11 Day Adventure
Luxury Safari & Zanzibar
Eleven days across Tanzania’s northern parks, then on to the white sand beaches of Zanzibar.
Duration
5 Day Safari
4 Day Relaxation
11 Day Adventure
Style
Hotel
Safari Lodge
Tented Camp
destinations
Lake Manyara
Serengeti
Ngorongoro
Tarangire
Zanzibar
Arrival Info
Kilimanjaro (JRO)
The Journey
Wild Plains, Then White Sand
If it is wildlife and relaxation that you are looking for, this 11-day adventure combines two incredible Tanzanian experiences to create a once in a lifetime trip. We start with amazing game viewing opportunities as you visit Tanzania’s most popular national parks and take to the skies for a breath-taking early morning balloon ride over the vast plains of the Serengeti. To finish this incredible trip, hop on a flight over to Zanzibar where four days of relaxation on picture postcard white sand beaches await you.
Highlights
- Embark on a 5-day safari through Tanzania's most popular national parks
- Take a balloon ride over the Serengeti
- Spend 4 days on Zanzibar's perfect white sand beaches and turquoise blue waters
- Relax in the knowledge your trip is fully carbon offset
Day BY Day
The shape of the journey
Eleven days across Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, then on to the white sand beaches of Zanzibar.
Day One Arrive in Tanzania
Arrive in Tanzania
You will need to organise your own flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). From JRO we will arrange a private transfer to your hotel in Arusha. Early the next morning you will meet your local Kandoo safari guide and have a full pre-trip briefing.
Accommodation — Hotel
Day Two Arusha to Manyara
Arusha to Manyara
You will be met by your guide and vehicle and driven to Lake Manyara, arriving with plenty of time for an afternoon game-drive. Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its large alkaline soda lake which is home to the pink flamingo, yellow-billed stork and heron. If you are lucky you may get chance to see the tree climbing lions, which are unique to this national park. Watch out for some fun antics from the local baboon population; Lake Manyara is believed to have the largest number of these primates in the World!
Transport — 4WD (2-3 hours)
Accommodation — safari lodge
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Three Lake Manyara to Olduvai Gorge
Lake Manyara to Olduvai Gorge
After breakfast, you will take a picnic lunch with you as you continue to the Serengeti, a drive of around 4 ½ hours through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Your journey will take you to the Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakeys discovered the hominoid remains of a 1.8 million year old skeleton of Australopithecus boisei, one of the distinct links of the human evolutionary chain. In a small canyon just north of the Ngorongoro Crater, the Leakeys and their team of international archaeologists unearthed the ruins of at least three distinct hominoid species, and also came upon a complete series of hominoid footprints estimated to be over 3.7 million years old. Evacuated fossils show that the area is one of the oldest sites of hominoid habitation in the world. You will then continue into the Serengeti.
Transport — 4WD (1-2 hours)
Accommodation — Tented Camp
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Four Serengeti
Serengeti
This morning, your hot air balloon flight lifts off at dawn when the winds are lightest so an early start is essential, but this is more than rewarded as soon as you take-off. Each flight is unique, some high enough to view the panoramic landscape for miles ahead, others low enough to see individual animals at close quarters. On landing, you will receive your commemorative certificate and a champagne toast, then drive to join the rest of the morning’s balloonists for a full English hot breakfast, cooked out in the bush. Our sumptuous breakfast adds to the adventurous buzz of riding in a hot air balloon!
After breakfast, you will set out with a picnic lunch for a full day game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. From May to July, the migrating herds will be collecting in the western corridor, preparing to cross the Grumeti River. Even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers some of the most exciting game viewing – great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, as well as thousands of eland, topi, hartebeest, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
Transport — 4WD
Accommodation — Tented Camp
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Five Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
After an early breakfast, you will drive to the fascinating wildlife arena of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is over 260km2 (100 miles2) and was formed when a massive volcano exploded and collapsed on itself 2 – 3 million years ago. It is now the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world and often referred to as “Africa’s Eden”. Home to more than 25,000 large mammals – it is not unusual to see all of the ‘Big Five’ (buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard) in a single day. Driving through the Ngorongoro Highlands, you will arrive at the crater rim and then descend down 610m (2000 feet) onto its floor to start your safari extravaganza. Our safari lodge this evening will be in Karatu, on the outskirts of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Transport — 4WD (3 hours)
Accommodation — Safari Lodge
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Six Tarangire
Tarangire
This morning, you will drive to Tarangire, a “must see” for avid birdwatchers, boasting over 550 different bird species, the most diverse in Africa, including the Kori Bustard, the heaviest flying bird in the World! The Tarangire River runs through the park attracting a huge number of elephants, buffalo, giraffe and antelope, particularly in the dry season between June and October. It is not uncommon to see large herds of elephants roaming through Tarangire’s savannah grasses or taking shade under the odd looking “upside down trees” (baobab) that are dotted around the park. Following a morning game-drive you will transfer to your hotel in Arusha.
Transport — 4WD (1-2 hours)
Accommodation — Hotel
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch
Day Seven Fly to Zanzibar
Fly to Zanzibar
After breakfast, we will transfer you to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) to board your flight to Zanzibar. Here you will say goodbye to your driver and on arrival in Zanzibar a transfer will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Let the relaxation begin!
Accommodation — Hotel
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Eight To Ten Zanzibar
Zanzibar
For the next few days spend time relaxing on the idyllic shores of Zanzibar. Book yourself a snorkel or diving trip locally and sample some of the delicious seafood cuisine or simply engorge yourself in the luxury of the beachfront hotel.
Accommodation — Hotel
Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day Eleven Departure
Departure
We will transfer you from your hotel to the airport in Zanzibar for your return flight.
Meals Included — Breakfast
Please Note
It is in the nature of a trip of this kind that arrangements and participants have to be flexible. While we use all reasonable endeavours to ensure a trip runs according to your itinerary, the day-to-day agenda and ultimate goal of the trip are taken as aims and not as contractual obligations. It is a necessary condition of your joining any of our trips that you accept this flexibility. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time.
The Price
What's included
Ideal travel time: January, February, March, June, July, August, September, October, December
Prices from £3,699 / $4,915 per person (based on 2people)
Want to ask us a question or book a private trip?
Don’t hesitate to contact us
Included
- All accommodation included in itinerary
- Airport transfers from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and to Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ)
- Fill board accommodation at safari lodges as per itinerary
- Balloon safari in the Serengeti
- Exclusive use of 4WD vehicle and English-speaking driver guide
- All park fees and crater fees
- Game drives as indicated in the itinerary
- Filtered water whilst on the game drives
- Prices are based on 2 people sharing a room at safari lodges
- 4 nights All Inclusive accommodation in Zanzibar
- Domestic flight JRO - ZNZ and airport transfers
Optional
- Additional nights before or after your trip
- Single rooms available on request
Not Included
- International flights
- Personal items and clothing
- Travel insurance
- Your personal medicines or prescriptions
- Drinks of choice at safari lodges
- Extra excursions / services available at safari lodges
- Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, phone calls & snacks
- Deviation from safari itinerary provided
- Tips and gratuities for guide and lodge / hotel staff
- Lunches / evening meals at hotel in Arusha
- Some drinks at the hotel in Zanzibar but these will be available to purchase
- Excursions / activities in Zanzibar
- Local infrastructure tax ($5 per night payable at the Zanzibar hotel)
- Mandatory Zanzibar insurance (US$44)
How you Travel
Your own vehicle,
your own guide
Every Kandoo safari travels in a well-maintained 4×4, with a pop-top roof for uninterrupted views and a Kandoo guide whose knowledge of these parks runs decades deep. There are no strangers on your safari, the pace, the route and the day belong entirely to you and your guide.
Once you reach Zanzibar, the pace changes but the same care doesn’t. A private transfer meets you at the airport, and your beachfront stay is chosen with the same eye we bring to our safari lodges, understated, well run, and right on the water. The rest of the island, from Stone Town’s winding streets to the spice farms inland, is yours to explore at whatever pace suits you.
2009
First Season in Tanzania
14,000+
Guests guided
100%
Our own team,
every trip
What do you need to know?
Details
Difficulty
Although going on safari is not physically strenuous, it can be very tiring. You will be spending large amounts of time inside your safari vehicle, the weather will be hot and to have the best chance of seeing the big game you need to get up very early in the morning. You do not need a high level of fitness but you should be prepared for some long, hot days of travelling.
Food & Drink
Accommodation
Your Guide
You will have an experienced English speaking guide for the duration of your safari. Our guides are highly experienced and have spent many years leading safaris in and around the Tanzanian National parks so you are in the best hands for your trip!
Transport
The different National Parks – Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro – may look close on a map, but there is a considerable amount of driving between each location. Approximate driving times are listed below. While this gives you the opportunity to see more of the Tanzania countryside – look out for Maasai villages beside the road, children tending their herds of goats and cattle, and road-side markets – you will not see any game during these transit times.
- Moshi to Lake Manyara – 4 hours
- Arusha to Tarangire – 2.5 hours
- Tarangire to Ngorongoro – 3 hours
- Ngorongoro to Serengeti – 4 hours
- Lake Manyara to Serengeti – 5 hours
Luggage
Domestic Flights Bag Weight
Domestic flights in Tanzania operate a 23kg main bag allowance on thier flights.
Plastic Bag Ban
On 1st June 2019, Tanzania introduced a ban on all single-use plastic bags. Please support this fight against plastic by using more sustainable alternatives in your luggage, such as packing cubes and dry bags. Passengers with plastic bags in their luggage may be asked to surrender them on arrival at the airport.
The zip-lock bags required to carry liquids and toiletries in cabin baggage on airplanes will still be permitted.
Your luggage can be carried with you in your safari vehicle and stored at your accommodation.
Please keep all money, passport and valuables on your person at all times.
How do I get there?
On arrival
Optional Activities
Guided tours and boat trips will be available to book at your hotel in Zanzibar and these can usually be booked with very little notice.
Budget & change
Tips
We realize that tipping may not be a common practice in all countries but in Tanzania it is a standard practise. For your safari guide we recommend a tip of US$20-30 per day (this is per group, not per person.) Many of the safari lodges operate a shared tip system, and there will be a box in the reception area where you can leave a tip for all staff. Check the information packs in your room as some lodges will specifically ask you not to tip individual staff members.
The hotels in Zanzibar operate a shared tip system, and there will be a box in the reception area where you can leave a tip for all staff. Check the information packs in your room as some hotels will specifically ask you not to tip individual staff members. If you book activities or tours whilst on the island, tipping your tour leaders a small amount is advisable.
Tips are always discretionary and if you are not happy with the service you have received you do not have to pay tips.
Passport
All travellers will need a passport which will remain valid for at least 6 months longer than your expected visit. You will also need to present proof that you have a return ticket, and proof that you have sufficient money to support yourself during your stay in Tanzania.
Each traveller is responsible for sorting out their own passport and visa requirements, and we cannot offer much assistance in this matter. If you do not yet have a possport, apply for one early, as they can take some time to arrive. If you already have a passport, double check when it expires.
Visa
Citizens of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, United States, Canada and most EU countries require a visa to enter Tanzania. Citizens of countries not mentioned should contact their nearest embassy or high commission to check visa requirements. Visas usually cost in the neighbourhood of USD50 (around GBP40), but some visas from the US can cost USD100. Tanzanian visas expire three months after they are issued, so be careful not to apply too soon.
Visas can be purchased upon arrival at Kilimanjaro international Airport (IATA code: JRO), but if you choose to do this you can expect long queues, and for the process to take two hours or more. The Tanzanian High Commission has also stressed that they have the right to deny visas applied for on arrival. We have never had a report of this happening, but it is a danger best avoided.
For these reasons, we highly recommend that travellers get their visa in advance, either online, or at their local Tanzanian Embassy.
Please read the Visa Application Guidelines carefully before beginning your application to ensure you apply for the correct type of visa, and that you are planning on entering Tanzania through one of the approved entry points. When filling out your visa, you will need to choose an ‘ordinary visa’ for ‘tourism’ purposes and your entry and exit ports will be the airport you are flying in and out of. A lot of our guests are confused by the ‘Host’ section, for this you simply need to state you are ‘self’ hosted. Your hotel information can be found on your itinerary.
Where to obtain a Tanzanian visa:
– Any Tanzanian Embasy or High Commission
– The Tanzania Immigration Services website
– Entry points to Tanzania: Any gazetted entry point, including international airports
– In Dar Es Salaam: The Office of the Director of Immigration services
– In Zanzibar: The Office of the Principal Immigration Officer
Please be advised that, whilst we make every effort to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information, travel requirements can change quickly and sometimes without notice. We urge you to double check the visa and passport requirements for your trip and consult with an embassy or consulate if you have any concerns regarding your application.
Vaccinations
Below we have set out what is the general guidance for travel to Tanzania. We strongly advise you to consult with your own GP or travel clinic near you before travelling. They will have the most up to date and medically accurate information relevant to you, and should be relied upon over these recommendations.
Strongly Advised Vaccinations
– Hepatitis A: This can be spread via contaminated food and water.
– Tetanus: Tetanus is often present in the soil, and can contaminate open wounds easily. Tetanus vaccine should be used every ten years if travelling.
– Typhoid: Typhoid can also be spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
– Diphtheria: This potentially fatal disease is spread mainly via spit, but occasionally through contact with cuts on the skin.
– Yellow Fever: This can be contracted by being bitten by a contaminated mosquito. This vaccination is not essential if you are arriving directly in Tanzania. You do need it though if you plan to arrive through any country that is subject to yellow fever. Simply stopping over at an airport in an affected country should not require vaccination, but leaving the airport even briefly would make it necessary
Sometimes Advised Vaccinations
– Hepatitis B: This illness is spread via contact with blood or bodily fluids. It is many, many times more virulent than HIV/AIDS. Some 8% of the population of Tanzania are believed to carry the virus.
– Rabies: Rabies is spread via contact between the saliva of any infected animal and an open wound (including bites, but also licking existing wounds). Rabies is fatal unless treated, and treatment of an unvaccinated rabies patient can be very difficult in many parts of Tanzania.
– Tuberculosis: TB is generally contracted through inhaling airborne sputum.
– Cholera: Cholera is spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
– Measles: This disease is spread through inhaling sputum.
Insurance
We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.
Sorry but we are not insurance experts so we do not review policies.
Your insurance must cover the cost of helicopter evacuation and repatriation if necessary. Make sure your insurer knows of your travel plans, and verify that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for loss of baggage, cancellation and medical expenses.
Zanzibar mandatory travel insurance
Please be aware that the government of Zanzibar has introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance for all travellers arriving on the island. The charge is $44 and must be paid by all new arrivals even if you already have travel insurance in place. The new charge came into effect from 1st September 2024 and must be obtained from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). This can be purchased online at https://visitzanzanzibar.go.tz
Health
Malaria and Mosquitoes
Tanzania is home to malaria-carrying mosquitoes and whilst you are in the towns of Moshi and Arusha or out on safari we recommend wearing long sleeves and trousers, as well as using a good mosquito repellent that contains DEET, to make sure you are protected. We would also recommend speaking to a doctor or medical professional who can prescribe anti-malarial medications.
Above 3000m, mosquitoes can not survive.
Avoiding diarrhoea
Make sure that your hygiene is as good as possible to avoid picking up a stomach upset. Needless to say, a bout of diarrhoea can make a week-long trip unpleasant or even impossible.
We make sure that any food we provide is pure and uncontaminated, and that all of your water is filtered or treated with WaterGuard purification tablets.
In the towns of Moshi and Arusha, though, you will have to protect yourself.
Make sure you follow these simple rules at all times:
– If you are not absolutely certain water is pure, do not drink it.
– Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, and before eating or handling food of any kind.
– Do not at raw vegetables or salads. Cooked, preferably boiled veggies only.
– Avoid any cold drinks, and ice of any kind.
– Water from sealed bottles is generally fine, as are fizzy drinks, wine and beer. Hot tea and coffee are good, as they have just been boiled.
If you do get diarrhoea, the most important thing you can do is to stay hydrated. The best thing to drink is a rehydration solution like Dioralyte. Read more about dehydration below.
Over the counter medicines like Immodium (or anything containing loperamide) are only for short term, mild diarrhoea. Some doctors recommend taking a single, 500mg dose of Ciprofxin, or any ciprofloxacin antibiotic in an emergency situation. This is a prescription medicine, and you should discuss it with your doctor before your trip.
Sunburn and UV Protection
Visiting a destination so close to the equator, you will be vulnerable to sunburn if not properly protected, even on cloudy days.
The three most important things you can do to avoid sunburn are:
– Apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen to your face, nose and ears at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply regularly. High SPF lip balm is also a must.
– Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, nose and ears.
– Wear UV-protective sunglasses, category 2-4.
Do not forget that the sun is at its strongest between 10:00-14:00 hours each day.
Medication
Emergency contact
Clothing to bring
On safari, we recommend wearing something cool and comfortable, as you will be in the vehicle for several hours each day and it will be very warm in the parks and on the drive between parks. The vehicles are not air conditioned, although the pop-top will be open when you are in the parks. Avoid wearing darn blue or black as these colours attract tsetse flies. If you are staying in a lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, include some warm clothing. The crater rim rises to an elevation of around 2200m, so it will be significantly cooler at your lodge in the evening and early morning. Long sleeved shirts and trousers are advisable for evenings when mosquitoes are most active. Please see below for a suggested packing list:
Headgear
– Neck gaiter or scarf – It can get dusty on the safari drives where the roads are very dry.
– Sun hat – preferably wide-brimmed for protection.
– Sunglasses – high UV protection.
Upper Body
– Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts / t-shirts.
– Loose-fitting short-sleeved shirts / t-shirts.
– Warm jacket )fleece or softshell work well).
– Lightweight water / windproof hard shell outer jacket.
Legs
– Lightweight trousers for safari – linen trousers are breathable and stay cool.
– Shorts – breathable fabric.
– Sarong / wrap around – women may wish to have these for the beach.
Feet
– Training shoe or similar.
– Sandals – for downtime on safari and Zanzibar.
Equipment to bring
– Camera (with spare battery and memory card).
– Reference books for wildife identification.
– Insect repellant.
Begin Your Journey
Make this safari yours
Tell us when you’d like to travel and how, and a Kandoo safari specialist will return a personal proposal – with dates, lodges and pricing – within one working day.
Every Kandoo safari is fully ATOL and ABTA protected.
Speak to a specialist – +44 (0) 1283 499980
Enquire — Luxury Safari & Zanzibar
11 days · Safari & Relaxation · No obligation
Your details are never shared or sold
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