14 days Southern Highlands, Ruaha & Zanzibar
Tanzania’s green corner: crater lakes and wildflower plateaus in the Mbeya highlands, tea country at Mufindi, then Ruaha and the ocean.
Hiking & Wildlife
Northern Safari, Usambara & Zanzibar
The northern parks, then two days in the East Usambara forest at Magoroto, then the island — a route that puts a mountain forest between the bush and the beach.
Opens your browser’s print dialog. Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy.
At a glance
- Destinations
- Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Tarangire · Magoroto · Zanzibar
- Best for
- Wildlife safari, Hiking, Beach & marine, Culture & history
- Travel style
- Mid-range · Drive, Fly-in
- Activity level
- Moderate — walking days on forest and mountain paths
- Best time to travel
- June to October usually offers a good balance for northern game drives, Usambara and Magoroto walking, and Zanzibar beach time. Mountain paths can still be damp; the March to May rains make the walking and road sections less predictable.
- Start and end
- Starts in Arusha, ends in Zanzibar
Why this journey
- Six days through the four northern parks
- Two days at Magoroto, a forest reserve around a crater lake
- Stone Town, Prison Island and then Nungwi on the north coast
- A spice farm on the last full day
- Days can be added at either end without reworking the route
Day by day
Fifteen days that break the usual safari-then-beach pattern with a stop nobody expects: Magoroto, a crater lake in the East Usambara forest above Muheza. It slows the journey down at exactly the point where most itineraries are simply driving to the coast.
Day 0 — Arusha (for late evening arrivals)
Meet and greet at Kilimanjaro Airport in the evening, then transfer to the accommodation.
Stay Arusha Coffee Lodge / Karama Lodge / Maasai Camp Meals Dinner
Day 1 — Arusha to Lake Manyara
Depart after breakfast (Day 0 arrivals) or directly from the airport (early morning arrivals, with breakfast in Arusha). Head to Lake Manyara with lunch boxes for an afternoon and evening game drive, then back to the accommodation.
Stay Lake Manyara Tree Top Lodge / Ngorongoro Farm House / Jambo Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 2 — Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park
Early morning departure via Olduvai Gorge, visiting the museum for a lecture on the exhibits and archaeological discoveries. Continue to the Serengeti with game viewing en route and through the evening.
Stay Serengeti Under Canvas Tent / Kati Kati Tented Camp / Serengeti Public Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater rim
A very early morning game drive before a late breakfast, then depart with lunch boxes to the crater rim with extensive game viewing along the route.
Stay Ngorongoro Crater Lodge / Ngorongoro Serena Lodge / Simba Public Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 — Ngorongoro Crater tour
Early breakfast, then descend into the crater for a full-day game drive. The caldera contains approximately 25,000 animals including the Big Five. Lunch at the picnic site; the game drive continues until late evening.
Stay Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge / Kudu Lodge / Fig Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5 — Culture tour and chill-out day, on to Tarangire
A morning walk with a local guide in Mto wa Mbu visiting rice fields, banana plantations, the local market, a primary school and an orphanage, with a meal prepared by a local family. An afternoon visit to a Maasai boma with spontaneous Maasai dance and chanting. Evening drive to the Tarangire accommodation.
Stay Maramboi Luxury Tented / Tarangire Safari / Tarangire Public Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 — Full day game drive in Tarangire National Park
An early start after breakfast to catch the morning animal movements. Tarangire's dry, undulating savanna is dotted with acacias. Picnic lunch from an elevated viewpoint over the Tarangire River, with elephants, gazelles, antelope and other species.
Stay Maramboi Luxury Tented / Tarangire Safari / Tarangire Public Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 — Tarangire to Moshi
A morning game drive in Tarangire, then the drive to Moshi for easier access to the Usambara mountains on Day 8.
Stay Salinero Hotel / Malaika House / The Secret Garden Hotel Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 — Moshi to the East Usambara Mountains (Magoroto Forest)
Depart Moshi after breakfast and drive to the Eastern Usambara accommodation. Lunch on arrival; the afternoon is relaxation at the lodge or trail exploration.
Stay Magoroto Forest Hut Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9 — Full day in the East Usambara Mountains (Magoroto Forest)
Clients choose their activities: mountain hiking, mountain biking, fishing, birdwatching, horse riding, or swimming at Magoroto lake.
Stay Magoroto Forest Hut Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10 — Drive to Dar es Salaam, fly to Zanzibar
After breakfast, a 6-hour drive to a Dar es Salaam hotel and the airport, then the flight to Zanzibar Stone Town. On arrival, transfer to the Stone Town hotel for a shower and evening rest.
Stay DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar / Tembo House Hotel / Malindi Guest House Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11 — Stone Town and Prison Island tour
Early breakfast, then a guided tour of historic Stone Town, hot lunch at a Stone Town restaurant, and a private boat to Prison Island for a tour and swimming. Return to Stone Town for spice food tasting at Forodhani Gardens, with the guide escorting you back.
Stay DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar / Tembo House Hotel / Malindi Guest House Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 12 — Stone Town to Nungwi Beach
A relaxed late breakfast, then a professional guide picks you up for the transfer to Nungwi, one of Zanzibar's premier beach destinations. Spend the rest of the day at your own pace on white sand beaches, swimming in turquoise water or enjoying ocean views.
Stay The Residence Zanzibar / The Zanzibar / Badolina Bungalow Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 13 — Relaxing at the beach
A day devoted to relaxation, with walks along beautiful, clean white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters.
Stay The Residence Zanzibar / The Zanzibar / Badolina Bungalow Meals Breakfast & Lunch
Day 14 — Spice tour and a free afternoon
A morning spice tour (included) visiting plantations and tasting spices, then an evening transfer to The Rock Restaurant for sunset and dinner.
Stay The Residence Zanzibar / The Zanzibar / Badolina Bungalow Meals Breakfast & Lunch
Day 15 — Zanzibar, back home
After breakfast, check out and transfer to the seaport for the ferry to Dar es Salaam, then airport transfer or an alternative drop-off point in Dar.
Meals Breakfast & Lunch
Stay and travel
Comfortable mid-range lodges and tented camps, inside the parks wherever the route allows.
Light aircraft on the routed sectors, with a road vehicle and guide waiting at each strip.
Camps fill and light aircraft schedules move. Where something changes we substitute at the same level and tell you before you travel, not after.
Included and excluded
What is included
- Every activity named in the day-by-day
- Accommodation as listed, or a similar alternative if a camp is full
- Meals as noted against each day
- Transfers between the agreed pick-up and drop-off points
- Park, reserve and conservation area fees
- An English-speaking Tanzanian driver-guide
- A 4×4 with a roof hatch, or the vehicle the route calls for
- Drinking water through the day
- Government taxes
- Boat safari and transfers
- TANAPA armed ranger where the park requires one
- Ngorongoro crater service fee
Not included
- International flights, airport taxes and visa fees
- Travel, medical and baggage insurance
- Personal spending — drinks, laundry, telephone
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Anything not listed as included
Practical information
- Activity level
- Walking days on forest and mountain paths, some of them steep and often wet underfoot. Ordinary walking fitness is enough.
- Luggage on light aircraft
- Bush flights cap baggage at around 15 kg in a soft bag. Anything else can wait at your first hotel.
- Visas, insurance and tipping
- A visa is arranged before travel or on arrival. Travel and medical insurance is a condition of booking. Tipping is customary and we will suggest a range rather than set one.
Related journeys
Every route here can be changed
Tell us what you would keep, what you would drop and how long you have. We will send back a version that is yours.