Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar: How to Combine Them

A safari and a beach holiday in one trip is the reason a great many people fly to Tanzania. The two halves complement each other: early starts, dust and adrenaline for a few days, then nothing but sea. Here is how to put them together without wasting time or money.

Do the safari first

Almost always. A safari means early mornings, long drives and a suitcase that never fully unpacks. Zanzibar means sleeping in. Finishing on the island sends you home rested rather than sunburnt and shattered.

There is one exception. If you arrive late at night into Zanzibar, spending your first two nights on the beach to recover from the flight before starting the safari is reasonable.

Which circuit

The northern circuit. Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara, accessed through Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport. This is the classic Tanzania safari, with the highest concentration of animals and the Great Migration. It is also the busiest and the most expensive.

The southern circuit. Nyerere National Park, Mikumi and Ruaha, accessed through Dar es Salaam. Far fewer vehicles, excellent wildlife, boat safaris on the Rufiji in Nyerere, and generally lower prices. Better suited to people who have been on safari before, or who value quiet over guaranteed volume.

For a first safari combined with Zanzibar, the northern circuit is the safer choice. For a second trip, or for anyone who wants space, the south is worth serious thought.

Getting between them

Short domestic flights connect both circuits to Zanzibar directly, so you do not have to backtrack through Dar es Salaam or Arusha. Flights are small aircraft with strict luggage limits, usually a soft bag rather than a hard suitcase. We book these as part of the itinerary and tell you the exact allowance before you pack.

How many days

A workable minimum is three nights on safari and five on the beach, inside a ten-day trip. That gives you enough game drives to see the parks properly and enough beach to feel like a holiday.

Better is four to six nights on safari and seven on the beach, across two weeks. With six safari nights on the northern circuit you can do Tarangire, Ngorongoro and two nights in the Serengeti without spending every day in a vehicle.

What it costs

Safari pricing depends on the season, the camps and whether the vehicle is private or shared. Park fees alone are a significant share of the total, and they are fixed. We quote the whole trip as one price covering the safari, the flights between, the hotel in Zanzibar, the transfers and the excursions, so you can see what you are actually paying for.

Practical points

• Pack a soft bag for the safari half. Hard suitcases do not fit in light aircraft or safari vehicles.
• Neutral colours for game drives. Bright white and dark blue are both poor choices.
• Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim island. Modest dress is expected away from hotel beaches and in Stone Town.
• Yellow fever certification may be required depending on your route and where you have travelled before. Check the current requirement for your nationality and itinerary before you fly.
• Travel insurance covering medical evacuation is a condition of booking with us, and it matters more on safari than anywhere else.

Ask us to plan it

Tell us your dates, how many people, whether this is a first safari, and roughly what you want to spend. We will come back with a full itinerary covering both halves, priced as one trip. See safari and Zanzibar or request a safari quote.