Tanzania's greatest safari circuit — Tarangire, Ngorongoro — followed by four nights on the white sands of Nungwi Beach
12 days across extraordinary landscapes. Each morning a new horizon; each evening a campfire and silence.
Your journey into the full breadth of Tanzania begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your personal safari guide will greet you on arrival. Transfer comfortably to Forest Hill Hotel in Arusha, a green and elegant base at the foot of Mount Meru — Tanzania's second-highest peak. The afternoon is yours to settle in, explore the hotel gardens, or take in the views over a welcome drink. A three-course dinner is served at the lodge as you prepare for twelve days that will take you from high-altitude crater floors to Indian Ocean coral shores. Overnight at Forest Hill Hotel, Arusha.
After breakfast, head south into Tarangire National Park — a land of ancient baobabs and Tanzania's greatest elephant herds. The Tarangire River, a critical dry-season lifeline, draws wildlife from across the ecosystem: elephant, lion, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, and an extraordinary diversity of birds. Spend a full day on game drive with a packed lunch in the field, soaking in one of Africa's most visually dramatic landscapes. As the afternoon light turns golden, transfer to Tarangire Safari Lodge — elevated above the river — for sundowners, dinner, and an overnight with the sounds of the bush below.
Depart after breakfast and drive north through the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area highlands — crater rim views, montane forest, and open moorland — before descending onto the endless Serengeti plain. As the highland gives way to golden savannah stretching in every direction, the scale of this place becomes clear. An afternoon game drive through the Seronera area brings lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, and giraffe into view. Arrive at Serengeti Pure Tented Camp for sundowners, dinner under the stars, and your first night in the most famous wildlife reserve on earth.
A full day in the world's greatest wildlife arena. Rise before dawn for the most productive game drive of the safari — big cats return from nocturnal hunts, elephants move in early morning silence, and the light on the golden grass is extraordinary. Return to camp for a leisurely mid-day break, then head out again for a late afternoon drive as the predators stir once more. Tonight the sky above the Serengeti — utterly free of light pollution — is a revelation. Ask your guide to point out the Southern Cross. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Pure Tented Camp.
Drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend 600 metres into the caldera for a full day of game drive. The crater floor — 260 km² of enclosed savannah, lake, and forest — is one of the highest concentrations of wildlife anywhere on earth and represents your best opportunity to see all of the Big Five in a single day. The endangered black rhino still roams here; lion prides are easily spotted in the open grassland; hippo wallow in the soda lake while flamingo wade its shallows. After a full afternoon in the crater, ascend the rim and transfer to Farm of Dreams Lodge for dinner in the cool highland air. Overnight at Farm of Dreams Lodge, Ngorongoro.
Transfer north-east to Makuyuni village for a full cultural immersion at Maasai Eco Boma — a working Maasai community where guests are welcomed into daily life. Join herding, traditional cooking, beadwork, and storytelling around the fire. Your guide bridges the conversation, sharing the Maasai relationship with land and wildlife that has endured for centuries. This is not a performance — it is genuine exchange, and it remains one of the most memorable experiences on the itinerary. Overnight at Maasai Eco Boma in traditional-style accommodation beneath an enormous northern Tanzania sky.
Your final safari night takes you to Aya Sophia Wildlife Villa on the outskirts of Arusha — a secluded, exclusive private villa with direct wildlife views from the terrace. After seven days of extraordinary game viewing, this is a place to exhale: watch animals at the watering hole from your private deck, enjoy an unhurried lunch, and let the previous week's experiences settle. It is the perfect bridge between the raw bush and the ocean that awaits tomorrow. Dinner and overnight at Aya Sophia Wildlife Villa.
After a final breakfast at Aya Sophia Wildlife Villa, transfer to the airport for your short domestic flight to Zanzibar. The moment the Indian Ocean comes into view below — turquoise, vast, impossibly clear — the transformation is complete. From the savannah to the shore in a single morning. A resort transfer delivers you to Hotel Riu Jambo in Nungwi, perched at the northern tip of the island where the sea is at its calmest and the sunsets are the most celebrated on Zanzibar. Check in, change into something lighter, and let the ocean do the rest. The afternoon is entirely yours — wade into the warm shallows, order your first cocktail at the beach bar, or simply lie down and exhale. All meals and drinks are included at the resort. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Riu Jambo, Nungwi.
Begin the day with a leisurely breakfast before heading out on a traditional wooden dhow — the same style of vessel that has sailed these waters for a thousand years. The dhow glides along the Nungwi coast, anchoring above a shallow coral reef for a morning of snorkelling in the warm, clear Indian Ocean. Parrotfish, triggerfish, moray eels, and sea turtles are commonly spotted. Return to shore for lunch at the resort, then the afternoon opens up: take a stand-up paddleboard along the coast, explore the village of Nungwi on foot and visit the sea turtle sanctuary at Mnarani Marine Park, or simply stay horizontal on the beach. In the evening, Nungwi's shoreline turns coral pink as the sun meets the horizon — one of Zanzibar's most famous sights. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Riu Jambo, Nungwi.
Today venture inland and south for a full cultural day on the island. Begin with a spice plantation tour in the fertile centre of Zanzibar — the original "Spice Island" — where cloves, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper grow in extraordinary abundance. Your guide will lead you through the plantation, identifying plants by scent and offering fresh samples. After lunch, continue into Stone Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most atmospheric old towns in East Africa. Narrow coral-stone alleyways, carved wooden doors, the old Arab fort, the slave market memorial, and Freddie Mercury's birthplace all sit within walking distance. Explore at your own pace before returning to the resort in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Riu Jambo, Nungwi.
Your final full day on Zanzibar — keep it entirely yours. Sleep in, take one last long swim before breakfast, or rise early to walk the shore while the beach is still empty and the fishermen are bringing in their catch. For the more active, this is a good day for a kayaking excursion, a visit to the Nungwi lighthouse, or an early morning kite-surfing lesson. For those who have earned their rest, it is simply a hammock, a good book, and the Indian Ocean. In the evening, make the most of the resort's restaurants and raise a glass to twelve remarkable days. Tomorrow comes early. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Riu Jambo, Nungwi.
Your final morning at Nungwi begins with one last breakfast at the resort — perhaps one more swim, one more view of the ocean before it all becomes memory. A transfer to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) sees you onto your homeward flight, carrying twelve days of Tanzania: the dust of the Serengeti, the silence of the crater, the firelight of the boma, and the warmth of the Indian Ocean. Asante sana — Tanzania thanks you for coming. We hope to welcome you back.
Every Salam Africa journey is designed from scratch. Tell us your dream and we will build the itinerary around it.
Select Language
