Book this 12-Day Tanzania Safari to explore the Northern Circuit and unwind on Zanzibar’s beaches.
This unique adventure combines six nights on a bush safari with a Zanzibar extension. Here, you can relax on beautiful white sand beaches. The expedition takes you through spectacular national parks such as Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire. Then, it crosses to the magnificent Indian Ocean at Zanzibar Island.
Detailed 12-Day Tanzania Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Arusha Town
Our safari guide will meet you promptly at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive you to an Arusha hotel for the night.
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, your safari guide will outline the day’s schedule. Then, you will drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park, arriving in time for lunch. Next, enjoy an afternoon game drive, spotting cheetahs, leopards, lions, elephants, oryxes, and lesser kudus, amid open acacia woodlands and savanna grasslands. Dinner and overnight at a lodge of your choice.
Day 3: Drive from Tarangire to Serengeti National Park via Olduvai Gorge
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park. Along the way, pass through the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Maranja Depression on the way to Olduvai Gorge. This site is famous for early human remains dating back millions of years.
At Olduvai Gorge, visit the site of the famous Zinjanthropus skull. Dr. Leakey and his wife discovered the skull, believed to be 1.8 million years old. Afterward, continue to Serengeti National Park for afternoon game drives and lunch. Then, enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at a camp in the Seronera area.
Days 4 and 5: Serengeti National Park
Covering 14,736 square kilometers, Serengeti National Park adjoins Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. It is Tanzania’s largest and Africa’s most famous national park. In fact, it is known as a major wildlife corridor hosting millions of migrating wildebeests throughout the year.
The park is home to zebras, topis, Grant’s gazelles, elands, klipspringers, roans, oryxes, oribis, impalas, giraffes, and warthogs. It also hosts predators like hyenas, leopards, and lions. Spend two full days here with morning and afternoon game drives.
Day 6: Transfer from Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater
En route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoy stunning game viewing opportunities. Then, spend the afternoon at the crater before dinner and an overnight stay at a lodge in Ngorongoro.
Covering 8,300 square kilometers, Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcanic caldera. It is also one of Africa’s most stunning arenas, home to some of Africa’s largest populations of large mammals. As a result, it is listed among the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, proceed to Lake Manyara National Park for spectacular afternoon game drives, with a packed lunch for convenience.
Located on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the western escarpment, Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake renowned for birding opportunities, hippos, and tree-climbing lions. Throughout the year, it also hosts numerous flamingos and butterfly species, with savannas, marshes, and acacia woodland vegetation.
Day 8: Depart Lake Manyara and Fly to Zanzibar
Enjoy breakfast before heading to Arusha town. Then, have lunch in Arusha and proceed to the airport for your flight to Zanzibar. On arrival, our professional guide will meet you and escort you to a beautiful beach resort. This marks the start of your beach holiday.
Days 9 to 11: Leisure in Zanzibar
These days are dedicated to relaxation at a beach of your choice, with activities such as scuba diving, nature walks, swimming, cultural tours, surfing, and snorkeling.
Also, visit Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore its historical sites with a local guide. Take a boat trip to Prison Island to see giant tortoises, visit the old prison, and snorkel. Afterward, enjoy lunch at the Nakupenda Sandbanks. Finally, enjoy a spice plantation tour, discovering various fruits, climbing coconut trees, and tasting Zanzibar’s diverse produce.
Day 12: Fly to Kilimanjaro Airport, Departure
Your driver or safari guide will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to Zanzibar Airport based on your flight schedule. From there, you will connect to Kilimanjaro International Airport to conclude your safari.
So book this 12-Day Tanzania Safari today and combine the Northern Circuit’s top parks with Zanzibar’s finest beaches.
