Tanzanian National Parks & Zanzibar Safari

The Safari starts in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Departing from Nairobi we head south across the Tanzanian Border to Arusha, Gateway to several of the top Game Parks in Tanzania. You will have the option to go on a 3 day Safari to the wildlife kingdoms of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, home to Africa's "Big 5"

We then head Southwards to Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian Coast. We take a ferry across to the Island of Zanzibar where you will have 2 full days to explore this facinating Island with its rich Arab/African culture and white sand beaches.

The Safari ends on the last day on arrival back in Dar es Salaam.

DAY 1:  Nairobi to Arusha (Tanzania) (Lunch / Dinner)

From Nairobi we cross the border into Tanzania at Namanga and head in a southerly direction. We will spend the evening at a great campsite on the outskirts of Arusha at a place called Meserani. We will plan for our optional excursion into the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

DAYS 2 to 4 - Arusha / Ngorongoro Crater (optional) / Serengeti Trip (Breakfast / Lunch/ Dinner)

The pleasant town of Arusha is located at the base of Mount Meru and serves as the starting point for the optional excursions to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. The excursions are run in locally operated 4WD vehicles that have been adapted for our African safari drives.

If you choose not to visit the Serengeti National Park or the Ngorongoro Crater various options are available to you. The town of Arusha lies nearby for those wishing to explore. You can also explore the Masai Cultural Museum, Meserani reptile park, or the surrounding villages and craft markets over the next 2 days.

The Optional Ngorongoro/Serengeti excursion goes to Karatu via the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) lying adjacent to Lake Manyara National Park. We journey up the Rift Valley Escarpment to Karatu, which is a higher lying village with spectacular views over the surrounding hills. Karatu has many well-established wheat farms adding to its idyllic scenery. After a pleasant night at the campsite in Karatu we depart early the following morning for the Ngorongoro Crater. We drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation area and deeper into the bush of the Ngorongoro Crater with its rich wildlife. The crater is a World Heritage Site boasting some of the best game viewing in Africa. Excellent game viewing opportunities include seeing the elusive Black Rhino.

We take a game drive in the Crater, and move on down the rim of the crater passing the 'Cradle of Mankind' en route to the Serengeti National Park. We cross the open African plains on the game drive through the southern and central areas of the Serengeti park. We camp in the heart of the bushveld surrounded by the sounds of the African wilderness at night. Next morning, we take a morning game drive and get to explore the surrounding landscape on the look out for game in the area. If we are lucky we get to see the famous 'Big 5' (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion & leopard) of Africa on our game drive. After the morning drive, we retrace our steps crossing over the plains and across the lush Ngorongoro Crater rim. Back in Arusha we spend the evening recounting our thrilling tales of wildlife encounters on the plains.

DAY 5:  Arusha to Pangani (Breakfast / Lunch/ Dinner)

We spend the morning in Arusha checking out the various markets in the town before we start our journey southward to Dar es Salaam, the Capital City of Tanzania. We will pass through the town of Moshi, gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro which will give us the opportunity to view this beautiful Mountain. One of the World's Seven Peaks.( Thats if the weather plays along)! Along the way we travel through many sisal plantations which are surrounded by the Para Mountain Range and the Usambara Mountain Range. We will spend the night at a campsite between these two great Mountain Ranges which is about half way between the town of Arusha and Dar ( As Dar es Salaam is affectionatly known).

DAY 6:  Pangani to Dar es Salaam (Breakfast / Lunch/ Dinner)

In the early morning we continue our journey towards Dar, we will travel through some amazing scenery along our journey. On reaching Dar we head towards our campsite which is located on the warm Indian Ocean where we will make preperations for our trip to Zanzibar the next day.

DAY 7 - From Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Archipelago (Breakfast)

From Dar es Salaam we take a ferry ride to the "Spice Island," where we have the choice of spending 3 nights. Zanzibar has a rich history being one of the major starting points for the bulk of explorations undertaken to discover new territories in East Africa. New passengers may join us, as some travel companions might opt to leave once we return fro the Zanzibar excursion.

KINDLY NOTE:  The Zanzibar accommodation and meals costs go onto your own account, as experience has shown that visitors prefer exploring the island unguided. Zanzibar hosts a wide selection of restaurants offering a variety of tasty meals. The Trip Leader joins you and can help with arranging accommodation.

DAYS 8 and 8 - On Zanzibar Island

Zanzibar has a lot to offer visitors, from quiet sightseeing to pleasant activities. The quiet streets of the old Stone Town of Zanzibar have retained traces of their Arabic history, from Medina-style shops to the impressive palaces that once belonged to powerful Sultans.

An excursion on one of the spice plantation is an interesting experience in Zanzibar, famous for its spices.  Things to do include a trip to the pristine beaches of Prison Island, home to giant tortoises. A full days outing of scuba diving in Nungwe is well worth it as is the experience of fishing in a traditional dhow. 

The various restaurants offer a fantastic variety of the fresh seafood straight from the ocean, with crayfish being a popular speciality. You can mingle with the locals enjoying dinner at the seafront market of Forodhani Gardens, where inexpensive yet delicious seafood is available.

DAY 10 - From Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Dinner)

Leaving Zanzibar, we return to Tanzanian shores where the tour ends.

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