10-Day Tanzania and Zanzibar Safari

After breakfast, your guide will collect you from your lodge, before proceeding to Tarangire National Park. With a game viewing area that is roughly ten times the size of nearby Manyara, the park is most famous for its elephant migration, exquisite bird watching opportunities, and quiet, authentic safari atmosphere, surrounded by beautiful baobab trees. After a morning of game viewing, enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the Tarangire River. In the afternoon, we will proceed to our tented lodge. Spend some time by the pool, enjoy a delicious dinner, and a get good night’s sleep at the lodge.

At sunrise, we start our safari towards Ngorongoro crater, enjoying some scenic views along the way. We will descend onto the crater floor for a full day game drive inside the crater. The crater and surrounding highlands are one of Africa’s most beautiful regions, with volcanic craters forming a stunning backdrop to some of the richest grazing grounds in Africa. The caldera of Ngorongoro marks the ancient walls of a collapsed volcano, which was probably once the size of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Today the completely enclosed circular crater is some twelve miles across, with steep walls of over 2,000 feet. The cooler air here is refreshing, but please make sure to bring a fleece/warm jacket with you as it can get cold during early morning and evening hours. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to the big 5: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, so be sure to keep your eyes open for this famous five.

Livestock belonging to the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe graze alongside wild animals in this area, an unusual and fascinating sight to witness. This is the only area in Tanzania where you will find wildlife, human beings and domestic animals living in such close proximity. Besides the incredible landscapes and wildlife, guests can also visit the Hominin fossils, in the Olduvai Gorge that date back millions of years. These were discovered by Dr. Mary Leakey, and are well worth a visit. In the late afternoon we will ascend the crater and drive to Ndutu area for dinner and an overnight stay.

Waking up in the southern part of the Serengeti is something really special. Sights, sounds and smells of Africa are all around us, and ahead is a full day of adventure in the world’s most famous national park. Today we will have a full day game drive from the southern to the central part of the Serengeti in search of the big five. Besides the big five, other wildlife in the area includes zebra, wildebeest, various species of gazelles and antelopes, giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, hippopotamus, crocodiles and some primate species such as vervet monkeys and olive baboons. It is also a bird-watcher’s paradise, with a total of 505 bird species.

In the afternoon we will head to the central area, known as Seronera, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and attracts an abundance of wildlife. We’ll arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive, exploring the park and all that it has to offer. With its wide-open spaces, bright blue skies and breathtaking landscapes, you’ll soon understand why the Serengeti is so popular. Large prides of lions laze in the long grasses; large families of elephants feed on acacia bark and trumpet to each other across the plains, and giraffes, gazelles, monkeys, eland and the whole range of African wildlife present themselves in awe-inspiring numbers. At sunset we will proceed to our tented camp in the heart of the famous Seronera Valley.

After breakfast today we head to a highly anticipated destination, the Great Serengeti. In the Maasai language, “serengeti” means “endless plains”. The park stretches for over 15,000 square kilometers, and is quite simply one of the most magnificent wildlife sanctuaries in the world— unparalleled in natural beauty and wilderness. From vast, open plains with idyllic, golden sunsets, to steamy riverbanks and towers of granite boulders, the Serengeti throbs and pulses with life.

After exploring Serengeti, we will drive to Seronera Airstrip for our to flight to Zanzibar Island. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by our driver guide, who will transfer you to the beach resort of your choice. Spend the evening settling in, taking a dip in the pool, and enjoying a relaxing dinner.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and spend the day lounging by the pool or on the beach. If you’re a more active and adventurous type, you could try out snorkeling or diving. Zanzibar is famous for its beautiful reefs, which are considered by snorkelers and divers as some of the best in the world. The water around Zanzibar is home to more than 350 species of colourful fish, allowing for hours of entertainment in the water. While snorkeling on the coast of Zanzibar you can usually see dolphins, turtles, parrotfish, clownfish, stingrays, squids, and more. There have also been many sightings of the humpback whale close to the beaches of Zanzibar, so keep an eye out for these majestic creatures.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and spend the day lounging by the pool or on the beach. We recommend “The Rock” restaurant for an amazing lunch. Combined with lunch at The Rock, you can visit the Jozani forest and/or visit a spice plantation.

Jozani forest

Take a guided tour through the Jozani forest and you will quickly learn that this forest is extremely unique. Witness the different species of monkeys endemic to Zanzibar, including the Red Colobus Monkey and Sykes’ monkey, as well as other wildlife such as bush pigs, Zanzibar suni, tree hyraxes and Ader’s duiker. After your forest tour, move to the other side of the national park for an opportunity to uncover the magical world of the Zanzibari Mangroves. Walk along the wooden trail and see thousands of crabs at work under the mangroves.

Spice Plantation tour

At the spice plantation you can sample various types of tropical fruits, root crops, flowering trees and spices, such as ginger, cardamom, lemon grass and cinnamon, among others. Spices are one of the main products exported in Zanzibar. During this tour, you’ll soon come to understand why Zanzibar is known as the ‘spice island’. You will also have the chance to sample fruits found in abundance on nearby farms. This is the best place to buy locally made perfumes and oils at a great price.

Breakfast will be served at the hotel, then relax on the beach or laze by the poolside. We hope you are prepared to swim, as today you will go snorkeling on our guided, Safari Blue Tour. Travel to three different banks that disappear upon sunset. View the beautiful coral and fish as you snorkel and swim in the sparkling blue oceans. Afterwards, you will have a special seafood lunch prepared for you before heading to the natural lagoon.

Breakfast will be served at the hotel, then relax on the beach or laze by the poolside.