14 Day Tanzania Safari and Beach Holiday
Explore Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti from luxury lodges and camps, then fly to Zanzibar for beach days and a Stone Town tour.
- Duration
- 14 days
- Route
- Arusha – Tarangire – Lake Manyara – Ngorongoro Crater – Olduvai Gorge – Serengeti – Zanzibar – Stone Town
- Start / end
- Starts at Kilimanjaro International Airport (Arusha) and ends at Zanzibar Airport
- Best time
- The Serengeti offers good wildlife viewing year-round, and the herds of the Great Migration move through different areas depending on the month; the drier months, roughly June to October, are generally best for game viewing and beach weather.
- Trip style
- Private safari for 2–6 travelers in a modified 4x4 Land Cruiser with photographic roof hatch and a professional English-speaking guide, staying in luxury lodges and tented camps, followed by a luxury beach resort in Zanzibar.
Tour overview
An unforgettable Tanzania safari and beach holiday that you will only ever experience once in a lifetime. This packed itinerary explores the famous national parks of Northern Tanzania, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, while staying in luxury lodges and tented camps, with unique activities such as nature walks and night safaris in the parks.
After a week of wildlife safari, you fly from the Serengeti to Zanzibar and end your Africa tour relaxing at a luxury beach resort, followed by a spice plantation tour and a night in historic Stone Town.
Highlights
- Game drives among the giant baobabs and elephant herds of Tarangire National Park
- Look for the famous tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara
- Descend 600 m into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest unbroken caldera
- Visit Olduvai Gorge, where early hominid fossils were discovered
- Full-day game drives on the Serengeti plains, with a chance to see the Great Migration
- Five beach days in Zanzibar, a spice tour and a guided walk through Stone Town
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrival in Tanzania
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, or your arrival point, you are met by our representative and safari manager and transferred to Ilboru Safari Lodge near Arusha. Here you receive a full safari briefing covering the days ahead, and then you have the rest of the day to relax at the lodge and recover from your journey before your safari begins tomorrow morning.
Day 2Arusha – Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park, the third largest park in Tanzania and a true theater of the wild, famous for the gigantic baobab trees that dot the landscape. The Tarangire River is the lifeblood of the reserve, drawing an abundance of wildlife to its banks, especially in the dry season. Animals often spotted here include lions, elephants, leopards, oryx and dik-diks, along with a wide range of bird species. In the late afternoon, check in at Sangaiwe Tented Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3Tarangire – Lake Manyara National Park
An optional early-morning game drive is well worth taking. After breakfast, leave Tarangire for Lake Manyara National Park, a small, beautiful park famous for its legendary tree-climbing lions and many other large and small mammals. Lunch can be served at one of the park's picnic sites, or you can enjoy a hot lunch at the lodge before returning for afternoon game drives. In the late afternoon, drive to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Day 4Lake Manyara – Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, drive via Karatu town to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. After registration at Loduare Gate, drive up to the crater rim and stop at the viewpoint for stunning views over the crater floor, then descend the 600-meter walls for game viewing. In the world's largest unbroken caldera, with luck you may spot the Big Five in a single day. The crater is world-renowned for its unparalleled concentration of animals and birdlife, including zebras, topis, elands, warthogs and hartebeests. In the late afternoon, ascend to the crater rim and check in at Ngorongoro Farm House.
Day 5Olduvai Gorge – Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, check out and drive to Olduvai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey discovered fossils of the early hominid Australopithecus boisei, a find that supported the theory that Africa is the cradle of mankind. You will hear a short talk about the discovery before continuing to the Serengeti via Naabi Hill Gate for registration. After a picnic lunch, enjoy game drives on the plains for the rest of the afternoon, then drive to Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 6Full Day in Serengeti National Park
Start with an optional dawn game drive to see nocturnal animals retiring and daytime species waking under the rising African sun. Return to camp for breakfast, then set out with a lunch box for a full day of game drives on the endless Serengeti plains. Depending on the month, you may witness the Great Migration, the movement of over one and a half million wildebeest together with zebras and gazelles. Resident animals include lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, topis, elands, dik-diks and baboons, and the park is famous for its many bird species.
Day 7Serengeti – Flight to Zanzibar
Enjoy a final early-morning game drive at dawn if you wish, or simply have breakfast before driving to Seronera Airstrip for your flight to Zanzibar. On arrival, our driver meets you and transfers you to Ocean Paradise Resort, where you check in and are free to relax for the rest of the day. Dinner and overnight at the beach resort.
Day 8–12Beach Resort, Zanzibar
These days are spent at your beach resort in Zanzibar. Choose from the water sports and activities offered by the on-site diving club, or simply unwind and soak up the sun; it is a beach vacation, after all. Diving in Zanzibar can be arranged in advance or spontaneously once you are at the resort.
Day 13Zanzibar Spice Tour and Stone Town
After breakfast, check out of the beach resort and drive to one of Zanzibar's legendary spice plantations. Explore the history of the plantations and learn about the spices and fruits introduced to the island by traders and explorers from the Arab world and Europe, then enjoy a sumptuous lunch of local Swahili dishes. In the afternoon, head to Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and wander its narrow alleys to see the cathedrals, the Old Fort, the House of Wonders and the People's Palace, with time to buy spices and souvenirs.
Day 14Transfer to Zanzibar Airport – Departure
Depending on your flight schedule and departure point, you are transferred to Zanzibar Airport for your flight home. If you are flying out of Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, we can arrange a connecting flight so you can catch your international flight. This marks the end of your Tanzania safari and beach holiday.
What is included
- All airport pickups and transfers in a private car
- 6-day private safari for 2–6 people
- Transport and game drives in a modified 4x4 Land Cruiser with photographic roof hatch
- Services of a professional English-speaking safari guide
- All wildlife reserve entry fees
- All game drives as mentioned in the itinerary
- 3 x 0.5 l mineral water per person per day during game drives
- Domestic flight from the Serengeti to Zanzibar, including taxes
- 1 night half board at Ilboru Safari Lodge (or similar), Arusha
- 5 nights full board at safari lodges or tented camps as per the itinerary
- 6 nights half board at Ocean Paradise Resort (superior garden rooms) or similar in Zanzibar
- 1 night half board at Tembo Hotel in Stone Town or a similar boutique hotel
- Private tours in Zanzibar as indicated in the itinerary
- Value Added Tax (VAT)
Not included
- International flights
- Any domestic connecting flights on arrival or departure
- Items of a personal nature
- Tips for the safari guide and lodge staff
- Travel insurance
- Visa fee (USD 50, or USD 100 for US and Irish passport holders, paid on arrival)
- Drinks and beverages at the lodges
- Hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti (USD 549 per person, including concession fees)
Good to know
- Serengeti Joy Tours can help you choose international flights, but you will need to book them yourself; fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha/Moshi.
- Additional accommodation before and after the tour can be arranged at extra cost.
- Tips for your safari guide and lodge staff are not included; please tip separately.
- The program can be customized to your interests and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is the flight from the Serengeti to Zanzibar included?
Yes. The domestic flight from Seronera Airstrip in the Serengeti to Zanzibar, including taxes, is included. Connecting flights on arrival or departure, such as via Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, are not included.
Will I see the Great Migration?
It depends on when you travel, as the herds move through different parts of the ecosystem during the year. Even outside migration season, the Serengeti is home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and many other resident animals.
Can I travel solo or with a larger group?
Yes. Prices are listed for groups of 2, 4 and 6; for single travelers and groups of more than 6, please ask us for a quote. Children's prices depend on age and room configuration.
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