So, you are completing your northern circuit safari in the Serengeti and laying on the pearly white sands of Zanzibar is the next thing on your to-do list? Great!
If your plan is to fly to Zanzibar, why not make it scenic with a two-hour flight worth of an adventure if you are not in such a hurry because a drive from Serengeti to Dar es Salaam and a ferry to Zanzibar takes sixteen hours (just so you know, you’re in the clear).
The Serengeti has a couple of airstrips, the Sasakwa Airstrip in Grumeti is my personal favourite.
Why Grumeti?
Making it to Grumeti means you have made it to the north western border end of the Serengeti which makes a flight from here packed with more landscape to offer from an aerial point of view.
Grumeti is also a migration corridor and if you happen to be in the area between July and October then you may be extremely lucky to see the migration on land and on air as you take off and soar into the blue skies over the world’s favourite national park.
This highly requires planning with your booking agent in advance before briefing the pilots on your plan to have an aerial tour which also makes the flight an hour longer and extra charges may apply but it’s all worth it.
💡Tip: The Cessna 208 Caravan is likely to be your aircraft for this flight. So, for spectacular views, ignore the window seat and go for the cockpit seat just behind the pilots.
But what spectacular views are we talking about specifically? Here we go:
Serengeti Plains
Nothing can be more rewarding than viewing the endless savanna plains of the Serengeti from the air.
You will hardly see any wildlife but you will see a view that is close to a sketch map of the enormous Serengeti.
Lake Eyasi
Lake views from the top are going to blow your mind and the seasonal Eyasi with its carelessly salty white waters is just a start.
The shores of Lake Eyasi are dramatically placed on the floor of the Great East African Rift Valley, southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater which is home to the Hadzabe people who are undoubtedly one of the most primitive societies in the world.
Lake Manyara
Africa’s loveliest lake has a lot to offer from the air, the all-year green lush vegetation with the human-wildlife intersection around it make it a fantasy lake.
The Great East African Rift Valley
You will also get to see from a new perspective how the Great East African rift valley cliff complements the wildlife-studded Lake Manyara with a picturesque backdrop.
Ngorongoro Crater
You will be able to see from above the caldera which is regarded by many as the modern-day Eden Garden, of course, with a little bit of predator action to keep the ecosystem balanced.
The aerial view of Ngorongoro Crater is a deep aesthetic element of this flight and it will make you appreciate the creator for the outstanding work with the enclosing caldera slopes and Lake Magadi being the highlights.
Mount Meru & the city of Arusha
In Arusha city, human settlements coexist with green lush vegetation sprawling to the feet of Mount Meru, the sister of Kilimanjaro.
River Pangani
As you approach the Indian Ocean, the flying altitude drastically lowers and the meanders of River Pangani become more prevalent like a white shoelace on green grass.
The Indian Ocean and its coastal towns
Tanga, an old town on the shores of the Indian Ocean is a great glimpse of a sight and a peep into history.
Tanga was the administrative capital during the German colonial rule in what was then called Tanganyika.
Bagamoyo is a low-budget Zanzibar just an hour’s drive north west of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial hub.
Bagamoyo is worth your day if you fancy diving into the Swahili culture and history.
Finally, the blue waters of Zanzibar
You will be welcomed with the clear waters of Zanzibar before breathing the spicy air when you land on Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.
So, basically, it depends on what you like; If you want to see Zanzibar in broad day light then a flight before 3 PM should do you justice but if you are interested in the night lights then a flight from 4 PM should be set in stone for you…
…and if you want to see the sunset in Africa, you have fly from the island to mainland.
Private flights make direct transfers to the destination but public flights from airstrips make several stops to pick up passengers and parcels, hence, prolonging the flight.
The world is yours!