Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Welcome to Tanzania
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll be met by your safari guide and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you can relax at the lodge or explore the town. Enjoy a safari briefing in the evening to prepare for the days ahead. Dinner and overnight will be at a comfortable hotel or lodge in Arusha.
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, depart Arusha and head toward Tarangire National Park, known for its massive elephant herds and ancient baobab trees. The landscape is dry and dramatic, with the Tarangire River drawing wildlife throughout the year. Enjoy a full-day game drive with picnic lunch inside the park, spotting lions, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and possibly leopards. In the late afternoon, transfer to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
Today, you’ll enjoy an early breakfast and begin the scenic journey to the world-famous Serengeti National Park. Travel through the beautiful Ngorongoro Highlands, with a stop at the crater viewpoint. Enter the Serengeti in the afternoon and enjoy a game drive en route to your lodge or camp in the central Serengeti. The plains are home to big cats, elephants, and—depending on the time of year—the Great Migration. Arrive in time for dinner and a relaxing evening in the bush.
Day 4: Full Day in Serengeti National Park
Spend a full day exploring the vast savannahs of the Serengeti, one of the most iconic wildlife destinations on the planet. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in search of lions, cheetahs, elephants, hippos, and countless other animals. You may witness thrilling predator-prey interactions or vast herds of wildebeest and zebra grazing on the open plains. Break for a picnic lunch or return to your lodge for a hot meal before continuing the adventure. Dinner and overnight at your Serengeti lodge or tented camp.
Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After a final morning game drive in the Serengeti, enjoy breakfast and begin the journey to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You’ll stop for lunch en route and may visit a traditional Maasai village for a cultural experience. Arrive at your lodge on the crater rim or in Karatu by evening, just in time for a stunning sunset over the highlands. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater Tour – Flight to Zanzibar
After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive in this natural wonder — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five. With its permanent water sources and rich grasslands, the crater hosts elephants, lions, black rhinos, buffaloes, hippos, and abundant birdlife. After a picnic lunch inside the crater, drive to the airstrip for your scheduled domestic flight to Zanzibar. Upon arrival, transfer to your beach resort for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Relaxation on Zanzibar Beach
Enjoy a full day of leisure at your beachfront resort in Zanzibar. Lounge on the white-sand beaches, swim in the warm Indian Ocean, or enjoy optional activities such as snorkeling, spice farm tours, or a sunset dhow cruise. Meals and overnight at your beach resort.
Day 8: Optional Activities in Zanzibar
Spend another relaxing day on the island. You can visit historic Stone Town, explore the Jozani Forest to see red colobus monkeys, or take a boat trip to Mnemba Atoll for world-class snorkeling or diving. Alternatively, unwind at the resort and soak in the peaceful coastal atmosphere. Dinner and overnight at your Zanzibar beach resort.
Day 9: Departure
After breakfast, depending on your flight schedule, you’ll be transferred to Zanzibar International Airport for your flight home or onward travel. This marks the end of your unforgettable Bush to Beach Safari in Tanzania.
