Travel Glossary · Safari & Africa
Fly-In Safari
Definition
Fly-In Safari: A fly-in safari uses small light aircraft to move travelers between remote bush airstrips and camps, replacing long road transfers between wildlife areas.
Fly-in safaris are standard in Botswana, where Okavango Delta camps are reached by small aircraft from Maun or Kasane, and common in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. A typical plane is a single-engine Cessna Caravan or similar, and a route may stop at several airstrips to drop off and pick up guests.
The trade-off for speed and views is luggage. Light aircraft enforce strict weight limits, commonly 15 to 20 kilograms (about 33 to 44 pounds) per person including hand luggage, and bags usually must be soft-sided so they fit in the hold. Check your operator’s exact limits before you pack.
Flying in saves long, bumpy road transfers, reaches remote private concessions, and lets you combine very different areas in one trip. Pack with the limits in mind using our safari packing list.
Go deeper
- Packing ListsSafari Packing ListWhat to pack for an African safari: a soft duffel for bush-plane weight limits, neutral layers for cold dawns, binoculars, and health essentials like repellent.
- AfricaBotswana Safari Guide: Okavango Delta, Chobe & the KalahariPlan a Botswana safari: Okavango Delta camps, mokoro trips, Chobe elephants, the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi, fly-in logistics and the best months to go.
- Travel GuidesYour First Safari: How to Plan an African SafariPlanning your first African safari: where to go, how long to stay, lodges vs tented camps, what a safari day looks like, packing, health and tipping.
- Travel GuidesLuxury Safari Lodges: What to ExpectWhat to expect at a luxury safari lodge: what’s included, guiding, rooms, Wi-Fi, children, safety after dark, what to wear, tipping and lodges vs tented camps.
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