Serengeti Game Drive Full-Day Safari with Private Guide

Twelve hours on the Serengeti with a private guide and a picnic lunch in the bush

A full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park departing from Zanzibar includes a 1 hour 30 minute flight each way, a private safari guide, entrance fees, lunch and soft drinks, and hotel pickup. You spend roughly eight hours on the game drive itself, broken by a picnic lunch in the savannah, searching for the big five and over 100 other mammal species year-round. An alternative slower aircraft option (2 hours 15 minutes each way) costs 20% less.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full-day Serengeti game drive safari

• Hotel pickup at 05:00
• Flight to Serengeti at 06:30
• Arrive Serengeti at 08:00
• Meet private safari guide
• Game drive until 12:30
• Picnic lunch until 13:30
• Afternoon game drive to airstrip
• Flight back to Zanzibar at 17:00
• Arrive Zanzibar at 18:30
• Return transfer to hotel

The experience

The Serengeti is one of Africa's seven natural wonders, and this tour gets you there from Zanzibar in a single day. You're picked up from your hotel at 5 a.m. for the drive to Zanzibar Airport, then fly by private aircraft (either a faster PC12 taking 1 hour 30 minutes or a slower C208 taking 2 hours 15 minutes) straight to Seronera Airstrip. A private guide meets you on arrival around 8 a.m. and the game drive begins immediately, running until midday. The savannah holds all five members of the big five: elephants, lions, leopards, black rhinos and buffalo, plus over 100 other mammal species that live here year-round.

Around 12:30 p.m. you stop for a picnic lunch in a scenic spot on the savannah, with soft drinks included. The game drive resumes at 1:30 p.m. and continues as you make your way back toward the airstrip, giving you two separate windows to spot wildlife across different parts of the park. You depart at 5 p.m. and land back in Zanzibar by 6:30 p.m., then transfer back to your hotel. The full day, from pickup to return, runs about 12 hours, though the actual time on the game drive is split across the morning and afternoon.

Two aircraft options let you choose between speed and cost. The PC12 is faster but standard-priced. The C208 takes longer but runs 20% cheaper. Both are equipped for the flight, and the guide and all inclusions stay the same regardless of which you pick.

What’s included

• Entrance fee to Serengeti National Park.
• private return flight by aircraft (PC12 or C208, your choice).
• private safari guide for the full day.
• picnic lunch and soft drinks during the game drive.
• hotel pickup and return transfer in Zanzibar.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Eseki Luxury Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based on Zanzibar without your own transport. A same-day flight gets you to the Serengeti and back to your hotel by evening, so you see the big five without staying overnight on the mainland.

Top questions

Can I see the big five on a Serengeti game drive?

Yes. The Serengeti is home to all five members of the big five: elephants, lions, leopards, black rhinos and buffalo. Over 100 mammal species live in the park year-round, so sightings are possible on any departure, though wildlife encounters vary by season and location within the park.

What time does the tour start and when do I get back to my hotel?

Hotel pickup begins at 5 a.m., with a 6:30 a.m. flight departure. You arrive back in Zanzibar around 6:30 p.m. and return to your hotel by approximately 7 p.m., making this a full-day commitment from early morning through evening.

Is lunch included on the game drive?

Yes. A picnic lunch is served in the savannah around 12:30 p.m., with soft drinks included. The game drive pauses for roughly an hour while you eat, then resumes until departure time.

What's the difference between the PC12 and C208 flight options?

The PC12 takes 1 hour 30 minutes each way and is the standard option. The C208 takes 2 hours 15 minutes each way but costs 20% less. Both flights go directly to Seronera Airstrip, and the guide, game drive duration and all inclusions remain the same.

Does the tour include my hotel transfer to and from the airport?

Yes. Hotel pickup and return transfers are included, so you're collected from your Zanzibar hotel at 5 a.m. and dropped back after the evening flight arrives.