15-Day Four-Park Safari, Migration & Zanzibar

Overview

Tour highlights

• All four northern parks, with a full day in each
• A Serengeti day planned around the season’s herds
• Flight straight from the Serengeti to Zanzibar
• Spice farm and Stone Town walking tour
• Mnemba reef snorkeling or a dhow sailing trip
• Departs with as few as one traveler

1. Day 1 Meeting Your Guide in Arusha Stay Upscale hotel or lodge in ArushaMeals Dinner

   The safari guide who will be with you for the next eight days meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport. The transfer to Arusha takes about 50 minutes, and the town sits below the slopes of Mount Meru. If your flight lands early, a short town tour or cultural visit can be arranged. In the evening, have dinner at your lodge and go through the route with your guide.

2. Day 2 Tarangire: Baobabs and Big Herds Stay Upscale lodge near Lake ManyaraMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Leave after breakfast for Tarangire National Park, under two hours from Arusha. The park is known for large elephant herds and huge, ancient baobab trees. Spend the full day on game drives with a picnic lunch, watching for lions, giraffes and the many migratory birds that pass through. In the evening, drive on to a lodge in the Lake Manyara area for the first of two nights.

3. Day 3 Forest, Lakeshore and Tree-Climbing Lions Stay Upscale lodge on the Rift Valley escarpment above Lake ManyaraMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Lake Manyara National Park is only about 20 minutes away, so you can be at the gate early. The park packs a lot into a small area: groundwater forest fed by springs, acacia woodland and an alkaline lake where flamingos and hippos gather. Its lions are known for climbing trees. Drive in the morning, rest at midday and return for an afternoon game drive before going back to the escarpment.

4. Day 4 Mto wa Mbu Market and the Highland Climb Stay Upscale lodge in the Ngorongoro highlandsMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   The morning is set aside for an optional cultural visit, either to a nearby Maasai village or to the busy market at Mto wa Mbu. Both offer a closer look at daily life in the area and are well worth the time. After lunch, begin the short climb into the Ngorongoro highlands. The road gives wide views back over the Great Rift Valley before entering cool, green forest.

5. Day 5 A Full Day Inside the Crater Stay Upscale lodge or camp on the Ngorongoro Crater rimMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Drive down roughly 600 m (2,000 ft) to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, part of a conservation area listed by UNESCO. With high walls on every side, the caldera holds a dense population of animals, including all of the Big Five. Lions, rhinos and elephants are the sightings most guests hope for. Have a picnic lunch at the hippo pool, then climb back out to your lodge on the rim.

6. Day 6 Across the Conservation Area to the Serengeti Stay Upscale tented camp in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Today you cross the western side of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend to the Serengeti plains, with game viewing along the way. Lunch is en route, and the afternoon is spent on a game drive in the central Serengeti before you reach your tented camp. This part of the park has wildlife all year, so the first drive often brings lions, giraffes and herds of grazers.

7. Day 7 Sunrise to Sunset in Predator Country Stay Upscale tented camp in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Start with a sunrise game drive, when the light is ideal for photographs and big cats are most active. The central Serengeti is known for its lions, cheetahs and leopards. As the day warms up, your guide moves between the granite kopjes and the green river valleys, where animals come to feed and drink. Return to the same camp in the evening for dinner and a night under the stars.

8. Day 8 Following the Herds North or South Stay Upscale tented camp in the seasonal migration areaMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Today’s direction depends on the month. From June to October, head north toward the Mara River, where wildebeest and zebras brave crocodiles to cross. From December to March, go south to Ndutu, where hundreds of thousands of calves are born and lions and cheetahs hunt the newborns. Either way, you sleep at a camp near the herds, ready for one more drive in the morning.

9. Day 9 One More Game Drive, Then the Island Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Head out early for a last look at the migration while the herds are on the move. Then your guide drops you at the nearest airstrip for a bush flight to Zanzibar, which takes about an hour from the Serengeti. On arrival, transfer to your beach resort, check in and swap your safari boots for sandals. The rest of the day is free to settle in and enjoy the coast.

10. Day 10 Settling In on the Coast Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    A day to recover from the early starts of the safari. Swim in the warm Indian Ocean, try a water sport, or simply sit by the pool with a cold drink and the sea breeze. Many resorts offer spa treatments or morning yoga, and either is a good way to loosen up after eight days of game drives. Dinner is at the resort, so there is nothing to plan.

11. Day 11 Spice Plantation and the Lanes of Stone Town Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Join a guide on a spice plantation to see how cloves, cinnamon and other spices are grown, and learn why the island mattered so much to the old trade routes. In the afternoon, a local guide leads you on foot through Stone Town, the UNESCO-listed old quarter, past the Old Fort, carved doorways and the crowded market stalls. End the day with dinner by the sea before returning to the resort.

12. Day 12 Mnemba Reef or a Dhow Sail Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Spend the day on the water. Choose a snorkeling trip to Mnemba Atoll, known for its clear water and coral gardens, or sail along the coast on a traditional dhow. Look out for colorful reef fish, and keep an eye out for dolphins, which are often seen in these waters. A picnic lunch on a beach breaks up the day before you return to the resort in the afternoon.

13. Day 13 Free Day for Diving or Doing Nothing Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    There is nothing on the schedule today, so make of it what you will. Certified divers might arrange a dive, and others might book a dolphin trip or a spa treatment. Plenty of travelers do none of these and simply enjoy a slow day on the beach. Whatever you choose, the evening is free for a relaxed dinner at the resort.

14. Day 14 Sunset Cruise or a Farewell Beach Dinner Stay Upscale beach resort on ZanzibarMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Your last full day on Zanzibar. Keep the morning for whatever you have enjoyed most, whether that is a swim or a walk along the sand. As the sun goes down, mark the end of the trip with an optional sunset cruise on a dhow or a private dinner set up on the beach. Couples on honeymoon often save this evening for something special, and we can help arrange it.

15. Day 15 Transfer to Zanzibar International Airport Meals Breakfast

    Have a final breakfast overlooking the ocean and finish packing. A private transfer takes you to Zanzibar International Airport in time for your onward flight. If your departure is late in the day, ask the resort about storing your bags so you can stay by the pool a little longer. Our team stays in touch until you are safely on board.

Questions about this safari