7 Days Private Tanzania Big Five Safari and Zanzibar Beach Holiday

Your private Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a representative from Burigi Chato Safaris will welcome you after your arrival. Once you've completed the airport formalities and collected your luggage, meet your private driver for the journey to Arusha, a lively town surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of northern Tanzania. The transfer normally takes approximately one to one and a half hours, passing through villages, cultivated farmland and countryside with views of Mount Meru when the weather is clear. On arrival at your selected midrange hotel, you'll have time to check in, refresh and recover from your international journey. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy dinner at the hotel or take a short walk around the nearby surroundings. Your safari guide will confirm the following morning's departure time and discuss the wildlife destinations you'll be visiting, giving you a clear introduction to the adventure ahead.

Destination:

Kilimanjaro Airport

Overnight:

Gold Crest Hotel

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch, Dinner

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After breakfast at around 7:00 AM, meet your private safari guide and leave Arusha for Tarangire National Park, a wildlife destination known for its impressive elephant populations, ancient baobab trees and diverse landscapes. The drive usually takes around two hours, travelling through the countryside and Maasai pastoral areas before reaching the park entrance. Once inside, begin exploring Tarangire's open grasslands, acacia woodland and the areas surrounding the Tarangire River, which provides an important source of water for wildlife, particularly during the dry season. You'll have opportunities to observe elephants moving in family groups, giraffes feeding among tall trees, buffaloes grazing on the plains and zebras gathering near water sources. Your guide will also search for predators such as lions and leopards, although encounters depend on the animals' movements. Around midday, stop at a designated picnic area for lunch before continuing your afternoon wildlife drive, with time to photograph the park's remarkable baobab scenery. Later, leave Tarangire and continue towards your comfortable midrange lodge in the Lake Manyara or Karatu area, where dinner and a relaxing evening await.

Destination:

Tarangire

Overnight:

Manyara Safari Lodge

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Begin the morning with breakfast at your lodge before travelling towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, leaving the Lake Manyara or Karatu region at approximately 6:30 AM. As the road climbs into the highlands, enjoy views of forested slopes, green countryside and traditional farming areas before reaching the crater rim. Stop at the viewpoint to admire the enormous volcanic caldera, then descend approximately 600 metres to the crater floor for an unforgettable private game drive. Ngorongoro is one of Tanzania's most rewarding destinations for searching for the Big Five, and your guide will explore its grasslands, woodland and wetland areas in search of elephants, lions, buffaloes and the endangered black rhino, while explaining why leopards are much harder to find. Along the way, you may also encounter zebras, wildebeest, hippos and a variety of bird species around Lake Magadi and nearby marshes. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site and continue observing wildlife before ascending the crater wall in the afternoon. Return to your midrange lodge around Karatu or the Ngorongoro Highlands for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Destination:

Ngorongoro Crater

Overnight:

Angata Ngorongoro Camp

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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After breakfast at approximately 7:00 AM, leave the Ngorongoro Highlands and travel towards Serengeti National Park, following one of northern Tanzania's most scenic safari routes. The journey takes you across the conservation area's rolling landscapes before opening into the vast plains of the Serengeti, where scattered acacia trees and rocky outcrops stretch towards the horizon. Along the way, you'll pass through Maasai pastoral country and enjoy views of the changing vegetation before reaching Naabi Hill Gate for the park entry formalities. Continue towards central Serengeti, where wildlife viewing begins along the permitted game-drive routes. This is a full day of safari travel, with the main game-drive time generally taking place in the afternoon because of the distance from Ngorongoro. Your private guide will explore the Seronera region, looking for lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and other wildlife among the grasslands, river habitats and rocky kopjes. After a picnic lunch and further wildlife viewing, continue towards your selected midrange tented camp or lodge before evening, enjoying your first night surrounded by the sounds of the Serengeti.

Destination:

Central Serengeti

Overnight:

Kati Kati Tented Camp

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Wake up early for your final wildlife experience in Serengeti National Park, with a morning game drive planned around your confirmed flight departure time. When the schedule allows, set out at approximately 6:00 AM to explore the central Serengeti during the cooler hours, when predators may still be active and the soft morning sunlight creates beautiful views across the grasslands. Your guide will search for lions, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants and other animals while travelling through suitable wildlife areas towards Seronera Airstrip. After enjoying your final moments on safari, proceed to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Zanzibar, which may operate directly or include an intermediate stop depending on the airline. Upon arrival at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, meet your private driver and continue to your selected midrange beach hotel. The scenery changes completely as you leave the African savannah behind and arrive among palm trees, sandy beaches and the turquoise Indian Ocean. After checking in, spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing by the pool, walking along the beach or enjoying the beautiful coastal atmosphere before dinner.

Destination:

Central Serengeti

Overnight:

Tembo House Hotel

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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After breakfast at approximately 8:30 AM, meet your private Zanzibar guide and begin a cultural journey through historic Stone Town, the old centre of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through its narrow streets, where beautifully carved wooden doors, historic buildings and lively markets reflect centuries of African, Arab, Indian and European influences. Your guide will explain Zanzibar's trading history while leading you past important landmarks such as the Old Fort, the former slave market site and the seafront around Forodhani Gardens, with visits depending on opening hours and your interests. Around midday, continue to a traditional spice farm outside the city, where you'll walk among clove trees, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg and other aromatic plants that helped establish Zanzibar's reputation as the Spice Island. Your guide will show you how the spices grow, explain their culinary and traditional uses, and offer opportunities to smell or taste selected plants and tropical fruits. After completing the plantation tour, return to your midrange beach hotel in the late afternoon, leaving the evening free for relaxation.

Destination:

Stone Town Zanzibar

Overnight:

Tembo House Hotel

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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After breakfast at your beach hotel, set out at approximately 8:00 AM for your final full-day experience in Zanzibar, travelling privately towards the island's northeastern coastline. The drive takes you through tropical countryside and local villages before reaching the Matemwe or Muyuni area, where boat excursions to Mnemba Atoll usually begin. Meet your boat crew, receive a safety briefing and head towards the coral reef areas surrounding Mnemba Island, one of Zanzibar's best-known snorkeling destinations. The island itself is privately managed, so your excursion focuses on the surrounding marine environment rather than landing on the island. Once you reach suitable snorkeling spots, enjoy swimming above coral formations and observing colourful reef fish moving through the clear waters. Your guide and boat crew will choose locations according to the day's tides, visibility and sea conditions, with time to rest on board between sessions. Dolphins and sea turtles are sometimes encountered in the surrounding waters, although sightings are not guaranteed. After your ocean adventure, return to the coast and transfer back to your midrange hotel, where the afternoon is free for swimming, beach relaxation or enjoying your final evening in Zanzibar.

Destination:

Prison Island

Overnight:

Amaan Beach Bungalows

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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After breakfast at your beach hotel, set out at approximately 8:00 AM for your final full-day experience in Zanzibar, travelling privately towards the island's northeastern coastline. The drive takes you through tropical countryside and local villages before reaching the Matemwe or Muyuni area, where boat excursions to Mnemba Atoll usually begin. Meet your boat crew, receive a safety briefing and head towards the coral reef areas surrounding Mnemba Island, one of Zanzibar's best-known snorkeling destinations. The island itself is privately managed, so your excursion focuses on the surrounding marine environment rather than landing on the island. Once you reach suitable snorkeling spots, enjoy swimming above coral formations and observing colourful reef fish moving through the clear waters. Your guide and boat crew will choose locations according to the day's tides, visibility and sea conditions, with time to rest on board between sessions. Dolphins and sea turtles are sometimes encountered in the surrounding waters, although sightings are not guaranteed. After your ocean adventure, return to the coast and transfer back to your midrange hotel, where the afternoon is free for swimming, beach relaxation or enjoying your final evening in Zanzibar.

Destination:

Mnemba

Overnight:

Amaan Beach Bungalows

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Enjoy your final breakfast at your midrange beach hotel before preparing for your journey home. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have some free time to relax, enjoy the ocean views or take a last walk along the beach before checking out. Your private Burigi Chato Safaris driver will collect you at the agreed time and transfer you to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, allowing sufficient time for check-in and departure procedures. Your 7-day private Tanzania Big Five safari and Zanzibar holiday comes to an end with wonderful memories of Tarangire's elephants, Ngorongoro's remarkable wildlife, the sweeping Serengeti plains and Zanzibar's historic attractions, tropical islands and beautiful coral reefs. Thank you for choosing Burigi Chato Safaris. We wish you a safe journey home and look forward to welcoming you back to Tanzania.