9 days safari in the parks of Northern Tanzania + sea extension in Zanzibar

Arusha Park, nature walk and canoe safari

After breakfast, a beautiful day of safari awaits us in Arusha National Park, considered one of the most beautiful wildlife sanctuaries in the country, which is highly diverse from a landscape point of view.

The entire park is teeming with life forms.

You can see buffalo herds (the most common species in the park), zebras, giraffes, and it is not uncommon to see warthogs, water antelopes, dik-diks and reduncas.

The area also has other mammals that are difficult to get close to, such as aardvarks, bushpigs and crested porcupines.

The low screeching call of the silver-cheeked hornbill regularly penetrates silence, as does the rhythmic, harsh cry of the black and white colobus, an endangered primate.

You will enjoy a nature walk, accompanied by a park ranger, which will be followed by a canoe safari, to experience the most of the surrounding nature.

We will set off for the park early in the morning and return to the lodge by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the lodge in Arusha

Tarangire National Park

We head to the Tarangire National Park for a fascinating game drive after breakfast.

Here, the swaying sylvan savannah, dotted with majestic baobabs, many of which are over 2,000 years old, is home to the largest elephant population in northern Tanzania.

And watching the animals after the dust blows over the dry plains is absolutely amazing.

The park is home to the highest density of wildlife on the continent during the peak of the dry season.

We leave for the park early in the morning and return to the lodge by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park. We then move to Karatu in the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the lodge in Karatu

Ngorongoro and its beautiful Crater

After breakfast, we will visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, one of the most famous safari destinations in the world, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1981.

The Ngorongoro crater (permits for game drives inside the crater are valid for up to 6 hours) is the center of attraction. Located at 2,200 meters above sea level, it is the largest uninterrupted caldera in the world, and one of Africa’s natural wonders, hosting about 30000 large mammals all year round, such as buffaloes, lions, elephants, cheetahs and rhinoceroses, as well as several bird species: flamingos, eagles, buzzards, ostriches and hawks.

At the centre of the crater is Lake Magadi with its shallow waters which tends to almost dry up during the dry season, and is the best spot for watching flocks of flamingos, and crowned cranes, as well as several herbivores, especially a large number of wildebeests and zebras who drink here, attracting lions and hyenas.

We leave for the park early in the morning and return to the camp at about 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the Campo Tendato in Seronera

Serengeti National Park

We will visit the Serengeti National Park after breakfast, the extraordinary place where legend meets reality. It is the oldest and largest park in Tanzania, covering an area of 14,763 square kilometres, so much so that its name of Masai origin – Siringet, means “Plain without borders”.

Boundless plains await you, along with the great migration of herbivores, especially wildebeests and zebras, prides of lions, and other predators such as hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, jackals, crocodiles…

We will leave for the park early in the morning and return to the camp by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at tented camp in Seronera.

The Serengeti National Park and its splendid Tanzanian fauna

We continue our discovery of the magnificent Serengeti National Park after breakfast.

The boundless prairies are occasionally interrupted by unusual granite formations – kopjes, in whose cracks small pools of rainwater often form, attracting many small animals, as well as large predators such as lions who like to lay or hide in them, waiting for a possible prey to pass through.

The river is lined with many circuits where crocodiles, hippos and many other animals can be seen coming to water. You can also see the leopards that often bask in the branches of the umbrella acacia present here.

We will set off early in the morning for the park and return to the lodge by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park.

We then proceed to Lake Natron in the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the lodge at Lake Natron

Lake Natron

Lake Natron which is close to Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano ‘God’s Mountain’ – sacred to the Masai people, is a pristine, harsh and particularly fascinating place offering tours outside major tourist routes, and is open to visitors from the end of June to the beginning of January every year.

It is a 60 km long alkaline lake, located north-east of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, characterized by hues ranging from white to pink and brown, depending on the time of year.

Its size and colour also vary a lot throughout the year, and its waters withdraw so much during the dry season that large areas of soil covered with a thick salt crust are left bare.

The excessive salinity of the lake makes it impossible for most animal species to thrive, with the exception of pink flamingos, which nest and live in huge flocks here.

The tour will be on foot, beginning from the lake.

This will be followed by a hike to the enchanting waterfalls along a stretch of fresh and pristine river, with the possibility of taking a pleasant swim under the waterfalls (it is recommended to wear shoes and swimsuits).

We leave for the park early in the morning and return to the lodge by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park. We will then transfer to Mto wa mbu in the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the lodge in Mto Wa Mbu.

Lake Manyara National Park

The safari continues after breakfast with a tour of Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most biodiverse parks.

Covering an area of only 330 square kilometres, 230 of which are occupied by the lake, it is possible to encounter five different ecosystems here.

The park is inhabited by over 380 bird species and a large number of animal species including elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, leopards, lions, baboons, hippos, antelopes, warthogs and many others.

We leave for the park early in the morning and return to the lodge by 18:00.

Packed lunch will be served at the park.

We move over to Arusha in the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight accommodation at the lodge in Arusha

Tour of Arusha and transportation to the airport/arrival in Zanzibar

The last day of the safari will also be well organized, allowing you to have breakfast before you leave and, if possible, a tour of the Arusha market to once more indulge in shopping and buying of souvenirs for friends and family.

We will then accompany you to the airport to continue your trip to Zanzibar Island.

Domestic flight Arusha → Zanzibar

You will be taken to your accommodation upon arrival on the beautiful island of Zanzibar.

Overnight accommodation at Mchanga Beach Resort

Zanzibar and the Mchanga Beach Resort

While in Zanzibar, you will stay at the Mchanga Beach Resort (located between Matemwe and Pwani Mchangani villages), built directly on the white sand and called “Mchanga” which in Swahili means “sand”.

It overlooks one of Zanzibar’s most beautiful beaches, a wide, fine sand beach bordered by palm trees, a place where you can leave your shoes behind.

Mchanga is perfectly integrated and in harmony with the natural environment, surrounded by lush and fragrant vegetation, and was conceived as an oasis of tranquility to relax, rejuvenate yourself, and get in touch with nature.

Managed by an Italian family, Mchanga offers several services: a restaurant on the beach, Cocktail Bar, swimming pool, a small SPA for massages and treatments, tour and excursion planning.

Half Board treatment (international breakfast and three-course dinner)

Last day in Zanzibar and depature for the airport

You will be taken to the airport during the day to return home with a heart full of memorable experiences.