Embark on an extraordinary 16 Days Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Beach Holiday with Woodland Trek & Safaris, a locally based tour company in Arusha, Tanzania. This carefully designed journey brings together the very best of northern Tanzania, combining iconic national parks, spectacular Rift Valley landscapes, cultural encounters, the remote wilderness of Northern Serengeti and the tropical beauty of Zanzibar.
Your journey begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the gateway to Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit. From here, you will receive a warm welcome from our representative before travelling through the countryside toward Arusha, a lively safari city resting beneath the slopes of Mount Meru.
The wildlife adventure begins inside Tarangire National Park, a beautiful wilderness covering approximately 2,850 square kilometres. Tarangire is famous for its enormous baobab trees, large elephant populations, seasonal swamps and the Tarangire River. During your game drive, the landscape unfolds with elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, antelopes and predators moving through a classic African savannah.
Your journey then continues to Lake Manyara National Park, a remarkably diverse protected area covering approximately 648.7 square kilometres beneath the dramatic Great Rift Valley escarpment. Groundwater forests, open grasslands, wetlands and the alkaline lake create habitats for elephants, baboons, blue monkeys, giraffes, hippos, waterbirds and the park’s famous tree climbing lions.
After your half day wildlife experience, you will discover another side of Tanzania through a Mto wa Mbu Cultural Tour. This colourful agricultural community offers local markets, banana plantations, farms, artisan workshops and traditional cuisine, allowing you to experience the people and everyday rhythms that give northern Tanzania its cultural character.
The scenery changes dramatically as you continue toward Lake Natron, one of the most unusual destinations on the Northern Circuit. Set beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment and the volcanic cone of Ol Doinyo Lengai, Lake Natron offers mineral rich landscapes, alkaline lagoons, flamingos, rugged mountains and traditional Maasai country.
The Lake Natron basin covers approximately 930 square kilometres, although the lake’s visible water surface changes significantly with rainfall and season. A complete day here gives you time to explore the shoreline, search for flamingos, admire Ol Doinyo Lengai and hike through the rocky Ngare Sero gorge toward its refreshing waterfalls.
From this remote volcanic environment, you continue directly into the legendary Serengeti National Park, covering approximately 14,763 square kilometres. Rather than entering through the more commonly travelled southern routes, your journey takes you toward the spectacular wilderness of Northern Serengeti.
Northern Serengeti is famous for the Kogatende region, rolling grasslands, rocky outcrops, riverine habitats and the powerful Mara River. During the seasonal Great Wildebeest Migration, enormous numbers of wildebeests and zebras may move through this landscape as they search for fresh grazing.
A complete day in Northern Serengeti gives you time to follow wildlife activity rather than simply passing through. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles can all be encountered here. During migration season, you may also witness large herds gathering around the Mara River, although river crossings are spontaneous natural events and can never be guaranteed.
You then turn south toward Central Serengeti, transforming the drive itself into another rewarding game viewing experience. Central Serengeti, particularly the Seronera region, is famous for permanent water sources and impressive concentrations of resident wildlife throughout the year.
Your mainland safari culminates with an exploration of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. After descending approximately 600 metres from the crater rim, you enter one of Africa’s most concentrated wildlife environments, where grasslands, forests, wetlands and freshwater areas provide sanctuary for lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, wildebeests, zebras, spotted hyenas and the rare black rhinoceros.
After days of wilderness adventure, the rhythm of your holiday changes completely as you fly to Zanzibar, Tanzania’s legendary Spice Island.
Zanzibar welcomes you with white sand beaches, warm turquoise waters, coral reefs, tropical forests, historic Stone Town, aromatic spice plantations and centuries of Swahili heritage. Unguja, the main island commonly referred to as Zanzibar, covers approximately 1,666 square kilometres.
Your Zanzibar stay has intentionally been designed with flexibility. Some days can be spent discovering Stone Town, Prison Island, spice farms, Jozani Forest or the marine waters around Mnemba. Other days can be completely devoted to swimming, resort relaxation, seafood dinners, traditional dhow sailing and watching the Indian Ocean sunset.
This itinerary is perfect for honeymooners, couples, families, photographers, wildlife enthusiasts and adventurous travellers searching for a complete Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday combining wildlife, culture, the Great Migration, Lake Natron and tropical beaches.
With Woodland Trek & Safaris, your journey begins among Africa’s great wildlife and finishes with your feet in the warm sands of the Indian Ocean.
Safari Highlights
- Explore elephant rich Tarangire National Park
- Photograph ancient baobab trees
- Experience a half day safari in Lake Manyara National Park
- Search for tree climbing lions and primates
- Discover the culture of Mto wa Mbu
- Travel through spectacular Great Rift Valley scenery
- Spend two nights around Lake Natron
- Search for lesser flamingos
- Hike toward Ngare Sero waterfalls
- Enjoy views of Ol Doinyo Lengai
- Enter the remote wilderness of Northern Serengeti
- Explore the Kogatende and Mara River regions
- Search for seasonal Great Migration herds
- Spend a full day on safari in Northern Serengeti
- Journey south through Central Serengeti
- Search for lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Descend into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater
- Fly from northern Tanzania to Zanzibar
- Explore Zanzibar’s beaches, history and marine world
- Relax beside the warm Indian Ocean
