Safari
Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, northern Serengeti, Zanzibar
your journey
This is our most complete Tanzania holiday. You spend eleven days on safari in a private 4×4 with the same driver-guide, starting with the elephants of Tarangire and the forest and lake of Manyara, then a night on the Ngorongoro Crater rim and a game drive on the crater floor.
The heart of the trip is a full week in the Serengeti. You follow the migration herds on the plains, spend two days among the resident predators of the central Serengeti, and finish in the far north on the Mara River, where the wildebeest cross between about July and October.
After the safari you fly to Zanzibar for five nights of beach, Stone Town and spice farms before your flight home.
Travellers who want to see the northern parks in depth, keen wildlife photographers, and anyone with time for a long safari followed by a proper rest.
Parks visited
Tarangire National Park · Lake Manyara National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti National Park · Zanzibar
what makes it special
day by day
A Honesha representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to your hotel in Arusha. The rest of the day is for resting and getting used to the African sun and the new time zone. Your guide will brief you on the journey ahead, from the parks and the daily rhythm of a safari to what to keep handy in the vehicle.
In the morning you drive to Tarangire National Park for a full day of game driving with a picnic lunch. The park is known for its big elephant herds and ancient baobab trees, and the Tarangire River draws buffalo, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest in the dry months. Look out for lion and leopard in the trees, and for the park's rich birdlife. You spend the night close to the park.
Today you visit Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions and its birds, from flamingos and pelicans on the lake to hornbills in the forest. After the game drive you climb the Rift Valley escarpment through the farms of Karatu and continue into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you spend the night on the rim of the crater, high up and cool.
After an early breakfast you descend about 600 metres onto the crater floor for a game drive. Ngorongoro is one of Africa's great natural wonders, a collapsed volcano whose floor holds lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, zebra and wildebeest, and one of the best chances in Tanzania of seeing black rhino. Lunch is a picnic on the crater floor, and you return to the highlands for the night.
On the way west you stop at a Maasai village in the Ngorongoro highlands to learn about Maasai life and customs, then drive down onto the Serengeti plains. You then have two full days to follow the migration herds of wildebeest and zebra wherever they are that month. Your guide chooses where to go each day and plans around the lions, hyenas and cheetahs that shadow the herds.
The Seronera valley in the central Serengeti has water all year, so wildlife stays here even when the herds have moved on. You spend two days exploring its rivers and rocky kopjes, where resident lion prides rest, leopards drape themselves over sausage trees and cheetahs hunt on the open grass. These are good days to try an early start at sunrise and a long picnic lunch out on the plains.
On Day 10 you drive north through remote country to the northern Serengeti, near the Kenyan border. You then have two full days along the Mara River. Between about July and October the migration gathers here and crosses the river in dramatic, dusty rushes, with crocodiles waiting below. Crossings can't be predicted, so your guide will watch the herds and wait patiently at the right spot.
After breakfast on Day 12 you fly from a Serengeti airstrip to Zanzibar, usually with a change of plane in Arusha, and a driver takes you to your beach hotel. The next five days are for rest and gentle exploring: swim and snorkel over the reef, walk the lanes of Stone Town, and take a spice tour to learn how cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon shaped the island's history.
After a last breakfast by the sea, your driver takes you to Zanzibar's airport for your flight home or your connection on the mainland. Your specialist will confirm the pick-up time the day before and plan the timings so that you have a comfortable margin for any connecting flight. If you would like more time on the island, extra nights can be added before you book.
the price
Price on request
before you ask
You can go on safari here all year. The dry season from June to October is the easiest time for game viewing, because animals gather near rivers and the grass is short, but it is also the busiest. From November to May the parks are green, quieter and excellent for birds, with short rains around November and the long rains in April and May. Where the wildebeest migration is depends on the month, so tell us your dates and we will plan the route around them.
Our safaris use 4x4 safari vehicles with a pop-up roof, so you can stand up for game viewing and photography. On a private safari the vehicle and driver-guide are yours alone for the whole trip.
Each tour page lists exactly what is included and excluded. On our northern circuit safaris, such as the 7-day Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire trip, national park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area entrance fees are included. If you are not sure, ask your specialist before you book.
Yes. Every itinerary on this site is a starting point. We can add or remove days, swap parks, or change the accommodation to suit your budget, and your specialist will send you a revised plan and quote.
Bring light, neutral-coloured clothes, a warm layer for early mornings and for the Ngorongoro Crater rim, which is cold at night, comfortable shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent. Binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards make a big difference. Soft bags pack into safari vehicles more easily than hard suitcases.
Most visitors need a visa. Apply online in good time through the official Tanzania Immigration website at eservices.immigration.go.tz, and do not use unofficial agents. Your passport should be valid for at least six months after arrival. Requirements differ by nationality, so check the official site for your country.
The trip still works well, but your specialist will adjust the Serengeti days. From about December to March, for example, the herds calve in the south, so the northern days can be moved to the southern plains around Ndutu.
Enquire
Every AAA Express Adventure trip can be changed to suit you: the pace, the lodges, the number of days. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our team in Arusha will come back to you with a plan and a price.
Your journey
Price on request
17 days · 16 nights
also consider
12 days · 11 nights
Tarangire National Park · Lake Manyara National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Zanzibar
Price on request
8 days · 7 nights
Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti National Park · Lake Manyara National Park
Price on request
6 days · 5 nights
Lake Manyara National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Tarangire National Park
Price on request
karibu
Call us on +255 784 281316, email sales@aaaexpressadventure.com or send an enquiry. Our team in Arusha will get back to you.
Price on request
Plan your trip
Enquiry about: 17-Day Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Holiday
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