12 Days Safari & Beach — Mara River Crossings

The Northern Serengeti in migration season, with a chance of river crossings, then a flight to the beach.

12 days Safari & beach Serengeti & Zanzibar From $3,154 per person

12 Days Safari & Beach — Mara River Crossings · 12 days

Package Overview

A safari timed for the Great Migration's most dramatic stretch. After Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater you work your way north through the central Serengeti to the Mara River, where the herds cross from late July to early October. Crossings are never guaranteed, but two full days in the north give you a real chance. You then fly to Zanzibar for four nights on the beach.

Highlights

Two days in the Northern Serengeti
A chance of Mara River crossings (July – October)
Ngorongoro Crater game drive
Elephants and baobabs in Tarangire
Flight to Zanzibar included

Route map

Day 1 Kilimanjaro International Airport → Day 2 Tarangire National Park → Day 3 Ngorongoro Crater → Day 4 Central Serengeti (Seronera) → Day 5-6 Northern Serengeti (Kogatende) → Day 7 Zanzibar Airport → Day 8 Kwale Island (Menai Bay) → Day 9 Stone Town → Day 10-11 Kiwengwa → Day 12 Zanzibar Airport

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 • Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport

Arusha

Your guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to your lodge on the outskirts of Arusha, about an hour away. The rest of the day is free to rest after the flight.

Day 1 Accommodation, Arusha Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Comfort — Ahadi Lodge
Premium — Giraffe Manor Tanzania
Luxury — Giraffe Manor Tanzania

Arusha

Day 2 • Tarangire National Park

Tarangire

Drive west to Tarangire, where herds of up to 250 elephants gather along the river in the dry season between ancient baobab trees. Lion, giraffe and huge flocks of birds are common, and the park is far quieter than the Serengeti.

Day 2 Accommodation, Tarangire / Lake Manyara Meal Plan: Full board

Options based on your package:

Comfort — Manyara Best View Lodge and Spa
Premium — Mawe Mawe Manyara Lodge
Luxury — Manyara Best View Lodge and Spa (upgraded room)

Tarangire

Day 3 • Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater

Descend 600 metres to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive in the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa. This is the most reliable place in the north to see black rhino, along with lion, hyena, elephant and huge herds of zebra and wildebeest.

Day 3 Accommodation, Ngorongoro Highlands Meal Plan: Full board

Options based on your package:

Ngorongoro

Day 4 • Into the Serengeti

Serengeti

Cross the Ngorongoro highlands and descend onto the open plains of the Serengeti, game-driving all the way to your camp in the central Seronera area, where lion, leopard and cheetah are seen year-round.

Day 4 Accommodation, Central Serengeti Meal Plan: Full board

Options based on your package:

Comfort — Serengeti Sound of Silence Tented Camp
Premium — Asanja Nyasirori
Luxury — Serengeti Sametu Camp

Serengeti

Day 5 • Northern Serengeti & the Mara River

Mara River

Drive north to the Kogatende area, where the migration gathers along the Mara River in the dry season. Your guide watches the herds massing on the banks and positions you for a crossing, which can come in minutes or not at all. The landscape up here is rolling and green, and much quieter than the central plains.

Note: River crossings happen roughly from late July to early October and are never guaranteed.

Day 5 Accommodation, Northern Serengeti Meal Plan: Full board

Options based on your package:

Northern Serengeti

Day 6 • Northern Serengeti full day

Northern Serengeti

A second full day by the river with packed lunches, so you can wait out a crossing rather than head back to camp. Away from the river there are lion prides, cheetah and big herds of topi and eland on the Lamai plains.

Day 6 Accommodation, Northern Serengeti Meal Plan: Full board

Options based on your package:

Northern Serengeti

Day 7 • Flight to Zanzibar

Zanzibar

Your guide drives you to the Kogatende airstrip for a light-aircraft flight to Zanzibar, connecting through Arusha.

Note: Lunch and dinner on Zanzibar depend on your hotel plan. Breakfast is always included.

Day 7 Accommodation, Zanzibar beach resort Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Zanzibar beachfront

Day 8 • Safari Blue dhow trip

Menai Bay

Sail by traditional dhow into Menai Bay for a day of snorkelling, a swim on a sandbank and a seafood barbecue on Kwale Island.

Note: Excursions on beach days are optional. Book them with your trip or once you arrive.

Activity · SAFARI BLUE (Optional)

A full-day dhow cruise with snorkelling gear, fresh fruit and a seafood lunch. Collection from your hotel is included.

Day 8 Accommodation, Zanzibar beach resort Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Zanzibar beachfront

Day 9 • Stone Town walking tour

Stone Town

Explore the UNESCO-listed old town with a local guide: the House of Wonders, the Old Fort, the former slave market and Freddie Mercury's birthplace, ending at the Forodhani night food market.

Activity · STONE TOWN TOUR (Optional)

A three-hour guided walk through the alleys and markets of Stone Town.

Day 9 Accommodation, Zanzibar beach resort Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Zanzibar beachfront

Day 10 • Beach day

Zanzibar

A free day on the beach. Swim, read, walk the shore at low tide or try kitesurfing, paddleboarding or a spa treatment at the resort.

Day 10 Accommodation, Zanzibar beach resort Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Zanzibar beachfront

Day 11 • Beach day

Zanzibar

A free day on the beach. Swim, read, walk the shore at low tide or try kitesurfing, paddleboarding or a spa treatment at the resort.

Day 11 Accommodation, Zanzibar beach resort Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast

Options based on your package:

Zanzibar beachfront

Day 12 • Departure from Zanzibar

Zanzibar

A last morning on the beach before your driver takes you to Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ) for your flight home. You can also extend your trip with a few nights on Mnemba, Pemba or Mafia.