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This 12-day trip pairs a Northern Circuit safari with a stretch on Zanzibar. The safari half runs from Arusha to Tarangire National Park, up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and west into the Central Serengeti, before you swap the plains for Stone Town and the Indian Ocean. It suits couples and families who want serious game viewing and then time to slow down, without planning two separate trips.
You start at Arusha Coffee Lodge, then spend a night at Tarangire Treetops Lodge after an afternoon among baobabs and elephant herds. Two nights at Lemala Osonjoi Lodge give you a full day on the Ngorongoro Crater floor looking for the Big Five, black rhino included. Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp is your base for two days of game drives around Seronera, known for lions and leopards. A bush flight returns you to Arusha, and next day you fly to Zanzibar for a walking tour of Stone Town and its spice market. The beach days are at Mnemba Lodge, with snorkelling, a dhow sail, Prison Island's giant tortoises and an optional visit to Jozani Forest for red colobus monkeys. Our Arusha team can rebalance the safari and beach days for you.
Your 12-day adventure across Africa's most spectacular wilderness areas
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Arusha at the foot of Mount Meru. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and acclimatising after your journey. Your guide will meet you for a welcome briefing and to outline the exciting safari and beach itinerary ahead.
Drive to Tarangire National Park for your first taste of Tanzanian wildlife. The park's towering baobab trees create a surreal backdrop for the enormous elephant herds that gather along the Tarangire River. Enjoy an extended afternoon game drive through the park's diverse habitats before settling into your safari lodge.
Leave Tarangire and drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, ascending through the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The road climbs through farmland and forest to the crater rim, where the vast caldera unfolds below. Check into your crater rim lodge and enjoy the views that have captivated travellers for over a century.
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full day among the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa. Search for all Big Five species on the crater floor — lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and the elusive black rhino. The crater's enclosed ecosystem supports an extraordinary variety of life, from flamingo-lined lakes to hyena dens in the grasslands.
Journey west into the Serengeti, crossing the Ngorongoro highlands and descending into the world's most famous savannah. Game drives begin as soon as you enter the park, with wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle dotting the plains in every direction. Set up camp in the central Serengeti for the next two days of intensive wildlife viewing.
Devote the entire day to the Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives targeting the big cats for which this park is renowned. The central Seronera region offers some of Africa's most reliable leopard and lion sightings. Between drives, relax at camp listening to the sounds of the African bush — birdsong, distant roars, and the hum of the plains.
Take a morning bush flight from the Serengeti back to Arusha, soaring over the endless plains, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the patchwork of Rift Valley farmland. Arrive in Arusha by midday and transfer to your hotel. Spend the evening relaxing and preparing for the beach phase of your journey to Zanzibar.
Fly from Arusha to Zanzibar, the legendary Spice Island of the Indian Ocean. After checking into your Stone Town hotel, explore the UNESCO World Heritage labyrinth of narrow alleys, carved wooden doors, and historic buildings. Visit the bustling Darajani spice market where the aromas of clove, cinnamon, and cardamom fill the air.
Transfer to the pristine north coast of Zanzibar, where white sand beaches meet turquoise Indian Ocean waters. Spend the day unwinding on the beach, snorkeling over vibrant coral reefs teeming with tropical fish, and sailing on a traditional wooden dhow. The warm waters and gentle breezes make this a perfect contrast to the dusty safari trails.
Take a short boat ride to Prison Island (Changuu Island), home to a colony of Aldabra giant tortoises, some over 100 years old. Explore the island's historic ruins and enjoy snorkeling in the crystal-clear surrounding waters. Return to the north coast for a relaxed afternoon on the beach watching the traditional dhow fishermen bring in their catch.
Choose your own adventure today: spend a full day on the beach soaking up the Indian Ocean sun, or visit the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park to see the rare and endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkeys swinging through the mangrove and coral rag forest. The forest is the last remaining habitat for these endangered primates found nowhere else on Earth.
Enjoy a final morning on the beach or a leisurely breakfast overlooking the Indian Ocean before transferring to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your departure flight. Reflect on twelve extraordinary days spanning Tanzania's greatest wildlife spectacles and the tropical paradise of Zanzibar — a journey from the Big Five to the blue ocean.
Arusha City → Tarangire National Park → Ngorongoro Conservation Area → Ngorongoro Crater → Serengeti National Park → Serengeti National Park → Arusha City → Zanzibar Archipelago → Zanzibar Archipelago → Zanzibar Archipelago → Zanzibar Archipelago → Zanzibar Archipelago
Stay at carefully selected luxury lodges and tented camps, chosen for their exceptional locations, world-class service, and commitment to sustainable tourism practices.
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The safari runs from Arusha to Tarangire National Park for baobabs and elephant herds along the Tarangire River, then up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for a full day on the crater floor. You finish with two days in the central Serengeti around Seronera, known for lions and leopards, before a bush flight back to Arusha.
You start at Arusha Coffee Lodge, then a night at Tarangire Treetops Lodge, a luxury tented camp. Two nights at Lemala Osonjoi Lodge on the crater rim give you a full day inside the crater, and Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp, a luxury tented camp, is your base in the central Serengeti.
The beach days are at Mnemba Lodge on the north coast of Zanzibar. From there you can snorkel over coral reefs, sail on a traditional dhow and relax on the beach. Ask our team to confirm your hotel for the Arusha and Stone Town nights when you book.
The Zanzibar days include a walking tour of Stone Town and the Darajani spice market, snorkelling and a dhow sail on the north coast, and a boat trip to Prison Island to see Aldabra giant tortoises. On day eleven you choose between a beach day and a visit to Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park for the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkeys.
You take a morning bush flight from the Serengeti back to Arusha on day seven, with views over the plains and the Ngorongoro Crater. The next day you fly from Arusha to Zanzibar. Use a soft duffel bag, as bush flights have luggage limits.
The trip starts at Kilimanjaro International Airport, with a transfer to Arusha and a welcome briefing with your guide. It ends in Zanzibar on day twelve, with a transfer to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your flight home. Book an open-jaw international ticket, flying in to Kilimanjaro and out of Zanzibar.
Yes. It is set up for two travellers and pairs game drives in Tanzania's best-known parks with slower days on the Indian Ocean, which suits couples and honeymooners well. Our Arusha team can also rebalance the safari and beach days if you want more of one or the other.
Yes. Our Arusha team can add safari days, extend your time in Zanzibar or swap parks to suit your dates. Tell us whether you care more about wildlife or beach time and we will adjust the route, the lodges and the internal flights so the two halves still join smoothly.
Pack neutral safari clothing and a warm layer for the crater rim, then swimwear, sandals and light cotton for Zanzibar. Bring modest clothing covering shoulders and knees for Stone Town. A soft duffel bag works best for the bush flight, and reef-safe sunscreen is a good idea for snorkelling.
Most visitors need a Tanzanian tourist visa, which you can get through the official eVisa portal before you travel or on arrival at the airport. A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from, or transit through, a country with yellow fever risk. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for safari areas, so speak to a travel clinic a few weeks before you fly.
The Safari & Beach Combo is 12 days and 11 nights. The day-by-day itinerary on this page shows where you go and stay each day.
This trip visits Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Zanzibar Archipelago.
It is rated moderate: a reasonable level of general fitness is enough.
It runs for up to 2 travellers.
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