12 Day Zanzibar Beach Holiday and Tanzania Safari

This 12-day pairs a tranquil Zanzibar beach holiday with extraordinary Tanzania safari, blending coastal charm and wildlife spectacle. From Stone Town’s night markets and Mnemba snorkeling to Serengeti’s Big Five and Tarangire’s elephant herds, each day pulses with distinct adventure. This seamless fusion of beach serenity and safari thrill makes your Zanzibar beach holiday and Tanzania safari a masterclass in East African luxury.


Prepare for a trip that seamlessly blends the tranquil rhythms of the Indian Ocean with the pulse of African wilderness in this 12-day Zanzibar beach holiday and Tanzania safari. Your adventure begins in Zanzibar’s storied Stone Town, where Swahili culture comes alive through spice-scented markets and glowing sunset dhows. Each coastal moment from Mnemba snorkeling to island-hopping picnics invites you to unwind in barefoot luxury. Then the tempo shifts as your Tanzania safari leads you inland to world-famous parks like Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Tarangire. Track the Big Five across golden plains, explore ancient hominid history, and share stories with Maasai elders. Whether marveling at tree-climbing lions or hippos basking in crater pools, each safari day pulses with wonder and discovery. This immersive itinerary combines relaxation, culture, and wildlife in perfect balance. The synergy between a serene Zanzibar beach holiday and an adrenaline-rich Tanzania safari offers travelers a once-in-a-lifetime tapestry of experiences luxurious, ethical, and deeply rooted in East African magic. Your odyssey begins where ocean and savannah meet

Tour highlights

  • Day 1: Arrival, transfer to Stone Town for night markets

  • Day 2: Visit the spice farm with beach experience

  • Day 3: Prison Island, Mnemba Atoll snorkeling and sunset dhow

  • Day 4: Islands and beach hoppings

  • Day 5: Transfer to Ngorongoro for Olduvai Gorge visit

  • Day 6: Explore Ngorongoro on a game drive with walking

  • Day 7: Transfer to Serengeti for night game drive

  • Day 8: Sunset game drive, track the Big Five and sundowners

  • Day 9: Visit Retinal Hippo Pool with cultural tours

  • Day 10: Transfer to Lake Manyara for tree-climbing lions and birdwatching

  • Day 11: Continue to Tarangire for elephant herds

  • Day 12: Final game drive and departure

Price Includes:
  • All airport pick up and transfers in private car
  • Transport and wildlife drives in modified 4 x 4 Land Cruiser
  • Services of a professional English speaking safari guide
  • Drinking water
  • Value Added Tax by Tanzania Revenue Authority
Price Excludes:
  • International Flights
  • All items of a personal nature
  • Gratuities for safari guide and lodge staff ( please tip separately)
  • Travel insurance if needed
  • Visa fee ( 50 US$ /100 US$ for American or Irish Passport holders – to be paid upon arrival)Drinks and beverages in lodges

Itinary in details

  • Day1

     Your Zanzibar beach holiday kicks off with your arrival at Zanzibar’s airport, followed by a warm transfer to the heart of historic Stone Town. The evening unfolds at the vibrant night markets, where the aroma of grilled seafood and local spices fills the air a sensory prelude to your tropical escape. These lively alleys echo centuries of Swahili culture, offering a mesmerizing mix of food, crafts, and storytelling. Whether you’re sipping sugarcane juice or savoring Zanzibar pizza, every bite is a cultural revelation. This immersive experience marks the perfect start before your Tanzania safari adventure begins. The night glows with lanterns and laughter, setting the tone for a journey that blends coastline charm with inland wilderness. Your Zanzibar beach holiday already whispers magic, and your upcoming Tanzania safari promises thrill

    Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

  • Day2

     Today you dive into the fragrant world of Zanzibar’s spice plantations, a quintessential highlight of any Zanzibar beach holiday. Guided by local farmers, discover cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cloves growing in lush groves, each with tales of trade and tradition. After your sensory exploration, enjoy a tranquil beach retreat with swaying palms and aquamarine tides where sea breeze and spice harmonize beautifully. Lounge beneath a thatched umbrella or dip into the Indian Ocean’s warm waters, embracing the ultimate relaxation. This serene coastal interlude complements the rugged spirit of your Tanzania safari, which promises big game and sweeping savannahs. The blend of beach calm and spice trail thrills makes your Zanzibar beach holiday unforgettable, while the anticipation of the Tanzania safari heightens your sense of adventure

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day3

    Today  Your Zanzibar beach holiday gains a touch of history and marine magic as you sail to Prison Island, once a quarantine station and now home to giant tortoises and coral-fringed shores. Wander through colonial ruins and marvel at the conservation efforts before heading to Mnemba Atoll for sensational snorkeling where electric blue tangs, green turtles, and vibrant reefs fill your field of vision. This marine sanctuary embodies Zanzibar's underwater splendor. As twilight descends, board a traditional dhow for a sunset cruise, serenaded by the wind and waves. The calm horizon and glowing sky create a perfect prelude to your Tanzania safari, soon to unveil land-bound wonders. From ocean depths to coral beauty, your Zanzibar beach holiday offers elegance, while your Tanzania safari lies just over the horizon

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day4

    The fourth Zanzibar beach holiday day is devoted to exploring the archipelago’s sun-kissed islands. Hop between idyllic sandbanks and hidden coves like Nakupenda and Chumbe Island, each offering pristine beauty, snorkeling, and solitude. Feel the thrill of barefoot island-hopping as gentle waves brush your ankles and dhows whisk you across turquoise waters. Indulge in beach picnics, swim alongside colorful fish, and relax beneath coconut trees with panoramic ocean views. This paradise adventure celebrates Zanzibar’s laid-back spirit before trading seashells for safari boots. The shift to your Tanzania safari soon reveals a new rhythm wild terrain and roaming wildlife. But today, your Zanzibar beach holiday captures pure bliss in the sun, while the call of your Tanzania safari builds in quiet anticipation

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day5

    Leaving your Zanzibar beach holiday behind, fly into Arusha and venture through Tanzania’s volcanic heart to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. En route, stop at the iconic Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind,” where groundbreaking fossils unearthed by Louis and Mary Leakey narrate human origins. This paleontological site offers a sobering, fascinating link between humanity and nature, contrasting with the tropical ease of your previous beach days. Dusty paths and echoing canyons prepare you for the wildlife spectacles of your Tanzania safari, now fully underway. While your Zanzibar beach holiday shimmered in ocean light, this leg of your Tanzania safari delves into ancient landscapes and evolutionary secrets, blending science, scenery, and soul-stirring discoveries

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day6

    Rise early to explore Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO site and Eden for wildlife enthusiasts. Your Tanzania safari delivers dramatic views as you descend into the caldera, spotting lions lounging in golden grass, rhinos grazing near marshes, and flamingos tinting salt lakes pink. Midday offers a rare treat a guided walking safari on the crater rim, where expert rangers decode tracks, flora, and animal behavior. This immersive trek lets you connect with the land intimately, feeling its pulse beneath your boots. The contrast from your Zanzibar beach holiday’s sun-soaked shores to Ngorongoro’s misty highlands is striking, yet perfectly complementary. Today’s highlights underscore how your Tanzania safari brings depth and scale, while your Zanzibar beach holiday remains a glowing counterpoint to this rugged wilderness

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day7

    Your Tanzania safari shifts into high gear as you journey across the plains toward Serengeti National Park. After settling into your luxury lodge, you’ll embark on a thrilling night game drive an atmospheric experience filled with mystery and motion. Under starlit skies, your spotlight may catch elusive nocturnal creatures: servals prowling for prey, hyenas calling through the dark, or lions on stealthy patrol. The wild reveals a hidden rhythm absent in daylight. This is a stark evolution from your Zanzibar beach holiday, where evenings were defined by sunsets and sea breezes. Here, the Serengeti pulses with raw life and shadowy beauty, framing your Tanzania safari as a full-sensory adventure. The contrast of beach serenity and safari suspense marks a compelling passage in your tour

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day8

    Begin your day tracking the legendary Big Five on the golden plains of Serengeti elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, and elusive rhinos in one sprawling theater of nature. Your expert guide tailors the route to maximize sightings, setting the stage for your Tanzania safari crescendo. In the late afternoon, pause for a sunset game drive, where light bathes the savannah in amber. Sip sundowners at a scenic viewpoint as giraffes silhouette against the horizon. The elegance mirrors your Zanzibar beach holiday, where beauty met leisure yet here, the grandeur has teeth and roar. By blending thrilling exploration with luxury touches, today’s Tanzania safari moment rivals the coastal comfort of your Zanzibar beach holiday, delivering both intimacy and awe in the African wild

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day9

    Set out to Retinal Hippo Pool, where dozens of hippos wallow in mud and water, snorting and sparring in their aquatic dance. This marvel of your Tanzania safari showcases another layer of nature’s drama and humor. Nearby, engage in cultural tours with Maasai or Hadzabe communities learning traditions, song, and sustainable lifestyles. The warmth of these interactions roots your safari in human connection, balancing the wildlife focus with cultural authenticity. Just as your Zanzibar beach holiday offered local flavor at night markets and spice farms, today’s experiences expand your horizon through shared stories and perspectives. The Retinal Hippo Pool adds comical charm to your Tanzania safari, while echoes of your Zanzibar beach holiday remind you how diverse Africa's joys truly are

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day10

     As your Tanzania safari enters its final stretch, journey to Lake Manyara National Park, famed for tree-climbing lions that defy feline norms. Watch as these agile predators perch high above the forest floor, a surreal sight against the backdrop of acacia trees. The park also dazzles bird lovers with over 400 species, from pink-hued pelicans to sharply diving kingfishers. Today encapsulates the magic of unexpected encounters a theme that began with your Zanzibar beach holiday snorkeling and now peaks in aerial lion sightings. This leg of your Tanzania safari balances quiet observation with wild surprise, reinforcing the narrative of contrast and harmony. From saltwater elegance to jungle acrobatics, your Zanzibar beach holiday and Tanzania safari share one truth: wonder is never far in Africa

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day11

    Travel deeper into Tanzania’s wilderness to Tarangire National Park, where massive elephant herds stroll past ancient baobabs and riverbeds. Your Tanzania safari here pulses with raw power and familial grace, as you witness matriarchs leading calves through dusty trails. The park’s dry-season wildlife density rivals Serengeti’s, drawing zebra, wildebeest, and lions to its life-giving water sources. The contrast with your Zanzibar beach holiday is beautifully jarring the salt-sprayed tranquility replaced by animated marches and trumpets. Yet both moments highlight Africa’s grandeur. The sheer scale of Tarangire’s pachyderm pageantry makes this Tanzania safari encounter unforgettable, anchoring

    Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

  • Day12

    The final Tanzania safari morning begins with a golden-hued game drive through Tarangire’s acacia-dotted savannah, where the soft light casts elongated shadows across the land. This is your chance to spot last-minute wildlife from majestic lions on their morning patrol to graceful impalas leaping through brush. As elephant herds rumble in the distance and birds echo their calls, your Tanzania safari comes to a cinematic close. With the scent of earth and wild air lingering, you journey back to Arusha for your onward travel. Though the thrills of your Zanzibar beach holiday the sunsets, snorkeling, and spice may now feel like a distant tide, they remain beautifully woven into your East African narrative. Your combined Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach holiday have revealed the soul of the continent in vivid detail, leaving you with memories as deep and diverse as Africa itself

    Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

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