This 18-day Tanzania Zanzibar Expedition offers a perfect mix of wildlife viewing and a beach holiday. It is designed for travelers who want to explore Tanzania’s amazing wildlife parks and relax on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar.
Tanzania Zanzibar Expedition Highlights
- Day 1: Arusha – Arusha National Park
- Day 2: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park
- Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Lake Natron
- Day 4: Explore Lake Natron and its surroundings
- Day 5: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
- Day 6: Game drives in Serengeti National Park
- Day 7: Depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Day 8: Explore the Ngorongoro Crater
- Day 9: Visit Lake Eyasi and the tribes around
- Day 10: Transfer to Tarangire National Park
- Day 11: Depart for Arusha – Zanzibar
- Days 12–15: Zanzibar Beach Holiday
- Days 16 & 17: Spice Tour and Stone Town Tour
- Day 18: Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha – Arusha National Park
Your safari begins with a visit to Arusha National Park. After breakfast, your driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the park. Although small, it offers great scenery and is home to Mount Meru, the second-highest peak in Tanzania.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive and look out for giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, colobus monkeys, elephants, warthogs, bushbucks, and many birds. Later in the evening, return to your hotel in Arusha for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions. The park is also home to elephants, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, and large flocks of flamingos. Enjoy a game drive with your packed lunch and later continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Lake Natron
After breakfast, enjoy another short game drive before leaving for Lake Natron, a mineral-rich soda lake known for its huge number of flamingos. The drive passes through scenic Maasai villages and open plains. Upon arrival, take a guided walk around the lake to see the pink flamingos and learn about the area’s geology. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 4: Explore Lake Natron and Its Surroundings
Spend the day exploring Lake Natron and its nearby attractions. Visit a Maasai village and hike along the Ngare Sero River to reach beautiful waterfalls surrounded by green vegetation. You may see baboons and other wildlife along the way. Afterward, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, one of Tanzania’s most famous parks. Enjoy a game drive on the way and stop for lunch at a scenic spot. Continue through the plains to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Game Drives in Serengeti National Park
Spend the day exploring the vast Serengeti plains. You can choose a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch or return to your camp for lunch and relaxation. The park is home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and many birds. If you visit between July and October, you may witness the Great Wildebeest Migration. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge or camp.
Day 7: Depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Start the day with an early morning game drive to see predators returning from their night hunts. After breakfast, check out and drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Stop for lunch at a picnic site before continuing with a short game drive around the crater rim. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 8: Explore the Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full day of exploration. The crater is home to about 30,000 animals, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and black rhinos. Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater, then drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Visit Lake Eyasi and the Tribes Around
After breakfast, drive to Lake Eyasi, home to the Hadzabe Bushmen, one of the few remaining hunter-gatherer tribes in Africa. Take a guided walk with the Hadzabe to learn about their traditional way of life. You will also visit the Datoga tribe, known for their colorful leather clothing and metalwork. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 10: Transfer to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park, known for its large herds of elephants and tall baobab trees. The Tarangire River provides water throughout the year and attracts many animals. Enjoy an afternoon game drive and look out for lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeests, and impalas. Dinner and overnight stay at your camp or lodge.
Day 11: Depart for Arusha – Zanzibar
After breakfast, enjoy a short morning game drive before driving back to Arusha. From there, you will take a domestic flight to Zanzibar. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your beach resort for dinner and overnight stay.
Days 12–15: Zanzibar Beach Holiday
Spend four days relaxing on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar. You can swim, snorkel, go diving, take beach walks, or simply relax at your resort. Dinner and overnight stay at your beach resort.
Days 16 & 17: Spice Tour and Stone Town Tour
After breakfast, visit a spice farm for the famous Zanzibar Spice Tour. Learn about and taste different spices that give the island its nickname “The Spice Island.” Later, enjoy a guided tour of Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rich history and mix of African, Arabic, and European cultures. Visit landmarks such as the Old Fort, Sultan’s Palace, and local markets. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 18: Departure
After breakfast, check out and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
