12-Day Tanzania Parks Safari & Zanzibar Beach Holiday

This 12 day Tanzania safari is built on contrast: the northern Serengeti and the Mara River, the walls of Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire, and then Zanzibar for Stone Town, spices and a dhow at sunset. Flights cut the longest transfers, with a flight into Kogatende and another from Kuro to Zanzibar. Park fees, domestic flights, full board and a private guide are included.

The first days are in the north, where the Serengeti's migration season adds drama and wildebeest gather by the Mara River. There is no fixed time for a crossing, so you need patience, and your vehicle follows the park rules at the water. At Olduvai Gorge, about 14 km long, you see one of the great sites in the story of human evolution, and in Ngorongoro the setting inside a huge caldera is very different. Read our guide to the Great Migration and the Serengeti safari guide.

You then meet Maasai hosts around Karatu, look for tree-climbing lions at Lake Manyara and see Tarangire's elephants. The final days are in Zanzibar, with Stone Town, a spice farm in Kizimbani, Prison Island, Nakupenda sandbank and a dhow cruise at Nungwi. See the guide to visiting Zanzibar, the pages on game drives and dhow cruising, and the Tanzania destination page.

Moderate, and not a hard expedition. Most wildlife is seen from a 4x4 safari vehicle, but some days begin early and include easy walks on rough ground and time in the sun and dust. Walking is arranged in protected areas only when allowed and with a guide or ranger. Driving distances vary: some road transfers are long, and flights shorten the longest. You should be comfortable getting into and out of a safari vehicle on your own and wear good walking shoes. The trip suits families with older children, couples, honeymooners, solo travellers and small private groups.

June to October is the best time for the northern Serengeti and the Mara River, and the dry season is good for Tarangire. Zanzibar is driest and clearest from June to October. In the long rains from March to May Zanzibar is wetter and the parks are quieter. Our Great Migration guide lists what happens each month.

This trip suits travellers with twelve days who want a longer northern circuit and a proper beach finish. For a shorter version see the 8-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday, and for more time with the migration the 14-day Great Migration safari with Zanzibar. For a family version see the 8-day Tanzania family safari.

Use the Tanzania safari packing list, and note the baggage limits on domestic flights. Our travel visa guide covers entry rules.

If you are also weighing a trip with conservation and community visits built in, see our Signature Journeys in Rwanda.