Julius Nyerere International Airport is Tanzania’s busiest airport and its main southern gateway; the usual arrival point if your safari heads for Nyerere National Park, Ruaha, or the Zanzibar Archipelago rather than the northern circuit.
Where it is
The airport sits in the Kipawa area of Dar es Salaam, a short distance south of the city centre: typically a 20 to 40 minute transfer depending on traffic. Most safari travellers only pass through briefly on their way to a connecting flight south or to Zanzibar, rather than staying in Dar es Salaam itself.
Terminals and scale
The airport runs three terminals: a charter and VIP terminal, a domestic and regional terminal, and Terminal 3; the main international terminal, opened in 2019. It handled close to 2.9 million passengers in 2024 and over 20 carriers operate here, including Air Tanzania, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, KLM and Emirates, connecting Dar es Salaam across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Entry requirements
As with every Tanzania entry point, most nationalities need a visa (an e-visa applied for online in advance, or on arrival for some nationalities) and it sits outside the East Africa Tourist Visa shared by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. See our Visa & Entry Requirements page for details.
Getting onward to your safari
From here, the southern safari circuit, Nyerere National Park and Ruaha, is reached by short charter flights rather than by road, given the distances involved; see our Airstrips in Tanzania guide for how those connections work. If Zanzibar is next on your itinerary, it’s a short hop to the island: see our Zanzibar Airport page for what to expect on that leg.
Plan your arrival into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR): Dar es Salaam's International Gateway
Tell us your flight details and where your safari starts, and we’ll make sure your arrival connects smoothly into the rest of your itinerary. Talk to us, or browse our safari packages to see how it all fits together.
