12-Day Safari From Zanzibar To Nairobi
Explore Tours
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of Tanzania on this 12-day adventure, teeming with incredible wildlife and rich cultures. Journey from the pristine beaches of Zanzibar to the verdant slopes of the Usambara Mountains, and across the savannas of Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Discover a land where elephants roam, lions hunt, and communities live in harmony with nature. This is the essence of Africa, a destination for true explorers. When will you embark on your quest for the Big Five?
Included/Exclude
11 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Ferry, Minibus
Hotel (1 night), Bungalow (2 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights), Camping (with facilities) (6 nights)
- Irente - Lushoto hike
- Irente - Local lunch
- Ngorongoro Forest - Elephant Cave Trek
- Karatu - Home-Cooked Dinner
- Karatu - Coffee Farm Tour
- Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
- Serengeti National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
- Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner
- Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
- Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
- Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
- Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
- Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
- Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
- Stone Town - Culinary Urban Adventure - USD29
- Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
- Nairobi - Nairobi by Night Urban Adventure - USD76
Tour Amenities
Tour Plan
Catch a ferry to Africa's 'Spice Island' of Zanzibar. Filled with pristine white-sand beaches, winding cobblestone alleyways and fragrant bazaars, Zanzibar has had a colourful history – everything from slave traders to Arabian sultans and fruit exporters. The sight of traditional dhows sailing along the coast evokes what the island must have been like in centuries ago. The old part of Zanzibar's main city is known as Stone Town, and the best way to see this is on foot, exploring the markets, shops, mosques, palaces and courtyards. When the sun is setting, why not grab a drink from a bar overlooking the seafront. A seafood curry at a local restaurant is also a great choice. You'll spend the night in Stone Town at a basic inn.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
- Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
- Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
Once checked out of your Stone Town accommodation, consider booking in to an optional guided tour of the island's spice plantations, learning all about the history of this town's spice trade. You will have the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. After lunch, head to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.
- Bungalow (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
Enjoy free time in this beautiful archipelago today. There are many ways you can spend your day – perhaps talk to your leader for any recommendations they might have. Snorkelling in search of exotic fish is an excellent option, or you could take a traditional dhow boat on the water. You might also like to feast on a sumptuous lunch of grilled local seafood, or just relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book. It's totally up to you!
- Bungalow (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
- Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
Today you will be picked up and taken back to Stone Town to meet your new leader and travel group at an 11 am welcome meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and meet your new fellow travellers. After this important meeting, catch the ferry to Dar es Salaam. There you'll meet your driver and cook, board your overland vehicle and take a short drive to your camp at Bagamoyo, a lovely spot by the beach.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Dinner
- Stone Town - Culinary Urban Adventure - USD29
- Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
If you wake early, you can make an optional excursion to the historical slave trade markets that once operated in Bagamoyo. After, it’s time to travel into the remote Usambara Mountains.This unspoilt area of Tanzania attracts very few tourists, making it the perfect place to soak in your surroundings. The forests stretch across the mountains and are ideal for easy hikes and guided walks. You base is the old German colony of Lushoto, where you’ll stay on the grounds of one of the earliest hotels in Africa.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Today, explore the beautiful Usambara Mountains and experience this area’s gentle hospitality on a visit to some of its small communities. From your base, hike to the gorgeous Irente viewpoint. It's best to pack some water and snacks in a day pack for this trip. On your way back, visit a local cultural project based at Irente farm and enjoy a cooking demonstration and a picnic lunch.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Irente - Lushoto hike
- Irente - Local lunch
Get ready for is a full day of travel as you board your truck once again and venture towards Tanzania’s national parks. Your destination is the sprawling gateway town of Arusha. Arrive at your campsite on the outskirts of the town and settle in for the evening.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
After breakfast this morning, head to Karatu, the gateway to the Ngorongoro Crater. Here, you'll hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves and the Endoro waterfalls along the way. Rich with calcium, the Elephant Caves got their name as elephants would come here and break off pieces of rock, eating the dust to receive important minerals. Today's trek, accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger, is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of overland travel. You'll hike through Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area here and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot beautiful birdlife as you walk. After, head to Karatu village for a tour of the local coffee farm. Here, you'll see the innovative farming practices from the locals and learn about the farming activities that sustain the coffee, bean, maize, banana, soya and pea crops. Tonight, enjoy a traditional dinner with a local Tanzanian family in their home, who will cook you a few different dishes to try. Learn about the local culture with educational stories from a locally trained guide. What a night!
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Ngorongoro Forest - Elephant Cave Trek
- Karatu - Home-Cooked Dinner
- Karatu - Coffee Farm Tour
Get up early, put your camping and personal gear into a six-person jeep and head out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending between 3 and 4 hours exploring this perfectly intact volcanic crater. Watch for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. Next, move on to the open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Your campsite is within the Serengeti itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.
- Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
- Serengeti National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
Wake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then go back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option today of a balloon ride over the park (in place of a portion of the morning game drive). If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you'll be treated to a five-star bush breakfast, then be returned to your camp.
- Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Serengeti National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
- Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
Rise with the sun and enjoy another game drive as you leave the Serengeti in your dust. Jump back into your overland vehicle and head for Mto wa Mbu.
After setting up camp, we'll take a guided stroll through the farming areas, local homes and farmlands, getting to know the local community and their way of life. Later, we'll enjoy a scrumptious, locally prepared dinner in town.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Serengeti National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
- Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner
Set off early and cross the Kenyan border then continue to Nairobi. You'll be dropped at the finishing point hotel in Nairobi where your trip ends. If you'd like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.
- (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Nairobi - Nairobi by Night Urban Adventure - USD76