The Best of First African Safari and Zanzibar Vacation
About this Tour
- 7 Days
- 6 Nights - Lodge
An incredible six-day Selous, Ruaha, and Mikumi Park safari will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the Southern Circuit, which includes three national parks: Selous Game Reserve (Nyerere National Park), Udzungwa Mountains, and Mikumi National Park. This safari takes you through contrasting terrains, from Selous’s river networks and woodland, to Udzungwa Mountains, and finally to Mikumi’s open plains that resemble the Serengeti.
The Best of Southern Circuit Safari offers not only a broad overview of the Southern Circuit but also up-close encounters with diverse wildlife in their natural habitats, making it ideal for safari enthusiasts seeking a deeper, less travelled safari experience.
Area to Visit/Destinations to go
Full Itinerary
- Day 1:Pick up from Airport / Hotel – Lake Manyara National Park
One of our safari guides will pick up from the airport or your hotel in the early morning and begin your safari to Lake Manyara for a full-day game drive. Lake Manyara sits at the base of the rusty-gold Great Rift Valley escarpment, and the scenic landscape is breathtaking. A wide range of habitats supports an abundance of species within the park. The bird list boasts over 380 species, including many migratory ones, making it a prime destination for bird watchers.
Thousands of pink-hued flamingos gather along the lake’s edge, accompanied by large water birds such as pelicans, storks, and cormorants. Wildlife commonly seen includes buffalo, elephants, giraffes, impalas, and hippos submerged in the water. Lake Manyara is also known for its elusive tree-climbing lions, a rare sight that adds to the park’s uniqueness. Our trip will end in the late afternoon, after which we will proceed to Ngorongoro Highlands for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Half Board
- Day 2: Serengeti via Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Following a very early morning meal, we depart for Serengeti National Park, one of the most well-known game reserves in the world. The drive, though long, is spectacular. This will be an unforgettable moment for anyone seeing it for the first time. As you travel deeper into the park, you will begin to understand why its name in the local language means “the land that runs forever.” Covering 6,900 square miles (18,000 square kilometres), the plains stretch endlessly toward the horizon, challenging your sense of scale.
The park is home to the Great Migration, with nearly two million wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of zebras, and various antelope species. It’s also one of the best places to observe big cats and large predators – lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas – all commonly seen here. Many well-known wildlife documentaries, including dramatic river crossings, have been filmed in Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
- Day 3 : Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservation Area
On this day, we suggest an early wake-up to begin a morning game drive while the animals are most active and to witness one of the most memorable sunrises you’ll ever see. After the game drive, we return to the lodge for brunch before continuing to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, often referred to as the eighth wonder of the natural world. The crater covers 102 square miles and is enclosed by walls rising over 2,000 feet, creating a unique ecosystem that supports nearly every species native to East Africa.
It is one of the few places on the continent where you may encounter the endangered black rhino. Within the crater are rivers, swamps, a soda lake home to a high concentration of flamingos, patches of forest, and open grasslands. The area is also known for its massive elephants with notably large tusks. Ngorongoro Crater remains one of the most remarkable natural sites in Africa.Arrive at the lodge in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, check in, and enjoy the rest of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
- Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha – Fly to Zanzibar
After breakfast at daybreak, we will head towards Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. The crater has a large population of lion, with well-defined territories; gnu, zebra, hyenas, and endangered black rhinos. Many gnu and other herd animals are permanent residents, benefiting from the many sources of year-round waters and are boosted by some migrators in season. Buffalo, Serval, Jackal, Thomson’s gazelle and eland are also present in numbers.
Hippos can be found in pools and swampland and highland birdlife is colourful and plentiful around the waters. Flamingos can often be spotted in Lake Magadi, which occupies part of the crater floor. In the early afternoon, we will drive back to Arusha, transfer to Arusha Airport and aboard a chartered flight to Zanzibar. Check in at the hotel and enjoy a relaxing rest of the day.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
- Day 5 - 6: Two days of Relaxation in Zanzibar
The main focus over these two days is to explore as much of Zanzibar as time permits. As East Africa’s leading destination for a beach holiday, Zanzibar offers a balanced mix of privacy, relaxation, and adventure, giving visitors the freedom to be as active or as laid-back as they wish.
You can enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling excursions, along with relaxing massages, beauty treatments, yoga sessions, and local activities. Sunset dhow (traditional sailboat) cruises and fishing trips can be arranged in advance, while many beaches are perfect for a quiet stroll. A guided tour of Stone Town offers cultural and historical perspective, and a short spice tour provides a glimpse into why Zanzibar is famously known as the Spice Island.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
- Day 7: Final Day - Departure
After breakfast you are transferred back to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your onward flight arrangements and that’s the end of this tour.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Price Includes
Price Excludes
- Transport (4×4 Land Cruiser) with pop-up roof
- All Park fees
- Ngorongoro Crater fees
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Accommodation & Dining
- Flight to Zanzibar
- Drinking water
- International flight
- Tanzanian visa
- Travel insurance
- Drinks at the lodge / hotel
- Gratuity for the safari guide
- Single supplement
- Personal items
- Laundry service at the hotel / lodge
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