Northern Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar
Tailor made from $6008 per person
11 days
Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Zanzibar Beaches
Tailor made from $6008 per person
11 days
Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Zanzibar Beaches
Enquire OnlineTrip Itinerary
Please select any day below to view that destination
- Day 1 - Airport transfer & rest day in Arusha
- Day 2 - On safari in Lake Manyara and finish at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge
- Day 3 - Enjoy a full day in the Ngorongoro Crater
- Day 4 - Drive to the Serengeti
- Days 5 & 6 - Enjoy two days on safari in the Serengeti
- Day 7 - Fly to Zanzibar
- Days 8, 9 & 10 - Relax and enjoy Zanzibar
- Day 11 - Transfer back to Zanzibar Airport
This luxury Tanzania & Zanzibar holiday covers the main highlights of the northern safari areas followed by a relaxing luxury beach holiday on Zanzibar Island
Your exciting adventure to Tanzania starts with an initial overnight in the verdant town of Arusha at Rivertrees Country Inn, where you can relax and recover after potentially long international flights.
The next morning meet your private guide and start with an initial safari in Lake Manyara famous for its birdlife and populations of tree-climbing lions. You will stay near to the town of Karatu before a breath-taking descent into the incomparable natural wonder that is the Ngorongoro Crater the following day.
Then it is onto the Serengeti to enjoy three nights at a fantastic tented camp in the heart of the park, there is always something to see in this wildlife rich area but depending on the time of year the Great Migration might also be passing through.
After your safari itinerary you can relax and enjoy uninterrupted leisure on the idyllic white sands of Zanzibar.
Call us to speak to a specialist with first-hand travel experience of Tanzania and Zanzibar who can design your holiday around your interests.
What's Included:
- Activities & transport as in full itinerary
- Local English speaking guide National Park and conservancy fees
- Private 4x4 safari customised vehicle
- Accommodation as stated
- Internal flights and transfers as required
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha
Day 1 - Airport transfer & rest day in Arusha
Upon arrival into Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be met by our friendly local transfer driver and transferred to Rivertrees Country Inn in Arusha in a air-conditioned vehicle.
Depending on your time of arrival you may have time to enjoy the ample grounds of Rivertrees, relax at the swimming pool or start ticking off wildlife species straight away. Numerous bird species can be spotted in the mature trees as well as vervet and blue monkeys.
Days 2 - 3: Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater
Day 2 - On safari in Lake Manyara and finish at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge
Your guide will meet you after breakfast and it is the start of your privately guided safari. Your destination today is near to the town of Karatu and on the way you will visit Lake Manyara National Park, for your first safari experience.
The western wall of the Great Rift Valley provides the backdrop as you drive through the dense forest with its teeming primate population including baboon, common monkey, vervet monkey and the nocturnal bush babies. The lake itself is a shallow, alkaline lake covering around 230 sqaure kilometres, which Ernest Hemingway once described as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. The lake is home to resident hippo pods as well as wonderful birdlife.
You leave the park in the afternoon and head to Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge where you stay for the night ahead of tomorrows early morning descend to the caldera floor of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 3 - Enjoy a full day in the Ngorongoro Crater
After an early start you will depart the lodge and pass through the entrance gates to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority before steadily climb the windy road up the crater’s side. Take it all in from the viewpoint on the rim, before descending to the wildlife eden that is caldera floor.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a unique natural phenomenon. You have a full day of which to explore the different environments of the crater and enjoy the abundant wildlife, including large numbers of plains game as well as hyena, lion and an elusive black rhino population.
Enjoy a chance to stretch your legs and a lakeside picnic lunch before you continue exploring the Crater in the afternoon. As the light begins to fade, return to Rhotia Valley Lodge for dinner and a nightcap.
Days 4 - 6: Serengeti National Park
Day 4 - Drive to the Serengeti
Depart from Ngorongoro this morning and game drive through the southern reaches of the Serengeti: the area known as Ndutu. It is quite a long drive of around 5 hours, however it may be longer depending on what you see along the way.
Your camp for the next three nights is the fantastic Kiota Camp in the Seronera region of the Serengeti. ‘Kiota’ means nest in Swahili and this homely, permanent camp set atop Banagi Hill gives you a wonderful view across productive Serengeti Plains. It is the perfect base to explore the area with your expert private guide.
You have the flexibility to choose what you would like to do each day, whether this is an morning and afternoon game drive or perhaps explore further afield and head out for the whole day with a picnic lunch.
Days 5 & 6 - Enjoy two days on safari in the Serengeti
You have the next two full days as you explore deep into the heart of the park. If you’re on the hunt for the ‘Big 5’ then the Serengeti’s vast, fertile expanse is the perfect territory as lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino can all be found, although the latter are mostly found in the northern reaches of the park.
The central Serengeti offers great wildlife viewing throughout the year however in the months of April-June and November you may have a chance of seeing thousands of zebra and wildebeest attributed to the great migration, as they pass through this area. However, the herds tend to be more spread out as there are moving between areas.
The great benefit of having your own private guide and vehicle means that you can set the schedule and focus on the animals that you are most interested in. The key is to keep good communication with your guide at all times so they see what you would like to.
Days 7 - 10: Zanzibar
Day 7 - Fly to Zanzibar
Depending on the time of your flight you may well have an opportunity for a final game drive with your guide before they bid you farewell and you depart on an internal flight to Zanzibar. You fly on a scenic light aircraft flight from the Serengeti to Zanzibar and this is an incredible adventure in its own right!
You are met on arrival at Zanzibar Airport and are driven approximately one hour to Pongwe Beach Hotel, where you stay for the following four nights on a half board basis in a beachfront room.
This popular beach lodge is situated on Zanzibar’s east coast which has some of its best beaches. It was refurbished in 2017 and it is a relatively simple, quiet and laid-back lodge perfect for some time relaxing and soaking up some sunshine. It has a stylish swimming pool in the main area as well as an upgrade option to a Sea View Suite which has its own private plunge pool.
Days 8, 9 & 10 - Relax and enjoy Zanzibar
You have the following three full days free to explore Zanzibar your leisure, you can do as much or as little as you please.
There are many activities on offer such as visits to Prison Island and its tortoise sanctuary or inland to Jozani Forest to search for endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey. It is also easy to visit Stone Town for the day or to visit a local spice plantation. You get involved with a really hands-on experience, tasting and smelling the spices for which Zanzibar is infamous, as well as enjoying a fresh, locally cooked lunch as part of your tour.
All these activities and more can be prearranged with us upon booking or organised with Pongwe Beach Hotel during your stay.
Day 11: Fly home
Day 11 - Transfer back to Zanzibar Airport
Today you check-out of Pongwe Beach Hotel and are driven to Zanzibar Airport where you check-in for your return international flight.
This bring your exploration of Tanzania and Zanzibar to an end, where to next?
Interested in this trip?
Call us on +1 (312) 690 4489 to start planning your perfect vacations
Enquire OnlineWhy Wayfairer
In Northern Tanzania you will have your own private safari guide who comes from within the local community. All our local guides are professionals who are paid fair wages and do not rely on tips.
In the wildlife conservation areas we work with selected camps and lodges who are committed to conserving their local communities and environments. A particular lodge featured in this itinerary which is worth mentioning is Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, by staying at the lodge you are directly contributing to the Rhotia Valley Children's Home, which provides food, shelter, education and clothing to orphaned children from the local community.
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