For safari travellers, the adventure begins long before the game drive. Landing in Africa’s wildest corners often means touching down on remote airstrips where zebras, warthogs or even elephants might be your welcoming committee.
Whether it’s skimming over Namibia’s glowing dunes or circling low over herds on the Maasai Mara, these fly-ins redefine the journey as part of the destination.
Here are ten of the most thrilling safari airport landings across the continent — where the runway is often as wild as what lies beyond it.
1. Mfuwe Airport, Zambia
Mfuwe International Airport/Lord Mountbatten/Wikimedia Commons
Located on the edge of South Luangwa National Park, Mfuwe is more than just a bush gateway — it’s your first brush with Zambia’s raw wilderness. The airport itself is modest, but what happens after you land is legendary: during mango season, a local elephant herd casually strolls through Mfuwe Lodge’s reception on their way to the trees. It’s not unheard of to see elephants before you’ve even reached baggage claim.
2. Amboseli Airstrip, Kenya
Amboseli Airstrip/flightlog/Wikimedia Commons
Landing at Amboseli feels cinematic: dust plumes rise, the savannah stretches endlessly, and towering in the distance is snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. The airstrip itself is unpaved and rustic, with zebras often seen nearby. This is one of East Africa’s most iconic fly-ins, offering aerial views that rival anything on land.
3. Sossusvlei Lodge Airfield, Namibia
Aerial view of Sossusvlei/Cindy Heppelmann & Hp.Baumeler/Wikimedia Commons
This is where silence roars. A flight into Sossusvlei takes you over some of the world’s oldest and tallest dunes—rust-red, sculpted, and seemingly endless. As you descend into the heart of the Namib Desert, you’ll likely spot oryx, ostriches, and, if you’re lucky, elusive desert-adapted animals. The descent onto the gravel strip can be bumpy, but the visuals are otherworldly.
4. Kasane Airport, Botswana
Aerial view of Kasane International Airport, Botswana, and the Chobe River/Dicklyon/Wikimedia Commons
Tucked into Botswana’s northeastern corner, Kasane lies just minutes from Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls, and the meeting point of four African countries. It’s a busy hub for safari-goers and river cruise adventurers, but don’t let its modest exterior fool you — impalas and elephants have been spotted within spitting distance of the tarmac.
5. Ol Kiombo Airstrip, Kenya
Ol Kiombo Airstrip/Esin Üstün from Istanbul, Turkey/Wikimedia Commons
If the wildebeest migration had a front-row seat, it would be Ol Kiombo. Nestled deep in the Maasai Mara, this grassy airstrip often requires wildlife to be cleared from the landing zone. During migration season, you may fly over thousands of wildebeest mid-stampede. On descent, vultures circling overhead and cheetahs lounging in the grass complete the wild welcome.
6. Londolozi Private Airstrip, South Africa
Cessna at Londolozi Private Airstrip/Heipedia/Wikimedia Commons
One of the jewels of the Sabi Sands Reserve, Londolozi’s private airstrip is exclusively for lodge guests. Flights from Johannesburg or Nelspruit descend directly into leopard territory. On arrival, you might spot giraffes or impalas watching you taxi in — the perfect prelude to one of South Africa’s most luxurious bush stays.
7. Skukuza Airport, South Africa
Runway sign at Skukuza Airport/Michelle Egly/Wikimedia Commons
Set inside Kruger National Park, Skukuza is both stylish and safari-smart. With thatched roofs, wooden walkways, and wildlife-themed décor, the terminal looks more like a lodge than an airport. Passengers can disembark straight into the park; no transfer is needed. It’s one of the few places in the world where your Uber is a safari vehicle.
8. Maun Airport, Botswana
Final approach into Maun Airport/Benjamin Hollis/Wikimedia Commons
Think of Maun as the unofficial safari capital of Africa. It’s the springboard into the Okavango Delta’s most remote camps, where light aircraft swoop down onto tiny bush airstrips surrounded by lagoons and reed beds. Many travellers only stop here to connect to even wilder skies — and smaller, shakier planes.
9. Queen Elizabeth National Park Airstrip, Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park/Clinton Mwebaze/Unsplash
There are two main ways to reach this biodiverse park by air: Mweya Airstrip, the only operational airfield located within Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kasese Airstrip, about 25km away near the town of Kasese. Flying in offers breathtaking aerial views of crater lakes, forested gorges, and the winding Kazinga Channel. Whether you land inside the park or just outside it, you’ll be greeted by a landscape teeming with elephants, hippos, and primates — including chimps in the nearby Kyambura Gorge.
10. Katavi Airstrip, Tanzania
Image used for illustrative purposes/Katavi aerial/Calle v H/Wikimedia Commons
For the safari connoisseur, Katavi is the reward. Far from the Serengeti crowds, this wild western park sees fewer than 1,000 visitors a year. Getting here means braving a long flight on a small bush plane, with the landing often requiring a runway sweep for hippos or buffalo. But once you touch down, it’s nothing but raw wilderness.
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