Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Beach: Kilimanjaro to Spice Island

Eight days tracking lions and elephants, then trading dust for sand

You spend five days on safari across four parks (Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire) with a professional guide handling all driving and timing, then fly to Zanzibar for two beach days. The package includes all park entry, game drives, accommodations, meals at the lodges, airport pickup in Arusha, and the one-way flight to the island. You arrange your own activities in Stone Town and on the spice islands if you want them.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and rest in Arusha

• Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport
• Transfer to hotel in Arusha
• Relax and explore Arusha

Day 2: Drive to Lake Manyara National Park

• Breakfast and briefing
• Drive to Lake Manyara National Park
• Explore park wildlife and birds

Day 3: Serengeti full day game drive

• Breakfast in savanna
• Full day game drive in Serengeti
• Lunch break midday
• Rest after lunch
• Afternoon game viewing

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro rim

• Early breakfast
• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Overnight at Ngorongoro rim

Day 5: Ngorongoro crater and Maasai visit

• Breakfast and packed lunch
• Visit traditional Maasai village
• Descend to Ngorongoro crater floor
• Picnic lunch in crater
• Afternoon game drive in crater
• Drive to Karatu for overnight

Day 6: Tarangire National Park and return

• Breakfast
• Game drive in Tarangire National Park
• Return to Arusha in afternoon
• Overnight in Arusha

Day 7: Flight from Arusha to Zanzibar

• Depart Arusha at noon
• Flight to Zanzibar
• Transfer to hotel in Zanzibar

Day 8: Relax on Zanzibar beaches

• Free day to relax on beach

Day 9: Optional Stone Town tours

• Full day Spice and Prison Island tour
• Explore Stone Town landmarks

The experience

The Serengeti is already moving when you arrive. Herds are shifting across the short grass plains (1.3 million wildebeest, 250,000 gazelles, 200,000 zebras), and your guide knows where to find them. You start in Arusha after landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport, rest one night, then head straight into Lake Manyara National Park the next morning. The park is only 330 square kilometers, but 70 percent of it is water, and the wildlife density is something you have to see to believe. Tree-climbing lions live in the acacia woodland between the lake and the Rift Valley: a behavior so rare that spotting one feels like luck, though your guide will know the patterns.

From there the safari deepens. You drive into the Serengeti for a full day of game viewing, breaking for lunch around midday and resting before the afternoon push when the light turns gold and the animals move again. The next morning comes early (worth it, the itinerary promises), and you head toward Ngorongoro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built inside a 260-kilometer-wide volcanic crater. The descent to the crater floor happens after breakfast, and you'll eat a packed lunch at one of the picnic sites near Lerai Forest or Hippo Pool, watching for black rhinos in the grass. A detour through a traditional Maasai village lets you see how people live on these plains, though that visit costs extra. Tarangire comes last (famous for African elephants and baobab trees that grow 30 meters tall) before you return to Arusha for the night.

Then the rhythm changes completely. A midday flight takes you from Arusha to Zanzibar, arriving at 4 p.m., and your driver meets you at the airport. Two full days on the island are yours to spend however you want. The white sand beaches are the point, but Stone Town, the oldest town in East Africa, sits waiting if you want to walk its coral-stone streets, visit the House of Wonders, or tour the spice plantations and prison island. The accommodations throughout are lodges and beach cottages, not luxury resorts, which means you're close to the rhythm of the place without the distance of a resort compound.

What’s included

Your eight days include airport pickup at Kilimanjaro and transfer to your hotel in Arusha, accommodations at five safari lodges and two nights at a beach cottage in Zanzibar, all game drives and park entry fees across Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire, meals at the lodges, private transportation throughout the safari, and a one-way flight from Arusha to Zanzibar at midday on day seven. Maasai village visits, Olduvai Gorge, and Stone Town tours are optional and cost extra.

Information

Lasts 9d, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 4,102.57 per person, with live guides in 5 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate2 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

AgesAdult (16 to 60 years) · Senior (65 to 90 years) · Youth (10 to 15 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Nature Bound Africa

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want the main East African safari parks in one trip without arranging guides, permits, and logistics separately, then want to end on a beach instead of flying straight home: the fixed itinerary and included flight handle both halves so you only book once.

Traveler reviews

3.00★★★★★★★★★★5 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 15 years); Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many days is the safari portion?

Five days and four nights, from your second day in Arusha through the return to Arusha before the flight to Zanzibar.

What's included in the price?

Private transportation, all park entry fees, accommodations, game drives with a guide, the one-way flight from Arusha to Zanzibar, and meals at the lodges. Visits to Maasai villages, Olduvai Gorge, and Stone Town tours are extra.

When do you see the Big Five?

Lake Manyara is home to lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and buffalo. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater also have all five, though sightings depend on where the animals are on any given day.

Can you do activities in Zanzibar, or is it just beach time?

Two days are free, so you can relax on the beach or book optional tours like the Stone Town and spice island tour. Those are not included in the package price.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Vegetarian options are available. Advise the operator of any specific dietary requirements when you book.

Is transportation wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the transportation is wheelchair accessible, and public transit options are available near the lodges.