An example 12-day journey — safari, culture and beach — reshaped entirely around you
Sample itinerary. Routes, travel times and the style of accommodation are typical for this journey. Your named lodges, final schedule and price are confirmed in your personal quotation, and everything can be adjusted.
Overview
Every traveller is different, so this itinerary is not a fixed package. It is an example of how a private, tailor-made trip through Tanzania might look — a starting point we reshape with you, changing the length, pace, parks, activities and accommodation until it fits exactly what you want.
This sample combines the best of the north with a slower cultural thread: a coffee farm near Arusha, the elephants of Tarangire, a visit to the communities around Lake Eyasi, three nights in the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and a village walk in Mto wa Mbu, before ending with Stone Town and the beach on Zanzibar.
It suits travellers with specific interests or dates, families who need a gentler pace, honeymooners, photographers wanting more time in one place, and anyone who would like to add Kilimanjaro, the southern parks or Mafia Island. Tell us what you have in mind and we will plan it with you.
Day by day
Day 1
Kilimanjaro International Airport → Arusha
You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and driven to a peaceful lodge on the outskirts of Arusha, surrounded by gardens and coffee plantations. Rest and settle in.
Day 2
Arusha
An easy first day to recover from travel. Visit a coffee farm on the slopes near Arusha to follow the journey from bean to cup — picking, roasting and tasting — and learn about the smallholder farmers who grow much of Tanzania’s coffee.
The afternoon is free, or you can explore Arusha’s markets and craft shops with your guide.
Day 3
Arusha → Tarangire
Your safari begins in Tarangire, among giant baobabs and large herds of elephants gathering along the Tarangire River. Spend the day on game drives with a picnic lunch.
Day 4
Tarangire → Lake Eyasi
Drive to the remote shores of Lake Eyasi, a seasonal soda lake beneath the Rift Valley escarpment. The area is home to the Hadzabe, one of the last hunter-gatherer communities in Africa, and the Datoga, known for their metalwork.
Visits are arranged with local guides from the community and depend on their wishes; they are an opportunity to listen and learn, not a performance. Afternoon at leisure by the lake.
Day 5
Lake Eyasi → Central Serengeti
After an optional early cultural visit, you drive up through the Ngorongoro highlands and across the plains into the Serengeti, game viewing on the way to your camp.
Days 6–7
Serengeti
Two full days in the Serengeti let you slow down and follow the wildlife rather than the clock. Depending on the month, your camp and game drives can be positioned near the Great Migration — the calving plains in the south, the Western Corridor, or the Mara River in the north.
Take long game drives with picnic lunches, or return to camp for a siesta between morning and afternoon outings.
Day 8
Serengeti → Karatu
An early departure brings you to the Ngorongoro Crater rim, then down to the crater floor for a game drive among lion, buffalo, elephant and, with luck, black rhino. Continue to the highlands around Karatu for the night.
Depending on where you stay in the Serengeti, the crater may instead be visited the following morning — your guide will plan the best timing.
Day 9
Karatu → Stone Town, Zanzibar
On your way back towards Arusha, stop in Mto wa Mbu, a lively market town where people from many different communities live side by side. A local guide takes you through banana plantations, rice fields and craft workshops, often with a taste of local food.
Continue to the airport for your flight to Zanzibar and transfer to Stone Town.
Day 10
Stone Town → North or east coast of Zanzibar
Explore Stone Town’s winding lanes, markets and historic sites with a local guide, then visit a spice farm on the way to your beach hotel.
Day 11
Zanzibar beach
A free day to swim, relax and enjoy the island — or add an excursion to suit you.
Day 12
Zanzibar beach → Zanzibar airport
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or extend your stay on the island.
Travel times are typical estimates and vary with road conditions and wildlife sightings.
Where you’ll stay
Choose the style that suits you — named properties are proposed in your quotation, subject to availability.
Clean, comfortable lodges, tented camps and guesthouses chosen for value and location, so more of your budget goes on experiences.
Our reference standard: characterful lodges and tented camps inside or close to the parks, a boutique hotel in Stone Town and a comfortable beach resort — mixed and matched to your preferences.
Intimate luxury camps in prime locations, heritage hotels and exclusive beach resorts or villas. You can also mix tiers, for example a luxury Serengeti camp with mid-range stays elsewhere.
The fine print, made clear
Before you go
More answers in our Travel Guide & FAQs.
Price / Request a quote
Prices depend on your travel dates, group size and accommodation style, so we quote each trip individually. Tell us a little about your plans and we’ll send a clear, itemised quotation — no obligation.
7 days · 6 nightsSeven days through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater
Arusha · Tarangire National Park · Lake Manyara National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area
10 days · 9 nightsThe Northern Circuit’s great parks, followed by Stone Town and the white sands of Zanzibar
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