12-Day Comprehensive Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Beach Holiday

Enjoy a 12-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday with Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Stone Town, and tropical beaches.

Overview

Experience the ultimate African adventure on this 12-Day Comprehensive Safari & Zanzibar Holiday with Africa Incoming Adventures. This unforgettable journey combines thrilling wildlife safaris, breathtaking natural landscapes, authentic cultural experiences, and relaxing beach days on the tropical island of Zanzibar.

Explore Tanzania’s iconic Northern Safari Circuit, from the elephant-filled landscapes of Tarangire National Park to the endless plains of Serengeti National Park and the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater. Search for the legendary Big Five, discover the beauty of Tanzania’s wilderness, and experience the magic of African wildlife with a professional safari guide.

After your safari adventure, fly to Zanzibar to discover historic Stone Town, enjoy beautiful white-sand beaches, and relax beside the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. With a balance of adventure and relaxation, this 12-day holiday is ideal for couples, families, honeymooners, and travellers seeking a comprehensive Tanzania experience.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be welcomed by a representative of Africa Incoming Adventures and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you can relax at the lodge or explore the town at your own pace.

In the evening, meet your safari guide for a briefing about the upcoming wildlife and cultural adventure.

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, meet your professional safari guide and depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park. Upon arrival, begin your first game drive through a beautiful landscape of open grasslands, ancient baobab trees, and seasonal swamps.
Tarangire is famous for its large elephant herds and diverse wildlife. During your game drive, look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, and various antelope species. With luck, you may also spot lions or leopards resting beneath the trees.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site before continuing your afternoon wildlife exploration. Later, leave the park and travel to your mid-range lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park Safari

After breakfast, travel to Lake Manyara National Park for a wildlife safari through its diverse habitats, including groundwater forests, open grasslands, and lakeshore environments.

Look for elephants, baboons, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and a variety of bird species. The park is also known for its tree-climbing lions, although sightings are not guaranteed.

Enjoy a picnic lunch during the excursion before continuing to your accommodation in the Karatu area.

Day 4: Journey to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, travelling through the scenic Ngorongoro highlands and conservation area.

Enjoy the changing landscapes as you approach the vast Serengeti plains. Depending on the route and wildlife activity, game viewing may begin along the way.

Upon arrival, explore part of the park on a game drive, searching for grazing herds, elephants, giraffes, and predators. Arrive at your camp or lodge in the evening.

Day 5: Full-Day Serengeti Wildlife Safari

Spend the day exploring the spectacular Serengeti ecosystem. Head out on morning and afternoon game drives with your guide, looking for lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, hyenas, and large herds of grazing animals.

Depending on the season, you may encounter wildebeest and zebras moving across the plains as part of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Return to camp for dinner and a peaceful evening beneath the African sky.

Day 6: Serengeti Morning Game Drive – Ngorongoro

Enjoy an early game drive or breakfast before travelling from Serengeti towards Ngorongoro. Continue to appreciate Tanzania’s varied scenery and look for wildlife along the route.

Depending on your schedule, visit a viewpoint overlooking the crater before checking into your accommodation in the Ngorongoro highlands or Karatu area. Rest and prepare for the next day’s crater safari.

Day 7: Transfer to Arusha Airport and Flight to Zanzibar

After breakfast, you can relax at the lodge and, if time allows, take a short tour of Karatu town for shopping before transferring to Arusha Airport. Your flight to Zanzibar will depart from Arusha Airport. Our driver in Zanzibar will be waiting for you at Zanzibar Airport for your private transfer to your hotel in Stone town.

Day 8: Stone Town Tour and Transfer To Your Beach Hotel

After breakfast, we take a full-day Stone town tour with our local guide. Once we have completed the day’s activities, we will transfer you to your beach hotel.

Admire the narrow streets lined with residential houses that preserve their original Swahili-Omani themes. Exquisitely carved doorways identify the themes with metal studs, overhanging balconies, and latticed windows. Side by side, you will see churches and mosques. The churches are due to the colonial presence in the country and the mosques commissioned by the sultans of Zanzibar. You will also visit other exciting destinations in the town.

Day 9&11: Relax on Zanzibar Beach and the Resort

These three days are spent in Zanzibar at your leisure. Use your time to relax on the beach and at the resort. Discover Zanzibar’s best beaches, each offering spectacular sunsets, palm-fringed beaches, turquoise waters, white sand, and colorful coral reefs.

Day 12: Transfer to Zanzibar Airport

Enjoy the last few hours before you depart from the resort. We will pick you up at the resort and transfer you to Zanzibar Airport, where our service ends.

On the way back to Zanzibar International Airport, you can stop at Stone town to buy souvenirs.