20 days The Grand Safari — Southern Tanzania to Northern Tanzania
Southern Tanzania and Northern Tanzania in one overland journey through Dodoma — the only route we run that crosses the whole country by road.
Wildlife & Migration
Gombe, Southern Tanzania & Mafia Island
Chimpanzees at Gombe, four southern parks, then six days on Mafia doing nothing at all. Three weeks that end slower than they start.
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At a glance
- Destinations
- Gombe · Ruaha · Udzungwa · Mikumi · Nyerere · Mafia Island
- Best for
- Chimpanzees, Wildlife safari, Hiking, Beach & marine
- Travel style
- Mid-range · Fly-in, Drive, Ferry/boat
- Activity level
- Moderate — walking days on forest and mountain paths
- Best time to travel
- July to October usually offers a good overlap for Gombe chimpanzee tracking, southern game drives, Udzungwa walking and the Mafia stay. Whale-shark interests may call for later dates, with a wetter safari trade-off; lake and sea transfers remain weather-dependent.
- Start and end
- Starts and ends in Dar es Salaam
Why this journey
- Chimpanzee tracking at Gombe on Lake Tanganyika
- Two full days of game drives in Ruaha
- Walking in Udzungwa, then Mikumi and Nyerere
- Six days on Mafia Island
- A route that ends with nothing planned, on purpose
Day by day
The shape here is deliberate: the demanding half first — the lake, the forest, the game drives — and then almost a week on Mafia with no schedule. The island stretch is longer than any other route we run.
Day 1 — Arrival
Airport pickup at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam with transfer to the lodging. The city, meaning Haven of Peace, grew from a mid-19th century fishing village developed by the Sultan of Zanzibar into a modern metropolis of 5.5 million people where traditional dhows coexist with ocean-going vessels.
Stay budget Kiseki Guest House / midrange Southern Sun / luxury Hyatt Regency Meals Dinner
Day 2 — Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Gombe Stream National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Kigoma Town. From the port on Lake Tanganyika, depart by boat to Gombe Stream. Afternoon activities include chimpanzee viewing and the Kakombe waterfalls, roughly a 30-minute walk from camp, which visitors often pass during chimp tracking.
Stay budget Tanapa Bandas / luxury Grey Stone Luxury Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 — Gombe Stream National Park
Post-breakfast chimp tracking in the forest; most groups return at lunchtime unless carrying packed meals. Afternoon options include more chimp tracking, beach walks, swimming or visits to local fishing villages for village life on the lake shore.
Stay budget Tanapa Bandas / luxury Grey Stone Luxury Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 — Gombe to Ruaha National Park
Depart after breakfast to the airstrip for the flight to Ruaha. On arrival, driver-guides conduct game viewing en route to the accommodation.
Stay budget Tanapa Bandas / midrange Ruaha River Lodge / luxury Kigelia Luxury Tented Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Days 5 & 6 — Full day game drives in Ruaha National Park
Multiple game drives through Ruaha, featuring walking in wilderness areas. So much wildlife to see! with numerous bird species including Eurasian migrants.
Stay budget Tanapa Bandas / midrange Ruaha River Lodge / luxury Kigelia Luxury Tented Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 — Ruaha to Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Breakfast, then depart with a packed lunch and game viewing en route. Stop at the Isimila Stone Age Site, one of Africa's most important historical sites. A mid-afternoon arrival at the charming market town allows relaxation before evening.
Stay budget Twiga Hotel / midrange Hondo Hondo Tented Camp / luxury Udzungwa Falls Lodge Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 — Wonderful walking in Udzungwa Park
Breakfast followed by trekking through an extremely beautiful area. A bush lunch precedes waterfall exploration, with endemic red colobus monkeys a probable sighting. The evening features a glorious sunset followed by dinner.
Stay budget Twiga Hotel / midrange Hondo Hondo Tented Camp / luxury Udzungwa Falls Lodge Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9 — Udzungwa to Mikumi National Park
Post-breakfast departure to Mikumi for a full-day game drive, then an afternoon game drive before returning to the lodgings.
Stay budget Mikumi Campsite / midrange Vuma Hill Tented Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10 — Mikumi Park to Selous Game Reserve
An approximately eight-hour journey over the Uluguru Mountains, crossing rivers, small villages and farmland, with game drives en route before checking in at the reserve.
Stay budget Tagalala Campsite / midrange Rufiji River Camp / luxury Selous Mivumo Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11 — Full day at Selous Game Reserve
A morning walking safari with experienced guides providing magical, African bush excitement – just like the explorers over a century ago, then return for lunch. An afternoon boat safari on the Rufiji River observes hippos, crocodiles and numerous animals and birds along the banks.
Stay budget Kituri Selous Camp / midrange Rufiji River Camp / luxury Selous Mivumo Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 12 — Full day at Selous Game Reserve
Breakfast followed by a full-day game drive. The Rufiji River, adjoining swamps, savanna and miombo woodland hold large animal populations, with possible sightings of lion, elephant, kudu, wild dog and leopard — almost any East African animal or bird.
Stay budget Kituri Selous Camp / midrange Rufiji River Camp / luxury Selous Mivumo Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 13 — Selous Game Reserve to Mafia Island
Breakfast, then transfer to Mtemere airstrip for the 09:00 flight to Mafia. On arrival, transfer to the lodgings for relaxation before dinner.
Stay midrange Mafia Island Lodge / luxury Kingasi Luxury Lodge Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Days 14–19 — Relaxation on Mafia Island
Leisure days with optional water sports. The Indian Ocean provides ideal conditions for seaside activities, and the area offers some of the best diving and snorkeling off the East African coast, with over 400 species of fish on the surrounding coral reefs.
Stay midrange Mafia Island Lodge / luxury Kingasi Luxury Lodge Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 20 — Mafia Island to Dar es Salaam
Transfer to Mafia airstrip for the return flight to Dar, airport pickup and lodging transfer, then after a rest an afternoon city tour of Dar es Salaam.
Stay midrange Kunduchi Beach Hotel / luxury Dar es Salaam Serena Lodge Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 21 — Departure day
Transfer to Julius Nyerere International Airport for the scheduled return flight home.
Meals Breakfast
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
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.
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Tracking is on foot, on the animals’ terms, and can mean several hours of steep forest walking. Minimum ages and group sizes are set by the park — we confirm both when you book.
- 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.