11 Day Safari in Lake Manyara,Serengeti and Zanzibar
We offer a great deal of Safari and Zanzibar to suit any schedule. All our safaris use well-maintained Toyota Land Cruisers or Land Rovers TDI, with roof hatches for unobstructed and up-close game-viewing. Our safari itineraries include all park fees, an English speaking driver/guide, meals and lodge accommodations. Price per person varies depending on group size.
Arrive anytime at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). We will arrange a private transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). To Arusha at Planet lodge, where the rest of the day is at leisure. We stay at Planet lodge, which is beautifully located on the slope of Mt. Meru and is a perfect place to prepare for your adventure.
We will gather in the hotel for a pre-safari briefing and an equipment check.
We will also confirm you have the appropriate mandatory medical coverage and travel insurance.
We depart from your hotel in Arusha and proceed to Lake Manyara National Park. Although small in size, this park is one of the most diverse reserves in the country. Lake Manyara covers two thirds of the park. At the backdrop is the wall of the Great Rift Valley, before which lies the ground water forest, areas of open grassland near the lake foreshore, and the Soda Lake. We enjoy a picnic lunch in this area, which consists of open grassy areas, hot springs, dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Lake Manyara National Park is a birding paradise that has more than 350 species of bird. The park is also famed for its unique and elusive tree-climbing lions.
Day3: Safari to Serengeti National Park.
We head towards the Serengeti National Park. En route there is an opportunity to visit Olduvai Gorge. It is within this steep sided ravine that Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries in the 1950s. Here in a small museum we are able to see evidence of our ancestors that have been dated back 2.5 million years. After lunch we drive into the Serengeti itself and the rest of the afternoon is spent game viewing in the vast plains that are broken only by stands of acacia trees and the occasional kopje. In December, January and February we will normally meet the migration with large herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. There are always plenty of resident animals, such as giraffe, buffalo, and elephant, and many large predators such as lion, cheetah, and leopard.
Day4: full day safari in Serengeti National Park.
We have another full day in this wonderful park, rising early to make the most of our time. Our guides will choose the best spotting locations for the time of year; we can spend time at the Hippo pool watching these majestic animals laze about in the cool water happily living alongside the crocodiles, watch a big pride of lions, be in the middle of the migration, sometimes surrounded by wildebeest, sometimes by zebras, which travel with the wildebeest. We journey from the wide open plains to the kopjes: these volcanic rocky outcrops provide protection and shelter for a wide variety of animals and from the top we can look out across the vast grasslands of the Serengeti. This diverse and interesting landscape will provide us with the ultimate in game viewing, we will hopefully see all of the plain games; elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lions and it you are lucky the elusive leopard and cheetah, as well as huge amounts of interesting bird life, from the elegant secretary birds to the flightless ostrich.
Day 5: Safari to Ngorongoro Crater.
We start the day with an early morning game drive before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is a special place in that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park; this means that the whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Masai people who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife. During the drive in Ngorongoro we have a chance to glimpse something of the Masai way of life. After stopping at the entrance gate, where there is a chance to learn more about this fascinating volcanic landscape, we will drive around the rim of the Crater itself, and from here we can look down and see the herd of wildebeest or buffalos.
Day6: Full day tour in Ngorongoro Crater.
Today we will descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for your crater tour. Here you we will explore the forest areas inhabited by monkeys and elephants, the lake area, where we may see flamingos. We will also visit the open savannah where the lions hunt. Picnic lunch will be served in the crater. In late afternoon we make a short journey to Arusha.
Day7: Arrival in Zanzibar.
Arrival at Zanzibar Airport anytime you will meet us at the airport and pick up with private transfer to Stone town.
Day8: Stone Town Zanzibar.
Whilst it would be tempting to spend one days relaxing around the swimming pool at Zanzibar Serena Inn, listening to the calming sounds of the ocean, Stone Town has so much else to offer! Today why not go out on an Island Spice tour before returning to the hotel for lunch, and an afternoon of relaxing on the beach or snorkeling in the crystal blue waters.
Zanzibar is famous for its trade in spices. For centuries the Arabs sailed with the Monsoon winds from Oman. The two main islands, Unguja (normally known as Zanzibar Island) and Pemba, provided an ideal base for the Omani Arabs, being relatively small, and therefore fairly easy to defend. Your guides on the tour are experts on the subject so be sure to ask questions.
Day9: Stone Town Zanzibar.
The waters around Zanzibar are teaming with marine life and today you can hop on a boat and go on the lookout for dolphins. If you lucky you maybe even have the chance to swim with them.
As tonight is your last night you can ask the hotel to plan a special dinner for you, perhaps at one of the rooftop restaurants from where you will be able to take full advantage of the spectacular views over the sea and enjoy the cool coastal breeze.
Day10: Spice tour & Jozani Forest.
Today you go on an excursion to the spice and fruit plantations close to Stone town for the famous Spice Tour. We have developed a special Spice Tour with in depth information not only about spices, but also organically grown herbs and a detailed description about their traditional uses in medicine cosmetics and cooking. After the tour we invite for an opulent lunch at our guides’ home, where you can taste the spices and fruits. After lunch we take you to your beach resort.
On the way you pass Jozani Forest, the last habitat of the rare endemic Red Colobus Monkey. With a local guide you stroll through Jozani Chwaka National Park and look at the rare monkeys. If you wish you can even wander down the boardwalk to the fascinating Mangrove Ecosystem. .
Day 11: Departure day.
Today you will be transferred back to Zanzibar International Airport in time for your international flight and onward travel.
Trip Includes.
• Full board accommodation whilst on safari in the above mentioned en suite luxury tented lodges
• Flight from Arusha to Zanzibar
• All airport transfers while in Tanzania
• All transfers while in Zanzibar
• Luxury Resorts while in Zanzibar (Half Board)
• Private guide while in Zanzibar
• Private safari guide
• Private 4 x 4 safari jeep with pop up roof for game viewing
• Park fees
• Crater fees
• On safari – Vehicles equipped with ice chest with mineral water, wildlife guidebook.
• Government taxes, VAT and service charges relating to accommodation and included meals
• Membership in Flying Doctor Service
Trip Excludes.
• Tanzania Visa: $50 per person on arrival
• Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
• Tips and any items of personal nature.