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In short
A one-day safari from Zanzibar is a small plane to Mikumi or Nyerere National Park, 6–8 hours of game drives with lunch in the bush, and a flight back in the afternoon. Mikumi is the simpler first safari on open plains; Nyerere is wilder, with more hours in the park and a river and lakes, at a higher park fee.
Mikumi or Nyerere: side by side
Both trips use the same pattern: early pickup, a short flight, game drives in a 4x4 with a lunch break, and a flight back in the afternoon. The differences are in the landscape, the hours you get and the fee.
Expect a pickup between about 05:00 and 06:30, depending on how far your hotel is from the airport. The flight is short, but a day safari still means about two hours in small planes and an hour each way by road on the island. On the most-booked Mikumi trip you land around 08:30 and leave the airstrip around 14:30. The Nyerere trip starts earlier and ends later, so you get about two hours more in the park. You are back at your hotel between about 17:00 and 18:30.
Most listings are shared: you join other guests in a jeep of about six, and some listings guarantee each guest a window seat. Private versions give you your own vehicle and let you stop as long as you like.
What "park fees included" covers
On the top listings, the price covers return flights, park entry and landing fees, the guide and jeep, lunch and water. Hotel pickup is often an option rather than standard, so check before you compare prices. Zanzibar's mandatory inbound travel insurance is not included on any safari listing; you buy it separately. Tips for the guide and driver are extra. The fee card on this page shows the official park fees.
Weather, flights and luggage
The long rains (about March to May) are the weak point. Scheduled flights to Nyerere stop from mid-March to the end of May, and the main day-trip operator warns on both its Mikumi and Nyerere listings that trips between 1 April and 1 June may be moved. Operators also ask you to plan your safari at least two nights before your international flight home, in case weather delays the day.
For a day trip you only need a daypack. Small planes have tight weight limits (15–20 kg per person on the scheduled airlines, hand luggage included), which matters only if you add a night.
One day or two
A day trip is the right size for a first look at big game. If the early start and the flying put you off, a 2–3 day safari adds a night at a lodge, a second game drive and, in Nyerere, a boat safari on the Rufiji. The Serengeti is too far for one day; see Serengeti from Zanzibar.
Paid on top
Official fees and rules
What the park, conservation area or venue charges. Check whether your tour price already includes it.
Mikumi, Nyerere and Serengeti: official park fees
Mikumi NP entry, adultnon-resident adult, per person per 24 h; tariff dated 2026-07-01 to 2027-06-30; VAT not stated in this row
Nyerere NP entry, adultnon-resident adult, per person per 24 h; tariff dated 2026-05-16 to 2027-03-14 (season "ENTRY HIGH"); VAT not stated in this row
Mikumi NP concession fee (overnight stay), adultnon-resident adult, per person per night in a lodge/camp inside the park; tariff dated 2026-07-01 to 2027-06-30
Nyerere NP and Selous. Nyerere National Park is a TANAPA national park, carved from the northern sector of the Selous Game Reserve.7
What the entry fee covers. TANAPA conservation (entry) fees are per person and valid for 24 hours from the time of entry.8
Children. Children under 5 enter TANAPA parks free; child rates apply to ages 5–15.9
How to pay. Visa and MasterCard are accepted at TANAPA park gates; TANAPA also lists mobile money (M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money) and payment through its online reservation system.10
Payment system. TANAPA fees are paid through the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG).11
VAT. TANAPA's tariff page says all fees are inclusive of 18% VAT where applicable (the per-row tariff data does not mark VAT).12
Selous Game Reserve (TAWA). The remaining Selous Game Reserve is managed by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), which publishes its own entry fee per person per 24 h.13
Zanzibar–Nyerere (Selous), Auric Air. Auric Air publishes a daily scheduled flight Zanzibar → Selous (Nyerere NP) airstrips at 07:00, arriving 08:15. The route is closed for the wet season, 15 March to 31 May.14
Second Auric departure. Auric Air has a second daily Zanzibar → Selous (Nyerere NP) departure at 15:05, arriving 16:25 (on inducement of 4 seats).22
Zanzibar–Nyerere (Selous), Coastal Aviation. Coastal Aviation publishes a daily Zanzibar → Selous flight at 07:50, arriving 09:15 via Dar es Salaam, on inducement of 2 seats from Dar.18
Rainy season. Coastal Aviation suspends its starred routes, including Selous, during the long rains (mid March – end May).23
"On inducement" flights. Both timetables mark the Zanzibar–Selous and Zanzibar–Seronera flights "on inducement" of 2 (some 4) seats: the flight operates only when a booking has that minimum number of passengers.24
Baggage, Auric Air. Auric Air allows 20 kg per passenger in total, including hand baggage, cameras and other personal items.25
Baggage, Coastal Aviation. Coastal Aviation allows 15 kg per person including carry-on luggage; soft bags are strongly recommended but not obligatory.26
Children on Coastal flights. Coastal child fares apply from age 2 to 12; infants under 2 fly free.27
Checked 3 November 2026 on Auric Air and Coastal Aviation (airline websites).
When to go
When to go
A typical year, not a forecast. The rains move a few weeks either way.
Rain rows follow the Tanzania Meteorological Authority’s seasons for Zanzibar. Crowd levels are the usual pattern of European and local holidays.
Questions people ask
Is a 1-day safari from Zanzibar worth it?
For most beach holidays, yes: you get 6–8 hours with the animals and sleep in your own hotel. The trade-off is a very early start and about two hours in small planes, so if you can spare a night, a 2-day trip gives more park time per hour of travel.
How long is the flight from Zanzibar to Mikumi or Nyerere?
About 45–60 minutes to Mikumi and 30–60 minutes to Nyerere on the day-trip listings, depending on the plane and the airstrip. Add about an hour from your hotel to the airport.
Are park fees included in a day safari?
On the most-booked Mikumi and Nyerere listings, park entry and landing fees are included. Zanzibar's mandatory travel insurance and tips are not. Check the inclusions on each listing, as some cheaper versions leave out hotel pickup.
What is the best time for a day safari from Zanzibar?
Outside the long rains, which run about March to May. Scheduled flights to Nyerere stop from mid-March to the end of May, and day-trip operators say trips between 1 April and 1 June may be moved because of weather or airstrip conditions.
Can children go on a 1-day safari?
Usually yes. One Mikumi listing does not accept children under 4, and most say the day is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems because of the bumpy drives. Children under 5 enter TANAPA parks free.
Can I do the Serengeti in one day from Zanzibar?
Scheduled flights from Zanzibar to the Serengeti take about 3.5–4 hours with stops, so a day trip leaves little time in the park. Mikumi and Nyerere are the practical one-day choices; the Serengeti needs at least one night.
What should I bring?
Your passport, which the listings require for the flight, plus a hat, sunscreen, a light jacket for the early flight and neutral clothes. A small daypack is enough.
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “"Park":"Mikumi National Park","Category":"Entrance","RevenueCode":"REV0001","ProductName":"Entrance Adults (NR)","Season":"ALL","FromDate":"2026-07-01","ToDate":"2027-06-30","Currency":"TZS","Amount":76650,"createdAt":"2026-07-26” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “"Park":"Mikumi National Park","Category":"Entrance","RevenueCode":"REV0002","ProductName":"Entrance Children 5 - 15 Years (NR)","Season":"ALL","FromDate":"2026-07-01","ToDate":"2027-06-30","Currency":"TZS","Amount":25550,"createdAt":"2026-07-26” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “"Park":"Nyerere National Park","Category":"Entrance","RevenueCode":"REV0001","ProductName":"Entrance Adults (NR)","Season":"ENTRY HIGH","FromDate":"2026-05-16","ToDate":"2027-03-14","Currency":"TZS","Amount":178850,"createdAt":"2026-07-26” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “"Park":"Nyerere National Park","Category":"Entrance","RevenueCode":"REV0002","ProductName":"Entrance Children 5 - 15 Years (NR)","Season":"ALL","FromDate":"2026-07-01","ToDate":"2027-06-30","Currency":"TZS","Amount":51100,"createdAt":"2026-07-26” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “"Park":"Mikumi National Park","Category":"Concession","RevenueCode":"REV0305","ProductName":"Concession Fee Adult (NR)","Season":"ALL","FromDate":"2026-07-01","ToDate":"2027-06-30","Currency":"TZS","Amount":63875,"createdAt":"2026-07-26” (checked 3 November 2026)
tawa.go.tz — “(i) SELOUS, IKORONGO, GRUMETI AND MASWA GAME RESERVES Age group Fee per person per day Citizen (Tanzanian Shillings) For 24 Hours Non citizen (USDollars) For24 Hours (a)Aged 18 years and Above 5,000.00 50.00 (b)Aged 5-17 years 3,000.00 30.00 (c)Aged below 5 years” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “Carved from the northern sector of the Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park protects a colossal landscape of rivers, wetlands, open plains and woodlands.” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “Conservation fees are valid for 24 hours from time of entry” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “Children under 5 years of age enter FREE of charge” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “Visa, MasterCard accepted at park gates” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “Payments are made using Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG)” (checked 3 November 2026)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — “All fees are inclusive of 18% VAT where applicable” (checked 3 November 2026)
tawa.go.tz — “(i) SELOUS, IKORONGO, GRUMETI AND MASWA GAME RESERVES Age group Fee per person per day Citizen (Tanzanian Shillings) For 24 Hours Non citizen (USDollars) For24 Hours (a)Aged 18 years and Above 5,000.00 50.00” (checked 3 November 2026)
storage.aerocrs.com — “Zanzibar Selous (Nyerere NP) All Airstrips Daily 07:00 08:15 250.00 187.50 22.00 272.00 209.50 On inducement 2 seats, Closed for wet season: 15 March to 31 May” (checked 3 November 2026)
storage.aerocrs.com — “Selous (Nyerere NP) All Airstrips Zanzibar Daily 12:35 14:20 250.00 187.50 15.00 265.00 202.50 On inducement 2 seats, Closed for wet season: 15 March to 31 May” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Selous* Daily 7:50 9:15 Via Dar. On inducement of 2 seats from Dar 248 198 52 317 254” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Zanzibar Daily 12:50 14:50 Via Dar. On inducement of 2 seats 248 198 42 317 254” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Serengeti / Seronera Daily 8:40 12:15 Via Arusha and Manyara. 517 414 93 661 529” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Zanzibar Daily 10:45 14:20 Via Arusha 568 454 90 727 581” (checked 3 November 2026)
storage.aerocrs.com — “Zanzibar Selous (Nyerere NP) All Airstrips Daily 15:05 16:25 250.00 187.50 22.00 272.00 209.50 On inducement 4 seats, Closed for wet-season 15 March to 31 May” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Rainy season: Flights marked with a star (*) are suspended during the long rains (mid March - end May) for exact dates please contact us.” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Inducement flights: Coastal is operating a few pioneer routes for which the demand is still not high enough to allow a regular daily operation. These routes therefore require the incentive of a minimum number of passengers per booking” (checked 3 November 2026)
auricair.com — “The total baggage allowance is 20kgs (44lbs) per passenger. This includes hand baggage‚ cameras‚ filming equipment‚ and any other personal items.” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Passengers are permitted a maximum luggage allowance of 15kgs (33lbs) per person including carry-on luggage. Soft bags are strongly recommended but are not obligatory.” (checked 3 November 2026)
coastal.co.tz — “Child Price: The child rates apply for children from the age of 2 to 12. Infants under the age of 2 fly at no charge.” (checked 3 November 2026)
getyourguide.com — Mikumi day trip: flight ≈ 07:45, game drive ≈ 08:30–14:30, entry and landing fees included, insurance excluded, April–June warning
getyourguide.com — Nyerere day trip: flight ≈ 06:30–07:00, game drive ≈ 07:30–15:30, return ≈ 16:00–16:45
getyourguide.com — Mikumi by twin-engine plane: Kikoboga airstrip, jeeps of up to six, no children under 4
getyourguide.com — Nyerere day with bush walk and Rufiji boat safari, ≈ 35 min flight
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — Mikumi entry fee, non-resident adult, per 24 h (TANAPA)
tanzaniaparks.go.tz — Nyerere entry fee, non-resident adult, per 24 h (TANAPA)
