Overview
After six busy days of wildlife photography, this trip gives you a real change of pace on Zanzibar, with no more pre-dawn alarms. It is the perfect way to rest after a demanding shooting schedule.
The safari covers Tarangire, Lake Manyara, two full days in the central Serengeti and a final day in the Ngorongoro Crater, with drives timed for soft light. A short flight then swaps the safari vehicle for the beach.
Five days on Zanzibar are a true second half of the trip, with a spice farm lunch, dolphins at Kizimkazi, the Safari Blue sandbank trip and snorkeling, or simply lazy days by the sea. It is our longest standard trip and the only one pairing the northern parks with a proper beach stay. See more Zanzibar options, or contact us to build your own combination.
| Accommodation | Confirmed together with you — see the Rates tab for general comfort levels we work with. |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board on safari days; meals as specified for any city/beach nights, per your final itinerary. |
Day by Day (12 days)
ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO ARUSHA
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) at any time. Get your tourist visa on arrival (US$100 per person for US and Canadian passport holders, paid in exact cash); you also need a yellow fever certificate and a passport valid for six months beyond your return with blank pages. Our representative meets you after immigration and drives you to your hotel in Arusha.
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
A game drive in Tarangire National Park, where birds, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and large elephant herds gather along the permanent river in the dry season, and lions and leopards are regularly seen. Your lodge in the park has a lookout for sundowners over the plains.
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
A day in Lake Manyara National Park, a small but varied park of lake, groundwater forest, grassland, hot springs and woodland below the Rift Valley wall, with over 350 bird species and famous tree-climbing lions. After a picnic lunch you return to your lodge.
OLDUVAI GORGE AND INTO THE CENTRAL SERENGETI
You head for the Serengeti, with the chance to visit Olduvai Gorge and its museum of early human finds. After lunch you spend the afternoon on the Serengeti plains, looking for resident giraffe, buffalo, elephant and predators such as lion, cheetah and leopard.
Overnight at a tented camp in the Serengeti.
FULL DAY IN THE CENTRAL SERENGETI
An early start gives you a full day in the park, with your guide choosing the best areas for the season: the hippo pool, lion prides, the migrating herds and the rocky kopjes that shelter predators and give wide views. Look for elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lion, and with luck leopard and cheetah.
Overnight at a tented camp in the Serengeti.
NGORONGORO CRATER
After an early game drive you head for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, drive along the crater rim and descend to the floor, a natural sanctuary for lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and sometimes leopard; giraffe are absent because the walls are too steep. In the late afternoon you drive to your lodge.
FLY TO ZANZIBAR
A short flight from Arusha or Kilimanjaro takes you to Zanzibar, trading the dust of the parks for the Indian Ocean. We meet you at Zanzibar Airport and drive you to your hotel in Stone Town.
SPICE FARM TOUR AND BEACH RESORT
You visit spice and fruit farms near Stone Town and learn how herbs and spices are grown and traditionally used in medicine, cosmetics and cooking, followed by a generous lunch at your guide's home. Afterwards you transfer to your beach resort.
DOLPHINS AT KIZIMKAZI
An afternoon trip to Kizimkazi fishing village on the island's southern tip, where bottlenose and humpback dolphins are often seen after a short boat ride, and with luck you can swim near them. We go in the afternoon to avoid the morning crowds of boats.
SAFARI BLUE SANDBANK TRIP
At 7:30 am you are collected and taken to Fumba village to board your boat. The day visits three sandbanks, with a seafood lunch on one, snorkeling and a good chance of seeing dolphins. You are back in Fumba around 5:30 pm and at your hotel around 6:30 pm.
SNORKELING DAY
A day on Zanzibar's reefs, some still hardly explored, where colourful corals shelter blue-spotted rays, firefish, clownfish and many other creatures.
DEPARTURE FROM ZANZIBAR
Depending on your flight time, you are transferred to Zanzibar Airport. If your international flight leaves from Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, we arrange the connecting flight.
Rates Per Person
The Overview tab explains the accommodation and meal options. Send us your dates and group size for an exact price.
Next: Inclusions →Inclusions
Included
- Private vehicle with your own driver-guide
- Park entry and conservation fees
- Accommodation as specified in your itinerary
- Meals as specified per day (full board on safari days)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Getting There
Tour Start & End
This trip starts in Serengeti National Park and ends in Olduvai Gorge.
Airport Information
Kilimanjaro International Airport or Mwanza Airport and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (Zanzibar) are the common arrival points for this itinerary, depending on your route.
Transfer Information
We meet you at the airport and handle every transfer between destinations throughout your trip.
Accommodation Before/After
Want an extra night in Arusha, Moshi or Zanzibar before or after your trip? Just ask and we will arrange it.