Logistics · flights
Internal flights in Tanzania: airstrips, baggage and the rules of light aviation
An internal flight turns a day of driving on gravel into an hour in the air. But light aviation has its own rules, and one of them is discovered on the airstrip unless somebody says it first: the allowance is fifteen kilograms, and a hard case boards only if it fits the cargo door.
What to know before packing
Light aviation limits differ from what international flights accustom you to, and they are not negotiable on the day.
| Item | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Baggage allowance | around 15 kg | Per person, hand luggage included |
| Bag type | soft strongly advised | Soft bag; a hard case only within the size limit |
| Hand luggage | inside the allowance | It does not add to the 15 kg; it is part of them |
| Excess | buy freight capacity | Arranged in advance, not at the strip |
| Airstrips | dirt, inside the parks | Departure depends on weather and strip condition |
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Why fly internally at all
Northern Tanzania is large and the roads are gravel. Driving from the Ndutu area to Kilimanjaro takes most of a day, and that day is subtracted from the trip. The flight takes about an hour and gives the day back.
The Ndutu area has its own airstrip, and Coastal Aviation confirmed to us in writing on 11 September 2026 that it flies there year-round. The aircraft routes via Arusha and, depending on how the day is loaded, via other Serengeti strips; the carrier issues the final routing and times the day before departure.
About baggage, and it is not a formality
Fifteen kilograms in a soft bag is the regional standard for light aircraft. The limit exists for practical reasons: baggage goes into a narrow hold, and a soft bag takes its shape. Carriers strongly recommend one. A rigid case is not banned but has to fit the cargo door — with Coastal that is 76 × 48 × 29 cm.
Excess is resolved only by buying freight capacity in advance. It cannot be negotiated on the strip, and this is the kind of problem that appears exactly when it can no longer be fixed. It belongs in the packing conversation, not the boarding one.
What depends on the weather
Airstrips inside the parks are dirt. February brings rain, and a departure can shift or be cancelled depending on the state of the strip. That is ordinary rather than a sign of a poor carrier.
One practical conclusion follows: leave a margin between the internal flight and the international one rather than connecting tightly. A reserve night in Arusha or Kilimanjaro costs far less than a missed flight home.
What to confirm in a proposal
Whether the internal flight is inside the price or quoted separately, and for which sector exactly. Which airstrip you depart from and how far it is from the camp. What baggage allowance the specific carrier applies.
And whether there is a margin between arrival at the international airport and the flight home. If there is none, it should be fixed at the proposal stage rather than on the day.
Common questions
- How much baggage is allowed on an internal flight?
- Usually around fifteen kilograms per person in a soft bag, with hand luggage counted inside that figure rather than added to it. The exact allowance is confirmed by the carrier for your dates.
- Will a hard suitcase be taken?
- The hold of a light aircraft is narrow and irregular, so a soft bag is what carriers strongly recommend. A rigid case is carried only if it fits the cargo door — Coastal puts that at 76 × 48 × 29 cm. The airstrip is too late to argue it.
- What if there is more baggage than the allowance?
- Buy additional freight capacity in advance. It is arranged before departure; the strip is not the place to resolve it.
- When does the Ndutu airstrip operate?
- Year-round. Coastal Aviation confirmed this in writing on 11 September 2026. The Ndutu to Kilimanjaro service routes via Arusha and, depending on how the day is loaded, via other Serengeti strips; the carrier issues the final routing and times the day before. Whether a particular day departs still depends on weather and the state of the dirt strip.
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