· Golden Memories Safaris
Few trips combine as well as a Tanzanian safari and a Zanzibar beach holiday. You spend the first days watching lions, elephants and giraffes on the plains, then fly to a tropical island for white sand, warm water and an old Swahili town. It is the classic Tanzania itinerary, and ten days is the ideal length to do it without rushing either half. This guide sets out a day by day plan, explains how the flights work, gives the official park fees behind the price, shows what a trip like this costs, and offers tips for the best time to go.
Why combine safari and Zanzibar
A safari is exciting but tiring. Early starts, long drives and dusty days can leave you in need of a rest, and the beach is the perfect cure. Zanzibar also adds a different side of Tanzania, with Swahili culture, spice plantations and the old streets of Stone Town. Because the same visa covers the mainland and the islands, and because scheduled flights connect the Serengeti and Arusha with Zanzibar, combining them is easy. The Tanzania Meteorological Authority notes that northern Tanzania and Zanzibar share the same two rainy seasons, so the right months for one are usually good for the other.
The best time for a safari and beach trip
The driest months in northern Tanzania and Zanzibar are from June to October, and January and February are relatively dry as well. These are the best months for combining the two, because you get good game viewing and good beach weather. The long rains from March to May and the short rains from October to December bring showers and quieter, cheaper conditions, and some small beach hotels close in April and May. For the most reliable trip, we recommend June to October or January to February.
Read the best time to visit guide
The 10 day itinerary, day by day
Day 1: arrive in Arusha
You land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where our team meets you and takes you to your hotel in Arusha. Rest after the flight, and meet your guide for a briefing on the days ahead. If you arrive early, you can visit local markets and cultural sites.
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
After breakfast you drive for about two hours to Tarangire National Park, which covers about 2,850 square kilometres. The park is known for its large elephant herds, giant baobab trees and the Tarangire River, which attracts wildlife in the dry season. You spend the day on game drive with a picnic lunch, and overnight in a lodge near the park. The official TANAPA tariff charges non resident adults USD 50 per day.
Day 3: Karatu and the road to the Serengeti
Today you climb through the Ngorongoro Highlands, stopping at the crater viewpoint, and continue to the Serengeti with a picnic lunch. An afternoon game drive takes you into the Seronera area, the central heart of the Serengeti, with its lions, leopards, cheetahs and herds of grazers. The conservation fee is USD 70 per adult per day in the peak season.
Day 4: a full day in the Serengeti
Rise early for a full day exploring the plains. The Serengeti was inscribed by UNESCO in 1981 and covers about 1.48 million hectares, so there is always more to see. Depending on the month, you may see the Great Migration, with calving in the south from January to March or river crossings in the north from July to October.
Day 5: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater
After a morning game drive, you travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and your lodge on or near the crater rim. The Conservation Area charges non East African adults USD 70.80 per 24 hours, and a crater service fee of USD 295 per vehicle is charged for the descent. The crater is about 610 metres deep with a floor of around 260 square kilometres, and holds roughly 25,000 large animals.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater and flight to Zanzibar
Descend into the crater at dawn for a game drive, with a chance of black rhino, lions, elephants and hippos. After a picnic lunch, you climb out and transfer to the airstrip or the airport for a scheduled flight to Zanzibar, where a driver takes you to your beach hotel. This is a long day, but it gets you to the coast in time for dinner by the sea.
Day 7: Stone Town and spice tour
Spend the day discovering Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, whose mostly nineteenth century architecture reflects Arab, Persian, Indian and European influences on Swahili culture. Walk the narrow streets, visit the markets and the waterfront, and then enjoy a spice farm visit where you can smell and taste cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Return to the beach in the afternoon.
Day 8: beach day
Relax on the sand, swim, snorkel or take a dhow cruise. The east coast beaches such as Paje and Matemwe have tides that change the character of the water, while the north coast beaches around Nungwi and Kendwa have beaches that are swimmable at most times. Your choice of coast affects the experience, so we match it to your plans.
Day 9: Jozani Forest or a second beach day
Visit Jozani Forest to see the Zanzibar red colobus monkey, one of Africa’s rarest primates, which lives only on Unguja. About a third of the population lives in and around Jozani, which protects around 25 square kilometres of habitat. Or choose a second beach day, a snorkelling trip or a sunset dhow cruise.
Day 10: departure
Enjoy a last breakfast by the sea and transfer to Zanzibar airport for your flight home or onward. Because the island has an international airport, many guests fly straight home from there.
- 8 Day Luxury Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Beach Escape
- 7 Day Ndutu & Zanzibar Honeymoon Safari 2026–2027
How the flights work
The key link in this itinerary is the domestic flight from the northern parks to Zanzibar. Auric Air, for example, has advertised daily flights from the Serengeti airstrips to Zanzibar with a flight time of about one hour and forty five minutes, and its Arusha to Zanzibar service takes a little over an hour. Other airlines, including Coastal Aviation, also serve the route. Light aircraft have strict luggage limits, usually about 15 to 20 kilograms per person including hand luggage, in a soft bag. Leave extra luggage at your Arusha hotel or send it ahead.
What it costs
The price of a safari and beach trip depends on three things: the style of safari, the type of beach hotel and the number of nights. As a guide, our current prices per person for two travellers sharing are:
- 8 day luxury Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach escape: from USD 7,800 per person.
- 7 day Ndutu and Zanzibar honeymoon safari: from USD 3,200 per person.
- Midrange safari of 5 to 7 days, plus a beach package of three or four nights: usually a combination of our midrange safari prices, from USD 1,950 to USD 2,800, plus a separate beach stay.
A full quote should include park fees, safari accommodation, meals as specified, the 4x4 and guide, domestic flights, airport transfers, and breakfast at the beach hotel. International flights, visa, insurance, tips and Zanzibar lunches and dinners are normally extra.
Choosing the style: luxury, midrange or honeymoon
The same ten days can feel completely different depending on the style you choose. A luxury version uses the finest camps in the Serengeti and a high end beach resort, with flights in and out of the park to save time. A midrange version uses comfortable lodges and tented camps, drives between the parks and a mid priced beach hotel, which keeps the cost down. A honeymoon version emphasises privacy, romantic camps and a quiet stretch of the coast, often with a private dinner on the beach. All three share the same shape, a week of wildlife followed by a few days of rest, so the choice depends on your budget and what matters most to you.
If you are not sure, tell us your budget and the style of trip you enjoy, and we will suggest the version that fits. We can also adjust the number of nights on each side, spending more time on the beach if you want to relax, or more days in the Serengeti if wildlife is the priority.
Where to stay on Zanzibar
Zanzibar has a wide range of beach hotels, from simple guesthouses to luxury resorts. The north coast, around Nungwi and Kendwa, has beaches that are good for swimming at any tide and lively evenings. The east coast, around Paje, Jambiani and Matemwe, is quieter, with dramatic tides and a lagoon, and is known for water sports. Stone Town is a good base for one or two nights, but most guests prefer a beach for the rest of the stay. We recommend choosing the coast according to your interests and booking at least one night in Stone Town if you love history.
Variations on the plan
A shorter trip: 7 days
Cut Tarangire and spend two nights in the Serengeti, one in the crater area and three on Zanzibar. It is the pattern behind our honeymoon safari and Zanzibar itinerary.
A longer trip: 14 days
Add Lake Manyara, the northern Serengeti or Lake Eyasi, and spend five or six nights on the coast. You can also include a Mount Meru climb for the active.
A fly in plan
Fly into the Serengeti directly from Zanzibar, spend three or four days there and fly back. This works well if you want most of your time on the beach, or if you are staying on Zanzibar already. Our fly in safaris from Zanzibar explain the options.
Read our safari from Zanzibar guide
Practical tips
- One visa covers both the mainland and Zanzibar. The official ordinary tourist eVisa costs USD 50.
- Dress modestly in Stone Town and villages, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep swimwear for the beach.
- Do not bring plastic carrier bags or a drone.
- Book the domestic flights early in the peak season, because seats on light aircraft are limited.
- Allow a buffer on your last day if you have an international flight, because domestic flights can be delayed.
- Take travel insurance that covers both the safari and the island, including medical evacuation.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for a safari and Zanzibar?
Yes. Six days of safari and four on the island is a comfortable split and lets you see the main northern parks and enjoy the beach.
Should I do the safari first or the beach first?
Safari first, in most cases. The early starts are easier at the beginning of the trip, and you finish by relaxing on the beach.
How do I get from the Serengeti to Zanzibar?
By scheduled flight from one of the Serengeti airstrips, sometimes via Arusha. The flight takes under two hours.
What is the best month for this itinerary?
June to October, or January and February, for the driest weather in both the parks and on the coast.
Is this a good honeymoon itinerary?
It is one of the most popular. A private safari, a luxury camp and a beach hotel make for a romantic combination, and our honeymoon packages are built around it.
Plan your safari and beach holiday with a local team
Tell us your dates, your budget and the style you prefer. We will plan the safari, book the flights and choose the right part of Zanzibar for you.
Keep planning your Tanzania trip
These guides cover the next questions most travellers ask.
7 day Tanzania safari itinerary for first timers
Safari from Zanzibar: fly in trips
More guides and pages for this trip
Tanzania mandatory travel insurance
Sources and further reading
Facts and figures in this guide come from the sources below. Fees, schedules and entry rules change, so confirm current details before you book.
- Tanzania Meteorological Authority, climate statements, meteo.go.tz.
- Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), Tariffs from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, tanzaniaparks.go.tz.
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, Tariffs, ncaa.go.tz.
- Tanzania Immigration Department, eVisa guidelines, visa.immigration.go.tz.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Stone Town of Zanzibar (2000), whc.unesco.org.
- Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Jozani Forest tour, zanzibartourism.go.tz.
- Auric Air and Tanzania aviation news (atcnews.org) on scheduled flights between Zanzibar and the northern parks.
- Golden Memories Safaris package prices, per person for two travellers sharing, October 2026.