These companies are based on the mainland, mostly around Arusha, and sell fly-in and multi-day safaris from Zanzibar, usually as a quote you agree by email rather than a trip you book instantly. For a fixed-price fly-in day or 2–3 day trip that you can book and cancel online, our trip pages are quicker; for a longer private itinerary, a specialist quote is the usual route.
What a fly-in specialist sells
On a platform, a fly-in day trip from Zanzibar is a shared, fixed product: a set pickup time, a set park and a set price. A safari specialist starts with your dates and budget. It books the light-aircraft seats, the lodge or camp, the vehicle and the guide, then sends you a quote. Most of the companies below are Northern Circuit operators from Arusha or Moshi. For them, Zanzibar is either the start of a fly-in to the Serengeti or the beach week after the safari.
The companies at a glance
Company
Base
Trips that start in Zanzibar
How you book
Shadows of Africa
Arusha
Serengeti and Ngorongoro fly-ins, Saadani by plane or boat, shared Selous and Saadani day trips
Enquiry, reply within 24 h
Tanzania Specialist
Arusha
Safari and Zanzibar combinations
Free quote
Altezza Travel
Moshi
None; Zanzibar comes after the safari
Free quote, call or chat
T-One Tours & Safaris
Tanzania
Shared Saadani day trip by charter flight
Enquiry
Suricata Safaris
Arusha
Zanzibar added to Arusha safaris
Enquiry
Go Serengeti African Tours
Tanzania
Serengeti fly-ins from Zanzibar
Quote request on a listing site
Restova
Listing site
Packages uploaded by other operators
Through the listing
Two names are easy to misread. Altezza Travel sells Zanzibar as an add-on, not as a starting point. Restova is a listing platform, so the operator on each listing is the company you deal with.
What to ask before you pay a deposit
Flights. Which airline and which airstrip, and is the fare fixed? One listing we read prices flights from a fixed budget and charges the difference if fares rise.
Luggage. Light aircraft take less luggage than international flights. Ask for the weight limit and whether bags must be soft.
Fees. Are park entry, concession or camping fees and government taxes in the price? One day-trip page we read excludes "government-imposed tax or park fee increases".
Private or shared. Most quotes are private. Shared departures exist: Shadows of Africa's go with as few as two people and take up to six.
Rain season. Ask what happens if a flight is cancelled or the route is closed in the long rains.
Deposits. Ask how much is due, when the balance is due, and what you get back if you cancel or they do.
Booking a fixed-price version instead
If a standard trip is enough, the 1-day safari by plane compares the Mikumi and Nyerere day trips, 2–3 day safaris covers short lodge stays, and Serengeti from Zanzibar lists the 2–5 day fly-ins on GetYourGuide and Headout. Each has a set price and its own cancellation terms.
Companies on this page
Shadows of Africa
Website
shadowsofafrica.com
Based in
Arusha; founded in 2010 by Natasa Fras, lists offices in several countries including Zanzibar
Sells
A "Safaris from Zanzibar" range: 3-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro fly-in, 3-day Serengeti fly-in and fly-out, 2-day Saadani by plane or by boat, shared Selous and Saadani day trips (groups of up to 6), and longer Northern Circuit safaris
How you book
Free enquiry form; it says a safari expert replies within 24 hours
How you pay
Not stated on its Zanzibar safaris page
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list (mainland company)
On booking platforms
Own website; shows TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence 2019–2022
Tanzania Specialist
Website
tanzania-specialist.com
Based in
Arusha (local team and travel advisers in Tanzania)
Sells
Tailor-made safaris of about 5–15 days, safari and Zanzibar combinations (for example 11 days), Zanzibar beach holidays, Kilimanjaro climbs
How you book
Free quotation on request
How you pay
"Flexible payment options" mentioned; deposit terms not on the homepage
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list (mainland company)
On booking platforms
Own website; Travelife Partner status and TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice shown on its site
Altezza Travel
Website
altezzatravel.com
Based in
Moshi, Kilimanjaro region; owns two hotels and a vehicle fleet
Sells
Kilimanjaro climbs and Northern Circuit safaris of 3–23 days; Zanzibar as a beach stay after the safari, not as a starting point
How you book
Free itinerary and quote by enquiry form, live chat, WhatsApp or a booked call
How you pay
Its site lists cash, card and cryptocurrency, in USD, EUR or GBP
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list (mainland company); member of ATTA and KPAP
On booking platforms
Own website; Travelife and B Corp certification shown on its site
T-One Tours & Safaris
Website
t-onetoursandsafaris.com
Based in
Tanzania (no street address given on its site)
Sells
A shared 1-day Saadani trip by charter flight from Zanzibar (hotel pickup, game drive in an open-sided 4x4, boat ride, park fees and picnic lunch included), private Northern and Southern Circuit safaris, transfers
How you book
Enquiry by email, phone or contact form
How you pay
Not stated on its site
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list; its site says it is a TATO member
On booking platforms
Own website
Suricata Safaris
Website
suricatasafaris.com
Based in
Arusha, with a presence in Zanzibar; founded by Hilary, a former guide, with business partner Martin
Sells
Camping, mid-range and luxury safaris of 2–7 days from Arusha, Great Migration trips, Kilimanjaro and other treks; Zanzibar beach stays added to a safari
How you book
Enquiry form, answered by email with a full itinerary
How you pay
Set out in its terms and conditions; not summarised on the site
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list
On booking platforms
First on SafariBookings' Zanzibar operators list when checked, rated 5.0 from about 4,500 reviews
Go Serengeti African Tours
Website
No own website found
Based in
Tanzania
Sells
Safaris that start or end in Zanzibar: 3-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro fly-in, a fly-in Northern Serengeti trip, a 6-day safari with flights from Zanzibar, safari and beach combinations
How you book
Quote request through its SafariBookings listings, then direct with the operator
How you pay
Agreed with the operator after the quote
ZATO
Not on ZATO's list
On booking platforms
SafariBookings
Restova
Website
restova.co.tz
Based in
Tanzania; run by Wazoefu Technology
Sells
A listing site, not a safari operator: tour operators upload packages, including Serengeti fly-ins from Zanzibar and Mikumi day trips
How you book
Through the listing to the operator who runs the trip
How you pay
Depends on the operator
ZATO
Not applicable (marketplace)
On booking platforms
Is itself a platform
From the company’s own website and public listings, 3 November 2026. Not a rating.
Bookable
Same trips, booked online
Bookable versions of the trips this company sells, with the platform’s cancellation terms and reviews.
None of the companies on this page says it does. Their fly-ins use seats on scheduled or charter flights by local airlines, which the safari company books for you. Some quotes include a fixed flight budget and are re-priced if fares go up, so ask.
Is a specialist cheaper than a fixed-price trip on GetYourGuide?
Not necessarily for a standard day trip: the platform listings are already shared trips with set prices. A specialist pays off on longer or private trips, where you choose the lodges, the parks and the pace.
Are park fees included in a fly-in quote?
Usually, but check line by line: park entry, concession or camping fees, the flights, drinks and tips are where quotes differ.
Is my money protected if I book a mainland operator directly?
That depends on the company. EU and UK package-travel protection applies to package tours sold to EEA and UK travellers through platforms such as TourRadar. Booking directly, ask how deposits are held and what happens if the trip is cancelled.
Are mainland operators members of ZATO?
Generally not. ZATO is the Zanzibar association; mainland safari companies usually belong to TATO, the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators.
