Serengeti & Zanzibar: 8-Day Wild to Whisper Journey

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival – Highland Welcome in Karatu

As your plane touches down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the Serengeti Lion Safaris team welcomes you with warm smiles and immediately after the meet and greet, you embark on a transfer away towards the Ngorongoro highlands—up through cool green hills and patchwork farms to the peaceful town of Karatu.

Upon arrival, you embark on a straight forward crater encounter, descending deep into the 600meters crater. Here you shall observe stunning lions, hippos, rhinos, zebras, warthogs, topis, buffaloes and more.

Keep in mind; It’s a gentle start. A hot dinner, fresh air, and the sound of night crickets set the tone for what’s to come.

Overnight Options (Karatu):

• Budget: Kudu Lodge
• Standard: Eileen’s Trees Inn
• Luxury: The Manor at Ngorongoro

Day 2: Into the Crater → Serengeti Bound

You wake early and just outside, the magic of the Serengeti is right there waiting. At sunrise, apart Ngorongoro and drive west into Serengeti National Park. The road opens up and after encountering some maasai villages, just before you arrive in Serengeti through the Nabi gate, you are welcome by the stretching endless plains of Serengeti. And suddenly, you’re in the middle of it—the place where nature roams free.

Overnight Options (Central Serengeti):

• Budget: Pimbi Campsite
• Standard: Serengeti Kati Kati Camp
• Luxury: Melia Serengeti or Ole Serai Moru Kopjes

Day 3: Full Day in the Serengeti – Where the Wild Reigns

Today is yours. Whether it’s following a pride of lions across the plains, watching a cheetah stalk the grasslands, or catching a thunder of hooves during migration season, your Serengeti Lion Safaris guide with his experience, makes the bush come alive in a way that feels intimate, African and authentic.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the wild and a slow drive back through golden light. The silence out here is not empty—it’s full of life.

Overnight Options (Central Serengeti):

• Budget: Pimbi Campsite
• Standard: Serengeti Kati Kati Camp
• Luxury: Melia Serengeti or Ole Serai Moru Kopjes

Day 4: From Plains to Paradise – Fly to Zanzibar

This morning, you bid farewell to the Serengeti with a final sunrise game drive. Meet the Serengeti’s lions, cheetahs, giraffes and more. Later, then your guide shall transfer you to the airstrip for your direct flight to Zanzibar with the memories of the dry earth to turquoise waters in less than two hours—Africa’s contrasts never fail to surprise.

You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your coastal hotel. The ocean is calling.

Overnight Options (Zanzibar – Nungwi or Kendwa Beach):

• Budget: Aluna Beach Lodge
• Standard: Z Hotel Zanzibar
• Luxury: Zuri Zanzibar or Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Day 5: Spice & Stone – Island Life Unfolds

After breakfast, you can take a spice tour through the island’s aromatic heart or wander through Stone Town, where Arabic, Swahili, and colonial histories twist through narrow streets and carved doors.

Or do nothing at all. Just lie back with your feet in the sand and your thoughts carried by the waves.

Overnight Options (Zanzibar – Nungwi or Kendwa Beach):

• Budget: Aluna Beach Lodge
• Standard: Z Hotel Zanzibar
• Luxury: Zuri Zanzibar or Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Day 6: Choose Your Rhythm – Snorkel, Sail, or Sunbathe

Want to snorkel coral reefs? Take a dhow cruise at sunset? Or maybe sip fresh juice while reading under a palm tree? Today’s pace is entirely yours. Our local partners can arrange it all—or let you disappear into bliss.

Overnight Options (Zanzibar – Nungwi or Kendwa Beach):

• Budget: Aluna Beach Lodge
• Standard: Z Hotel Zanzibar
• Luxury: Zuri Zanzibar or Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Day 7: One Last Day in Paradise

Today is your last full day in Zanzibar and it’s entirely yours to savor. Consider a quiet beach walk, a visit to Jozani Forest to spot red colobus monkeys, or a massage by the waves. As the sun sets, breathe it in: warm wind, salt air, peace. Feel free to ask your guide for suggestions and recommendations.

Overnight Options (Zanzibar – Nungwi or Kendwa Beach):

• Budget: Aluna Beach Lodge
• Standard: Z Hotel Zanzibar
• Luxury: Zuri Zanzibar or Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Day 8: Farewell Zanzibar – Departure

After breakfast, we’ll transfer you to Zanzibar International for your international flight or connection via Dar es Salaam. It’s the end of your safari—but not of the story.

With Serengeti Lion Safaris, we don’t just show you Africa. We help you feel it—from the wild beat of hooves to the soft rhythm of the tide.