16 DAYS TANZANIA SAFARI & ZANZIBAR TOUR

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – SAFARI OVERVIEW

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour is a 15-night/16-day safari in Tanzania, offering classic big game wildlife viewing and amazing cultural tours balanced with rest and relaxation on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar. This easy-paced16 Days Tanzania Safari begins by showcasing the country’s best game-viewing destinations: Arusha National Park, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro.

You’ll start your safari in Arusha, the long-serving logistics hub for Tanzania’s northern safari circuit, where you’ll explore Arusha National Park and tour Arusha city. Continue to Tarangire National Park, home to Tanzania’s largest herds of elephants, and take a cultural tour of Mto Wam Village before moving to Lake Manyara NP, the home of tree-climbing lions and flamingos. 9 Days Kenya Wildlife and Lake Victoria Experience safari Next, visit the historic Olduvai Gorge and explore Serengeti, one of the world’s most celebrated wilderness areas and host of the Great Migration. Then it is among the best Big 5 viewing at Ngorongoro Crater, home to the densest concentration of big animals in Africa where it is not unusual to see lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, and elephant all in one game drive.

Finally, fly out to the spice island of Zanzibar. There’s plenty of time to lounge on the beach but you can also enjoy activities such as fishing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling.

Please note that this 16 days Tanzania safari tour safari begins in Arusha and ends in Zanzibar. If would like to book or customize it to suit your special interests and budget – please let us know.

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES

Cultural walk around Arusha
Classic safari game drives
Guided nature walks
Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration in season
Big 5 game viewing
See Big Cats (Lions, Leopards, and Cheetahs)
Spot huge elephant herds in Tarangire
Visit Lake Manyara’s tree-climbing lions
Fantastic birdwatching
Explore the natural wonder of Ngorongoro Crater
Visit Olduvai Gorge (the cradle of mankind)
Cultural walk in Mto wa Mbu village
Maasai Village visit
Relaxation on the pristine beaches of Zanzibar
Walk the historic streets of Stone Town
Optional water sports: scuba diving, snorkeling, kite-surfing, jet skiing, etc
Optional hot-air balloon safari

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS

Day 1 & 2: Arusha City & Arusha National Park

Day 3, 4 & 5: Tarangire National Park

Day 6: Lake Manyara National Park & Mto wa Mbu Village

Day 7, 8 & 9: Serengeti National Park

Day 10 & 11: Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Olduvai Gorge

Day 12: Maasai Village

Day 13, 14, & 15 : Zanzibar beaches & Stone Town

Day 16: Departure

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – SAFARI HIGHLIGHT

Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport & transfer to Arusha city.

Day 2: Game drive in Arusha National Park & Cultural walk around Arusha.

Day 3: Transfer to Tarangire National Park for a game drive.

Day 4: Full-day game drives in Tarangire National Park.

Day 5: Another full day of game drives in Tarangire National Park.

Day 6: Travel to Lake Manyara National Park. Visit Mto Wa Mbu village en route & enjoy a game drive on arrival.

Day 7: Transfer to Serengeti National Park for a game drive.

Day 8: Unlimited game drives in Serengeti National Park.

Day 9: Whole-day game drives in Serengeti National Park.

Day 10: Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area via Olduvai Gorge.

Day 11: Full-day game drive inside Ngorongoro Crater.

Day 12: Ngorongoro crater rim walk & Maasai Village Visit.

Day 13: Drive back to Arusha for your flight to Zanzibar.

Day 14: Relax on the white sand beaches of Zanzibar.

Day 15: Walking tour of Stone Town & afternoon relaxation.

Day 16: Transfer to Zanzibar Airport for departure flight.

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival At Kilimanjaro International Airport & Transfer To Your Hotel in Arusha City.

At Kilimanjaro Airport, you’ll be met by our company representative and driven to a nearby hotel in Arusha city. Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania’s most spectacular wilderness areas, located on the southern slopes of Mount Meru 4,562m, close to Africa’s highest peak – the 5895m Mount Kilimanjaro.

The city was built by the Germans as a center of colonial administration because of the temperate climate (sits at 1,400m). It is a major international diplomatic hub and a multicultural city with an intriguing blend of cultures such as Swahili, Indians, Europeans, Americans, and local native peoples like the Waarusha. It was also the setting for the 1962 film Hatari!, starring the legendary John Wayne.

The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy as you choose. You can take a stroll and explore the bustling town. In the evening a briefing is held at the safari lodge, in preparation for your epic Tanzania safari. After the briefing, enjoy a delicious dinner and retreat to your room for your first night on tour in Africa!

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Legendary Lodge/Kibo Palace Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge

Midrange: – Outpost Lodge

Meal Plan: – Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Airport pick-up
Transfer to a hotel in Arusha
Safari briefing

Day 2: Game Drive In Arusha National Park & Cultural Walk Around Arusha.

Your day two of the 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour begins at 8.00 am after breakfast at the hotel. Then, take a 45-minute drive to Arusha National Park, a very beautiful quiet park. At 137km², it has a variety of animals, superb birdlife and a varied landscape ranging from Mount Meru, flowing mountain streams, waterfalls, soda, freshwater lakes, and volcanic craters to open savannah.

Giraffes, Buffaloes, Elephants, Gazelles, Zebras, Monkeys, Hippos, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Flamingos, Warthog, and Hayenas can be seen here. Enjoy a leisurely morning game drive to gain an exclusive insight into the Arusha environment.

After a game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon, go on a cultural walk around Arusha town to experience real Africa in Tanzania. Visit Maasai Market, farmers’ market, museums, and historic sites within the city. After a cultural tour, return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Kibo Palace Hotel/Impala Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge

Midrange: – Outpost Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Arusha National Park Game drive
Cultural walk around Arusha

Optional Activities:-

Arusha NP walking safari
Canoe ride on Momella Lakes

Day 3: Transfer To Tarangire National Park For A Game Drive

After a restful night on day three of your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Then, embark on a scenic 2½ drive southwest to Tarangire National Park, famed for its big elephant herds and massive baobab trees. You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch.

After lunch, relax for a while before heading out on a game drive in Tarangire. Spanning some 2,850km², Tarangire National Park is a place of giant baobabs, fever tree forests, shimmering swamps, and sweeping vistas, where wildlife roams in abundance. And due to its due to the low number of visitors, the park offers a serene and intimate wildlife-viewing experience.

Tarangire is also renowned for the wildlife migration that occurs in the dry season. Though not as massive as the famous Great Migration in Serengeti, the Tarangire migration is an extraordinary sight. It sees large numbers of elephants, antelopes, buffalos, giraffes, and zebras migrate to the Tarangire River. After a game drive, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 150km/2½ hours

Activities & Services: –

Transfer to Tarangire
Game drive

Optional Activity: –

Night game drive

Day 4: Full-Day Game Drives In Tarangire National Park.

On the fourth day of your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour will begin around sunrise for a morning game drive and follow that up later on with an afternoon game drive, as the animals tend to be more active in the cooler hours of the day. You will usually return to the lodge/camp during the hotter hours in the middle of the day, where you’ll enjoy a hearty meal, relax and maybe take a siesta.

The Tarangire National Park is an elephant enthusiast’s paradise. It is impossible to spend time here without encountering these earth’s biggest land animals, feeding at the base of a baobab, playing in the mud of the marshes, or strolling through the riverine forests. They are often present in enormous herds of up 300 individuals – an astonishing sight for even the most seasoned safari-goer. After the game drive, return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Game drives

Day 5: Another Full-Day Of Game Drives In Tarangire NP.

Elephants aside, Tarangire is home to one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife outside of the Serengeti ecosystem. The dry season influx of ungulates attracts the attention of the park’s various resident predators – particularly lions.

Leopards, Cheetahs, Hyenas, painted wolves (African wild dogs), and Common Dwarf Mongoose (Africa’s smallest carnivore) are also present. Away from the park’s wetter areas, you may spot a long-necked Gerenuk or Beisa oryx, making Tarangire one of the few places in Tanzania to see these rare dry country antelopes.

Tarangire is also one of Tanzania’s top birding hotspots, with over 500 species recorded, including flocks of dazzling Yellow-collared lovebirds, Common Ostrich (the world’s biggest bird), and Kori Bustard (the heaviest flying bird).

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Full-day game drive

Day 6: Travel To Lake Manyara National Park. Visit Mto Wa Mbu Village En-route & Enjoy A Game Drive On Arrival.

After final breakfast at Tarangire, we embark on beautiful a 2-hour drive north to Lake Manyara NP, an area Hemingway described as, “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. Along the way, tour the village of Mto wa Mbu and learn about the 120 Tanzanian tribes here and how they can live together without conflict. Visit the village’s local market; farmer’s fields, and meet artisans in their shops.

Then, continue to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive around Lake Manyara. Situated on the scenic floor of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Lake Mayara National Park is a naturalist’s delight thanks to its rich variety of habitats. Ranging from woodlands and wetlands to grasslands and hot springs, the park is simply packed with wildlife.

More than 400 bird species have been recorded including large flocks of flamingos and other water birds. Manyara’s forests ring with the call of monkeys and its acacia woodlands are home to unusual tree-climbing lions and slow-strolling elephants.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Midrange: – Manyara Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 60km/2 hours

Activities & Services: –

Transfer to Lake Manyara
Mto wa Mbu Village walk
Lake Manyara National Park game drive

Day 7: Transfer To Serengeti National Park For Game Drive.

On day 7 of the 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, enjoy breakfast a 6.30 am. Then embark on a 5-6 hour drive north. Pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Make time to stop and gaze down into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater; you’ll be coming back later to explore Ngorongoro properly but first, you have the world-renowned wilderness before you: so expansive that the original inhabitants, the Maasai people, named it Siringeti – a “place where the land runs forever”.

This is the Serengeti, a perfect combination of rolling savannah plains, rocky outcrops, leafy woodlands, and fertile, volcanic soils for the region’s populous herbivores and fierce predators. The park is famed for the Great Migration of over 2 million White-bearded wildebeests, Zebras, and Gazelles. It is the largest terrestrial mammal migration on Earth and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

This afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch and a game drive as you move to your lodge/camp in Central Serengeti. This area comprises the great Seronera Valley, one of the best places in Africa to see Lion, Leopard, and Cheetahs on thrilling hunts.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 250km/5-6 hours

Activities & Services: –

Transfer to Serengeti
Evening game drive

Day 8: Unlimited Game Drives in Serengeti National Park

On day 8 of the 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, rise early for a breakfast and then go on a morning game drive in Serengeti at sunrise. You’ll return to your camp/lodge for lunch and some relaxation in the hottest hours of the day, before going out again in search of more Serengeti wildlife on an afternoon game drive.

The endless Serengeti plains span some 14,763km². Besides the millions of wildebeests, Zebras, and Gazelles they support, the plains host massive herds of other herbivore animals, including Buffaloes, Impalas, Giraffes, Hartebeests, Waterbuck, Warthogs, Elands, Topis, Hippos, Elephants, Rhinos, and Hartebeests.

Nowhere else in Africa supports quite such a concentrated abundance of hoofed meat, amid such an open landscape, and therefore the Serengeti is a glorious place for lions on hunts. Hunting alongside them are Cheetahs, Leopards, Hyenas, Jackals, Wild Dogs, Crocodiles, and more. After a game drive, return to your camp/lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Serena Lodge/Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Serengeti National Park Game drives

Optional Activity: –

Hot air balloon safari

Day 9: Full-Day Game Drives in Serengeti National Park

On day nine of your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, enjoy another full day of game drives in wonderful Serengeti. All of the African Big 5 animals (Buffalo, Elephant, Rhino, Lion, and Leopard) may be seen on Serengeti game drives. You may also like sunrise and the hot air balloon ride over the great plains. Game viewing on balloon safaris in East Africa can be a memorable experience. We highly recommend you book this extra activity before departure if you are interested.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Full-day Game drive

Day 10: Transfer to Ngorongoro via Olduvai Gorge.

Your day ten of the 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour will start with a leisurely breakfast at the camp/lodge. Afterward, embark on an en-route game drive through the grassy plains of Serengeti as you make your to the Ngorongoro Conservation area, passing beautiful Masai villages along the way.

You will stop over at Olduvai Gorge Museum, situated near the site where Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of the ’Nutcracker Man’ and ‘Handy Man’, the first known human species, who lived in the region – foraging, scavenging, and using stone tools – some 2 million years ago.

After the Museum tour, continue to your lodge near the Ngorongoro Crater rim for relaxation, dinner, and overnight. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera on Earth, and also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. At about 260km² wide, the caldera shelters some of the world’s densest concentration of large animals (over 25,000) including some of Africa’s last remaining black rhinos.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge

Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx.140km/3-4 hours

Activities & Services: –

Transfer to Ngorongoro
Game drives

Day 11: Full Day Game Drive inside Ngorongoro Crater

On day eleven of your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, descend 600 meters into this wonderful crater for a full-day game drive. You’ll enjoy a bush picnic lunch on the crater floor, returning in the late afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

On the grassy crater floor, discover a huge diversity of grazers and their predators. If you’re after the Big 5, this is the best place in Africa to see all of them in a single day. Rhino, elephants, Lion, Leopard, and spotted hyenas along with healthy herds of Wildebeest, Buffalo, and Zebra. Other wildlife includes Serval, Cheetah, Jackals, Gazelles, and Bat-eared foxes, as well as over 400 species of colorful birds.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge

Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Full Game drive

Day 12: Ngorongoro Crater Rim Walk & Maasai Village Visit.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast today. Then, go on a guided walk along the crater rim for spectacular crater photographs. Hike through beautiful vegetation, looking for colorful birds, wildflowers, and lush trees.

After a nature walk, return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, take a cultural tour to a traditional Maasai Village (Boma) in the crater highlands. Spend time with the villagers, get insight into their way of life, and participate in their lively singing and dancing. You can also discover some of their customary practices such as fire-making and beadwork. After a village tour, return to your lodge for the final dinner and overnight here.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge

Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Crater rim walk
Maasai village visit

Day 13: Drive Back To Arusha For Your Flight to Zanzibar.

Today, after leisurely breakfast, take a 4-hour drive to Arusha Airport for your flight to Zanzibar. Fly over the turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean before landing on the island, a sunny destination with white palm-fringed sand beaches and a blend of cultures. The majority of the finest beaches are on the Zanzibar east coast, and you’ll pass through vibrant villages and local markets en route to wherever you are staying on the beach. Rest for the remainder of the day.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Baraza Resort & Spa/The Residence Zanzibar

Midrange: – Reef & Beach Resort/Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Activities & Services: –

Transfer back to Arusha
Flight to Zanzibar

Day 14: Relax & Unwind On Zanzibar Beaches.

On day 14 of your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour, enjoy your free time in this beautiful archipelago. If you prefer to be active, you can choose from a variety of adventure activities, such as windsurfing, kite surfing, sea kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, or snorkeling. Should you wish to discover the island there are plenty of excursions that you can join, including visits to Jozani Forest, Prison Island, the spice plantations, and cultural tours to local villages.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – The Residence Zanzibar/Baraza Resort & Spa

Midrange: – Reef & Beach Resort/Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort

Budget: – Pongwe Beach Hotel/Sunshine Hotel Zanzibar

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, lunch, & dinner

Day 15: Tour the Historic Stone Town & Relax In the Afternoon

After breakfast, take a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stone Town to learn about Swahili Culture and history. Discover the Old Town with its colorful bazaars, winding alleyways, and ancient stone houses and you can explore the old Dhow Port, the Sultan’s Palace, the Portuguese Fort, the House of Wonders, Livingstone House, the Hamamni Baths, and the Persian Baths of Kidichi.

You can also tour the Old Slave Market, now the Anglican Cathedral Church, which houses some memorials to the city’s sorrowful history, including an altar built over the spot where the whipping post stood. All newly captured Africans were tied to the tree here and whipped to test their mettle.

You retire in the afternoon for leisure, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Jafferji House & Spa/Zanzibar Serena Hotel

Midrange: – Dhow Palace Hotel/Shaba Boutique Hotel

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, lunch, & dinner

Activities & Services: –

Stone town walking tour

Day 16: Transfer to Zanzibar Airport for Departure.

Your 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour comes to an end today. You’ll be picked up and taken to the Zanzibar International Airport for your departure flight home.

End of the 16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour

16 Days Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour – SAFARI INCLUSIONS

Full Board Accommodation on Safari
Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof &AC
Fuel
Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
Bottled water while on safari
Flight from Arusha to Zanzibar
Airport Transfers