turkish Airlines offers nonstop service from 14 cities in North America to Istanbul and then onwards to Kilimanjaro. It's a great option for those guests wishing to break up the long flight to Tanzania with a couple nights in Istanbul, which is one of the largest tourist destinations in the world offering tremendous sightseeing opportunities. We estimate that about 20% of our guests use Turkish Airlines to travel to Tanzania.

With Turkish Airlines, the first segment is from your departure city in North America direct to Istanbul, and the second segment is from Istanbul nonstop to Kilimanjaro. Turkish Airlines offers daily flights to Kilimanjaro only during peak season months, and just a couple flights a week during shoulder season months. One of the downsides with Turkish Airlines is their inconvenient arrival and departure times to/from Kilimanjaro at 1.30am and 2.30am in the morning, respectively. The early morning arrival at roughly 1.30am requires one to book a hotel for the night before to facilitate the early morning check-in and hence requiring a minimum of 2 nights in Arusha-Kilimanjaro upon arrival.

Regarding the return trip home, the 2.30am early morning departure on Turkish Airlines necessitates spending the night in Arusha-Kilimanjaro beforehand. Most of our itineraries include a dayroom in Arusha on the last day but we can convert this dayroom to an overnight room at a reduced cost to facilitate the early morning departure.

If you're planning on flying Turkish Airlines, we highly recommend adding a night or two in Istanbul on your outbound journey. In 2023, Istanbul received more than 20 million foreign visitors making it one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and the #1 most visited city surpassing both London and Paris. Istanbul is a vibrant city rich in culture and history that is uniquely located on two continents - Europe and Asia. It's an easy city to self-navigate and everyone speaks English. One hotel we recommend is called Hagia Sofia Mansions (about a 1-hour drive from the airport), which is located at the heart of historic Istanbul and within easy strolling distance to all the popular sites, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, and the famed Grand Bazaar. Simply head to the concierge desk in the main lobby to hire a guide for an escorted walking tour to these legendary sites...we highly recommended this escorted walking tour! If visiting Istanbul, you'll need to purchase your Turkey Visa in advance of travel by going online.

What we like about Turkish Airlines:

• Opportunity to spend a night or two in historic Istanbul
• Attractive airfare prices
• One of the top business class lounges in the world at Istanbul Airport
• Service to both Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar (convenient if adding a Zanzibar Extension)

What we don't like about Turkish Airlines

• Inconvenient arrival and departure times to/from Kilimanjaro
• Narrow body aircraft utilized on the shorter flight from Istanbul to Kilimanjaro
• Intermittent flights outside of peak season months

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has direct flights to Kilimanjaro via Addis Ababa from 5 major cities in North America including Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Washington DC. Prices can be substantially discounted compared with other airlines, especially in peak season, making Ethiopian an attractive option for those guests traveling in the busy summer season (July thru September) or over the holiday season (mid December to early January). We estimate that about 10% of our guests use Ethiopian Airlines to travel to Tanzania.

What we like about Ethiopian Airlines:

• Discounted airfares especially in peak season months
• On time performance
• Convenient afternoon arrival and departure times

What we don't like about Ethiopian Airlines:

• Limited flight options from North America
• Some routes have long layovers