Your 8 Days Serengeti & Zanzibar Holiday starts with three slow, sunlit nights on Zanzibar, then shifts to four thrilling days in the Serengeti. You begin with warm water, spice scents, and evening dhow light, then you trade sandals for a safari seat and follow lion tracks across golden grass.
This safari can equally start with Serengeti and end in Zanzibar.
You move with purpose and ease. We line up flight times, transfers, and park entries so you focus on each other, the sea, and the sightings. You finish rested, not rushed, with photos that smell like salt and grass every time you look at them.
Day 1: Arrive in Zanzibar, settle by the sea
Land at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport. Our team greets you, helps with bags, and transfers you to your beach hotel. You freshen up, step onto the sand, and feel the warm water on your ankles. Choose a short sunset stroll or sit with a fresh coconut and call that victory.
After the encounter with salt air and soft light, you shall embark on an easy evening. Order something grilled, listen to the waves, and agree to keep tomorrow simple. Sleep comes fast when the tide does the talking.
Lodging, Zanzibar Coast
Day 2: Spice flavors and Stone Town stories
Join a morning spice tour. You shall see clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, then taste fruit that tastes like sunshine. Continue to Stone Town for a guided wander through carved doors and narrow alleys. Pause for a rooftop view, then return to the beach in time for a swim.
After the encounter with scents and old streets, you shall embark on a calm afternoon. Read in a hammock, nap, then step out for a quiet beach dinner. The sky will do the color work for you.
Lodging, Zanzibar Coast
Day 3: Reef Day or full relax, your choice
Pick the tempo. You shall snorkel Mnemba reefs for bright fish and calm water, take a gentle dhow cruise, or keep it gloriously lazy with spa time and a long swim. We time everything to tides and wind so it feels effortless.
After the encounter with warm water and sun, you shall embark on a slow evening walk along the shore. Bare feet, shallow waves, and that pleasant silence that makes a perfect day feel complete. Rest well before the safari chapter.
Lodging, Zanzibar Coast
Day 4: Fly to Serengeti, first game drive
Catch a morning flight to the Serengeti. You land on a bush airstrip where the horizon looks endless. Meet your guide, settle in, and take a short drive to your safari camp with a game-viewing route en route. After lunch, head out for your first afternoon drive. Expect giraffe above the grass and the soft drama of the plains.
After the encounter with your first lions or a curious hyena, you shall embark on an easy evening by the fire. Toast the moment, listen to night sounds, and feel that good blend of tired and thrilled.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 5: Serengeti full day, picnic under an acacia
Rise before dawn for the best light. You follow fresh tracks, scan kopjes for lounging cats, and watch elephants drift past like quiet boulders. A picnic lunch waits under an acacia where shade, breeze, and silence feel priceless.
After the encounter with golden hours and soft breezes, you shall embark on a midday rest to recharge. Later, you take a relaxed loop toward camp, stopping when the landscape asks for it. Tonight you share favorite moments like trading cards, each one a keeper.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 6: Follow the herds, sundowner views
Choose your rhythm. You can go out early, rest longer, then return for an extended golden-hour drive. If you visit July to October, you might find migrating herds. Outside those months, resident wildlife keeps the story lively. We set a simple sundowner in a safe scenic spot.
After the encounter with big-sky colors, you shall embark on an unhurried return to camp. You flip through photos, then put the camera down and watch the stars. Sleep lands softly.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 7: Last Serengeti loops, capture that final glow and transfer to Ngorongoro.
Spend a final morning tracking your favorite species. You shall sit longer at sightings today, because patience often turns a good scene into a great one.
After the encounter with your closing game drive, you shall embark on a slow pack and a cheerful dinner. You know the sounds now, from hyena whoops to distant lion calls. Tomorrow, you fly out with dust on your boots and a grin.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater and transfer to Arusha/Moshi
Take a short transfer drive out of Serengeti and descend the Ngorongoro Crater for an impressive game viewing opportunity. Here you shall sight several lions, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and more, then connect onward to Arusha or Kilimanjaro for your international flight. You keep two kinds of souvenirs, sea salt on your skin and Serengeti dust in your bag. Both tell the story better than any postcard.
After the encounter with farewells and last looks, you shall embark on your journey home with one clear thought. You used eight days well.
Is starting with Zanzibar better than starting with the Serengeti?
Yes. You shake off travel fatigue, adjust to the time zone, and arrive on safari calm and ready. The beach first approach gives you energy for early drives.
When is the best time for this trip?
You enjoy strong wildlife year-round. July to October favors migration in northern Serengeti. January to March suits southern Serengeti calving and great predator action. Zanzibar stays warm most months, with short rains in November and long rains in April to May.
How long are the flights and transfers?
Zanzibar to the Serengeti runs about 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on routing. Serengeti airstrip transfers are short. Final connections to Arusha or Kilimanjaro are straightforward.
Can you add a Stone Town night?
Yes. We can add a Stone Town night at the start, then continue to the beach. The walkable old town pairs well with a spice tour and rooftop dinner.
What type of safari vehicle and guide will you get?
You will be on a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for ultimate game viewing opportunities. Your guide sets the pace to your interests, from photography angles to birding stops. You decide how long to stay with a sighting.
What should you pack for eight days?
Pack neutral layers, a warm fleece for cool mornings, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable shoes, a soft sided bag, swimwear, and a camera with spare cards. Add a light cover up for the beach and a small daypack for flights.
Stay in Zanzibar, relax on sugar-white beaches, then fly to Serengeti or Nyerere for big cats, returning to sunset dhows and spice markets; you enjoy safari action with beach downtime with the experts.
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