Zanzibar & Tanzanian Game Parks Safari

This tour Starts from Dar es Salaam and ends in Nairobi. You will visit the island of Zanzibar with some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa, from there you head out to the top National Parks of Tanzania before ending your Safari in the Capital City of Kenya, Nairobi.

Zanzibar, also named the ‘Spice Island' offers a maze of narrow and ancient alleyways to explore. Visit the mystical Stone Town, and the dazzling white beaches with azure waters. The coastal surrounds of the island have a long-standing Muslim tradition, whilst its neighboring Northern Tanzania is home to the red-robed Masai people who walk and feed off the plains with their cattle as they have done for centuries.

The Serengeti National Park's plains and Savannahs are a sight to behold, dotted with game and home to the Wildebeest Migration.

 The Ngorongoro Crater has been declared a World Heritage Site as it is one of the most important refuges for wildlife in Africa.

A East African Bush and Beach combination.

DAY 1 - From Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Archipelago (B)

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 2 & 3 - 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 4 - From Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Dinner)

Leaving Zanzibar, we return to Tanzanian shores and spend the night in Dar es Salaam town.

DAY 5 - From Dar es Salaam to Arusha, Tanzania (Breakfast / Lunch/ Dinner)

From Dar es Salaam we pass through expansive sisal plantations reaching Arusha.  We pass The Pare and Usambara Mountain ranges before driving through Moshi town.  Moshi is a great place from which to catch a glimpse and photo of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear enough day. The town of Moshi forms the base for climbing expeditions up Mount Kilimanjaro slopes to its snowy summit. The night is spent camping in scenic Meserani on the outskirts of Arusha. We then have the option of taking an excursion to the Serengeti and legendary Ngorongoro Crater.

DAYS 6/7 & 8 - 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 9 - From Arusha to Namanga, Kenya (Breakfast / Lunch/ Dinner)

The morning is set aside for exploring the city centre of Arusha with its bustling and vibrant craft markets. For lunch we head just out of town and after that we travel 120 km to reach the Tanzanian border with Kenya. We camp at Namanga on the Kenyan side of the border after completing the formalities.

DAY 10 - Namanga to Nairobi, Kenya (Breakfast)

Still heading north this morning we travel 180 km to the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi where the Safari ends.

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