Arusha to the Serengeti: Drive or Fly?

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read · By Lion Crest Expeditions, Arusha

Driving from Arusha to central Serengeti takes about 7 to 7½ hours; a scheduled flight takes a little over one. Driving costs less and lets you see the Ngorongoro highlands and game on the way. Flying saves a full day. Many travellers do one of each.

The short answer

Driving: the classic route

The road leaves Arusha westwards on tarmac through Makuyuni, Mto wa Mbu and the farmland around Karatu to the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From there a gravel road climbs to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, then drops down across the short-grass plains to Naabi Hill gate, the main southern entrance to the Serengeti. Seronera, in the centre of the park, is another hour or so beyond the gate.

More than half of the way is on tarmac; the rest is gravel and can be bumpy, which is why safaris use 4x4 vehicles. In total it is about 6 hours to Naabi Hill gate and 7 to 7½ hours to Seronera, longer if you stop for animals, which you will.

Because the road passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you pay its entry fee on the way. Most safaris turn the drive into part of the trip, with a night near Karatu or on the crater rim and a visit to Tarangire, Lake Manyara or the Crater floor before the Serengeti.

Flying: small planes from Arusha

Scheduled light aircraft fly every day from Arusha Airport, the small domestic airport just outside the city, to the Seronera airstrip and other Serengeti airstrips. The direct flight to Seronera takes a little over an hour; some flights stop at Lake Manyara or another airstrip, which adds time.

Published one-way fares from Arusha to Seronera were about $180 to $270 per person in October 2026. On these planes the luggage allowance is usually 15 kg per person including hand luggage, ideally in a soft bag; extra weight is charged and depends on the pilot's load limits.

Your safari vehicle and guide meet you at the airstrip. Because the vehicle has to drive to the Serengeti the day before to be there for your arrival, a fly-in safari usually costs more than the flight alone suggests. On our fly-in safaris this is already included in the price.

The best of both: fly one way, drive the other

• Fly in, drive out: start in the middle of the Serengeti on the first morning, then drive back to Arusha through the Ngorongoro Crater. See our 4-Day Serengeti Fly-In Safari from Arusha.
• Drive in, fly out: visit Tarangire and the Crater on the way in, then fly from the Serengeti straight to the beach. See our 10-Day Honeymoon Safari & Zanzibar.
• Already on Zanzibar? Fly from the island into the Serengeti for a short safari: see the 3-Day Serengeti Fly-In Safari.

Which one is right for you?

• Choose to drive if you want the lowest price, have at least four or five days, and would like to see Tarangire, Lake Manyara or the Crater too.
• Choose to fly if you only have three or four days, have just climbed Kilimanjaro, travel with small children or have back problems, or simply prefer to spend the time on game drives instead of on the road.
• Mix both if you want to save the long first day but still see the Crater on the way back.

Fares and flight times are based on published scheduled flights between Arusha and Seronera in October 2026; the luggage limit is from Coastal Aviation's baggage policy. Airlines can change fares, schedules and rules at any time.

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