8-Day Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar: Bush to Beach in One Trip

Safari and Zanzibar: why combine them in one 8-day trip?

A safari is thrilling and tiring, and it is hard to think of a better way to recover from one than on a beach. This trip gives you six days across all four northern parks, then a flight from Arusha to Zanzibar. Prices start from $4,490 per person, and they include the flight.

One thing to know before you book: your Zanzibar hotel is not included, and this itinerary gives you only one night on the island. Most people want at least three, so tell us how long you would like, and we will shape the trip around it.

8-day safari and Zanzibar trip at a glance

How much time should you spend on Zanzibar?

One night is only a taste. If you can, add two or three more nights, so you have time for Stone Town, a spice farm or a boat trip, and for simply doing nothing.

Who the 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip suits

It suits honeymooners, first-time visitors who want variety, and anyone who needs to rest after the drives. If you have two more days, the 10-day trip adds the northern Serengeti.

8-day safari and Zanzibar trip itinerary, day by day

Here is how this safari usually runs. Drive times are approximate, and your guide will adjust each day around the wildlife, the roads and the season.

1. 01

   Day 1: Moshi to Tarangire National Park

   • Overnight: Tarangire

   We collect you from your hotel in Moshi after breakfast and drive about three to four hours to Tarangire, with the plains opening up as you go. You enter the park around lunchtime and spend the afternoon on your first game drive along the Tarangire River. In the dry season, this river pulls in elephants by the hundred, and ancient baobabs give the park a look found nowhere else on the circuit. You sleep at a mid-range camp or lodge in the Tarangire area.

2. 02

   Day 2: Tarangire to Lake Manyara National Park

   • Overnight: Lake Manyara

   After a morning drive in Tarangire, you make the short journey of about an hour and a half to Lake Manyara. In the afternoon, you go down below the Rift Valley wall into a compact park with groundwater forest, hippo pools and a soda lake that attracts flamingos when conditions are right. The tree-climbing lions are famous, but do not count on them, because they are seen only some of the time. You sleep near the park, in the Mto wa Mbu area.

3. 03

   Day 3: Lake Manyara to the Serengeti

   • Overnight: Central Serengeti

   This is a big travel day, and one of the most beautiful. You climb over the green Ngorongoro highlands, stop at the rim for your first view of the crater, then drop to the vast plains of the Serengeti at Naabi Hill. The drive takes four to six hours with stops, and your game drive effectively starts as you enter the park. You reach the central Seronera area for the late afternoon, when the big cats begin to stir, and sleep inside the park.

4. 04

   Day 4: A full day in the central Serengeti

   • Overnight: Central Serengeti

   This is the day people come to Tanzania for. You leave early, when lions are often still on the move, and spend the day following your guide's knowledge of the Seronera Valley. The river here is a reliable place to find leopard resting in sausage trees, and rock outcrops called kopjes are favorite lookouts for lions. Back at camp in the middle of the day, or with a picnic in the bush, you rest through the heat before the late afternoon drive.

5. 05

   Day 5: A second full day in the Serengeti

   • Overnight: Central Serengeti

   A second day lets you look further. Your guide may head toward open plains for cheetah, or to the Moru Kopjes, depending on the season and what has been seen. If the migration is nearby, this is when you follow it. Having more time also means you can wait at a good sighting instead of driving off to the next one, and that is often how the best moments happen.

6. 06

   Day 6: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater rim

   • Overnight: Ngorongoro

   After a final morning drive, you travel back across the plains and climb to the Ngorongoro highlands. You arrive at a lodge or camp near the crater by late afternoon, where it is much cooler than the Serengeti, so have a warm layer ready. Sunset from the rim is a fine way to end the day.

7. 07

   Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater, then fly to Zanzibar

   • Overnight: Zanzibar

   You descend early for a morning game drive on the crater floor, looking for lion, buffalo, elephant and black rhino. Then you drive to Arusha, about three hours away, for your flight to Zanzibar, which is included in the price. You arrive on the island in the evening. Your Zanzibar hotel is not included, so tell us where you are staying, or ask us to suggest one.

8. 08

   Day 8: A day on Zanzibar

   • No overnight on this day

   This day is yours. You can swim, walk the beach or explore Stone Town before your international flight home. If you have the time, we strongly suggest adding a few more nights, because one night is only a taste of the island. See our Zanzibar holiday ideas, and we can extend your trip.

What you can see on the 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip

Wild animals keep their own schedule, so no one can promise a sighting. What we can promise is enough time in the right places, with a guide who knows them.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire is known for its big elephant herds and its giant baobabs. In the dry season, the river is the only reliable water for miles around, which draws in huge numbers of animals. It is also excellent for birds, with over 500 species recorded.

Lake Manyara National Park

This small park packs a lot in, with forest, grassland, hippo pools and a soda lake below the Rift Valley wall. Flamingos gather when water levels suit them, and it is known for its tree-climbing lions and baboon troops.

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is Tanzania's largest and most famous park. It has big cats in large numbers, and it hosts the Great Migration of over a million wildebeest. The central Seronera area has good wildlife year-round, while the migration moves through different areas through the year.

Ngorongoro Crater

The crater floor is home to a resident population of lion, elephant, buffalo, hyena and black rhino, within steep walls that make for some of the most striking scenery on safari. It gets busy, and leaving early helps.

How much does the 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip cost?

The 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip starts from $4,490 per person at mid-range level with two people sharing. The per-person price usually falls as your group grows, because the vehicle cost is shared, although room sharing can change that for odd numbers. Your final price is confirmed in your written quotation.

What the 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip price includes

Our Tanzania safari cost guide explains how prices work, and what to budget on top.

Your guide and vehicle on this safari

Your driver-guide is with you from the first morning to the last drive, and much of what you see depends on them. Our guides have worked on Tanzania tours for 7 years. They are graduates of the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, and the National College of Tourism, and they hold certification from those institutions.

You travel in a private 4WD Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, clear windows for wildlife viewing and comfortable seats. The pop-up roof lets you stand up and watch wildlife in the open air. We run private safaris, so you choose your dates and share the vehicle only with your own group. If you are traveling alone and would like company to share the cost, ask us and we will check whether a suitable shared departure is available with a trusted partner company.

Tipping on safari

Tips are not included in the price, and they are appreciated. Common guidance is about $15 to $25 per traveler per day for your guide, or about $40 to $50 per vehicle per day on a private safari, plus about $10 to $15 per guest per night for camp and lodge staff.

What a day on this 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip feels like

Most days begin early. You are up with a hot drink before dawn, and out on the first drive as the sun comes up, when predators are active and the air is cool. You may stop for a picnic breakfast, or return to camp for a proper meal. Midday is hot, and many animals rest, so you do the same. The late-afternoon drive runs until the park closes around sunset, when the light turns gold. Then it is dinner, stories by the fire and an early night.

You can always change this rhythm. Because this is a private safari, your guide can start later, stay longer at a sighting or go back early if you prefer.

Where you stay on this safari

Prices are based on mid-range tented camps and lodges, usually with en-suite bathrooms and full-board meals, either in or close to the parks. Your written quote will list where you are staying. If you would prefer simpler rooms or a higher level of comfort, compare the budget and luxury prices above.

Safari rules worth knowing

Stay in the vehicle unless your guide tells you it is safe to get out. Keep your voice down near animals, do not stand on the roof, and never ask your guide to leave the track or get too close. Parks usually close around sunset, and your guide will plan around that.

Planning your 8-day safari and Zanzibar trip

Best time for this safari

June to October is the most reliable time, as animals gather around water and the grass is short. January to March brings calving on the southern Serengeti plains, and April and May are the wettest months. June to October is also a pleasant time for Zanzibar. See our guide to the best time for a Tanzania safari.

Getting to the start in Moshi

This safari starts and finishes in Moshi. Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is about an hour away. Your airport transfer on arrival is included in the price. Extra hotel nights are not, but we can add them. Tell us if you would rather start in Arusha.

What to bring, and how to prepare

Neutral clothing, layers for cold early drives, a hat, sunscreen and binoculars will serve you well. See our safari packing list. See a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you leave. Malaria is a risk in the safari parks, so ask about tablets and bring repellent. Travel insurance is not included, and we strongly recommend a policy that covers medical care and evacuation.

Adding to your trip

Moshi is the base for climbing Kilimanjaro, so many travelers combine the two. You can also add a day trip from Moshi.

8-day safari and Zanzibar trip: your questions answered