16 Day Tanzania Nothern/Southern Circuit Wildlife Safari and Zanzibar
Overview
Join us on a Unique blend of iconic game viewing and remote wilderness, this tour combines the well-known northern circuit with the less-explored southern parks. From witnessing the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti NP to exploring the diverse landscapes and wildlife of Ruaha NP, Mikumi NP & Nyerere NP, additionally fly to the endless white sands beach of Zanzibar for relaxation. This Trip gives you the best of Tanzania.
Included/Excluded
- Meals ( 15 Breakfasts, lunches & Dinners)
- Accommodation listed on the itinerary or similar
- Roundtrip Transfers in a standard 4X4 Safari Van
- Parks entrances fees
- Game drives
- Services of English speaking guide driver.
- Cultural experiences
- Kilimanjaro - Dar Es Salaam flight
- Iringa/Dodoma - Zanzibar flight
- Price excludes all other things of personal nature like the bar bills, visas, gratitudes, personal insurance, porter hire among others
Tour Plan
Day 1: Arrive Arusha - Lake Manya National Park
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel lounge meet with your driver/guide and he will introduce himself and the entire safari to you, and then be followed with a transfer to Lake Manyara National Park. It’s well known for the tree climbing lions, the soda ash lake that attracts thousands and pink flamingos, one of Tanzania’s biggest elephant population as well as other wildlife like giraffes, buffaloes and breathtaking scenery! Overnight at Jangwani River View Lodge or Similar
Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park - Serengeti National Park
An early morning breakfast will be followed with a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park and then transfer to followed by a journey to Serengeti National Park for exciting game drives, where you'll enjoy packed lunch boxes. After a day filled with thrilling wildlife encounters, you'll be transferred back to the lodge for some relaxation, dinner.
Serengeti National Park is famous for the incredible migration of zebras, antelopes, and wildebeests, as they move in search of fresh pastures, lush grasslands, and water, particularly during the rainy season. Be prepared to witness the park's resident predators, including leopards, cheetahs, and lions, playing their essential roles in the circle of life. Overnight at Kontiki Serengeti Camp or Similar
Day 3: Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Your adventure continues with an early morning game drive through Serengeti National Park, searching for the great migration. After a delicious lunch, you'll head back out for more exciting wildlife viewing before making your way to Ngorongoro. You'll spend the night at a charming lodge perched on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Central Serengeti, or Seronera, is the heart of Serengeti National Park, known for its stunning savannahs, rolling hills, and the Seronera River. This area offers exceptional wildlife viewing, including predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as large herds of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. It's a prime spot for witnessing the great migration and offers breathtaking landscapes and iconic kopjes. Overnight at Ngorongoro Kuhama Camp or Similar
Day 4: Ngorongoro Craters - Arusha
After breakfast, we'll descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for captivating game drives. Once we've explored this natural wonder and its abundant wildlife, will be followed with a transfer to Arusha.
Ngorongoro Crater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's natural wonders. It boasts the largest uninterrupted caldera globally and is home to approximately 30,000 large mammals that reside here year-round. Expect to encounter a wide array of wildlife, including buffaloes, lions, elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, and numerous bird species such as flamingos, eagles, and buzzards. This destination offers an incredible opportunity to witness a multitude of animals in a relatively short span of time. Overnight at Sanna Boutique Hotel or similar
Day 5: Arusha - Dar Es Salaam
Following an early morning breakfast, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for a flight with Tanzania air that departs at 06:50am for a 2hours flight to Dar Es Salaam, upon your arrival at Dar International Airport be received by your guide and then do a bit of the city tour to visit the Kariako Market & relaxing at the beach.
Dar es Salaam, is a major city and commercial port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast, grew from a fishing village. The open-air Village Museum has re-created the traditional homes of local and other Tanzanian tribes and hosts tribal dancing. It’s part of the National Museum, which offers Tanzanian history exhibits, including the fossils of human ancestors found by anthropologist Louis Leakey. Overnight at Serena Hotel Dar Es Salaam or similar
Day 6: Dar Es Salaam - Nyerere National Park
Following an early morning breakfast, transfer to Nyerere National Park formerly Serous Game reserve for about 4/5 hours drive. Upon arrival check in at the hotel and later in the afternoon go for a boat cruise on river Rufuji which you’ll have an excellent wildlife viewing most especially the close encounter to water resident animals like crocodiles, hippopotamuses and other wildlife/birdlife that will have come to the river to quench their thirst. Overnight at serous Safari Lodge
Day 7: Boat Cruise and Game drives, Nyerere National Park
Following an early morning breakfast, you will embark on a full-day game drive into the expansive Selous Game Reserve, where you'll have the opportunity to discover its rich wildlife and pristine landscapes. You'll likely encounter numerous elephants, buffalo, lion prides, giraffes, zebras, and impalas. Selous is particularly renowned for hosting a larger population of African wild dogs than any other national park in Tanzania.
During your adventure, you'll pause for a picnic lunch at a safe vantage point, allowing you to savor the stunning surroundings while watching for wildlife in their natural environment. Overnight at serous Safari Lodge
Day 8: Nyerere National Park - Mikumi National Park
After an early breakfast will be followed with a transfer to Mikumi National Park. Along the way you’ll pass through farms, valleys, and villages featuring excellent views of the landscape. As you make your way into Mikumi National Park you’ll see elephants, giraffes, lions, leopard, jackal, and hyenas. Overnight at Camp Bastian Mikumi or Similar
Day 9: Game drives, Mikumi National Park
This morning you’ll eat breakfast at leisure before departing on a full day game drive in Mikumi National Park. You’ll eat a picnic lunch in the park around midday. While here you will have the opportunity to view the unique Mikumi giraffe that naturalists say seems to be a cross breed between the reticulated and Maasai giraffes. Lion, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, and leopard can be easily spotted in this park. Your game drive will also take you around to the hippo pool. You will be able to see elephants coming to drink at the water hole. Overnight at Camp Bastian Mikumi or Similar
Day 10: Mikumi National Park - Ruaha National Park
Following an early morning breakfast will be followed by a transfer to Ruaha National Park, if time permits go on a game drive en route to your lodge. You’ll have the chance to see elephants, giraffes, kudu, lions, leopard, jackal, hyenas, African wild dog and many more. Overnight at Ruaha Hilltop Lodge or Similar
DAY 11: Ruaha National Park
Following a morning breakfast, enjoy the full day game drives in Ruaha National Park. Ruaha features an untouched and mostly unexplored ecosystem, which makes it a unique safari destination. It is the second largest park in Tanzania & few wilderness areas in the country where one can experience rare wildness sightings alongside a truly fascinating landscape. It is the home of the greater kudu, which cannot be found in any other park. Overnight at Ruaha Hilltop Lodge or Similar
DAY 12: Ruaha National Park - zanzibar
An early morning breakfast will be followed with a transfer to Iringa/Dodoma (Iringa flights to Zanzibar available on Mon/wed/Fri whereas Dodoma has Daily Flights) targeting an afternoon flight with Tanzania Air to Zanzibar upon your arrival at 9:30pm, you will be picked up and be transferred to the hotel. Overnight at Kisiwa House or similar
Day 13: Prison Island/Stone Town/Spice Tour Zanzibar
A leisurely breakfast as you enjoy morning beach views and will be followed by a transfer to stone town hotel, the spice Islands located off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa known for its picturesque beaches, fascinating history, and culture, it’s a perfect destination for a quick getaway. You will spend the whole day exploring Stone Town which is worth visiting the historic part of Zanzibar Islands and UNESCO World Heritage site, see the Former Slave Market, House of Wonders, the Old Fort, Darajani Market, Freddie Mercury House and the Sultan’s Palace, Prison island which was used as a prison for enslaved people in 1860s and also functioned as a coral rag mine. The day will be included with spice tour to experience the island’s agriculture and history about the different spices grown here, including cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla before going to the lodge. Overnight at Nungwi Beach Resort by Turaco or Similar
Day 14 Blue Ocean tour & Swimming with sea turtles
Today will filled with the blueness of the ocean as blue ocean tour is an exciting way to experience Zanzibar’s stunning marine life.
The adventure will take you on a journey through the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean whereyou will have the opportunity to swim, feed turtles with sea weed, take snorkeling mask and dive to watch them in their natural environment and spend enough time in the water. It is a great way to explore island’s most beautiful coral reefs and the Sandbank. Overnight at Nungwi Beach Resort by Turaco or Similar
Day 15: Beach Relaxation
Today you’ll have the whole day for relaxation to rejuvenate yourself from your the past 2 weeks spent traversing northern and southern Tanzania and look through your camera gallery to show you some flashbacks of your memorable trip. Overnight at Nungwi Beach Resort by Turaco or similar
Day 16 Zanzibar Airport/Departure
Depending on your outbound flight, you’ll have leisurely, which will be followed by a transfer to the airport for your outbound flight marking the end of your trip. End
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Communication via WhatsApp to make arrangements went very smooth with Aron being quick and clear in his responses.
Aron drove us most of the time, but we also had a ride with driver Barnice. Every time they were in time, most of the times even early to make sure we could leave whenever we wanted. The service was more than just a private taxi service: Aron told us many interesting things about Uganda and let us taste some local food. That really made our trip more colourful and interesting.They know a lot of good places all over the country, like restaurants and accomodation. Although we organized our trip by ourselves, that was still an advantage. Above that, Aron uses his business in Uganda to help other Ugandans as well.
We would definitely recommend to travel with Safari 2 Gorilla Tours.

Jon Peters
USA


In my iniitial email to him I had explained that I'm Kenyan and would be travelling to Rwanda from Nairobi, Kenya. As an east African citizen I thought this information was useful in terms of national park fees and so on; little did I know that it would affect my whole Gorilla trek experience.
I'd settled the balance of my invoice in November 2019 and Aron emailed to confirm full payment. I never heard from Aron again except when I emailed him to find out the arrangements for when I arrived in Rwanda. At the time I didn't think much of it as I'd read so many glowing reviews of Aron and his tour company; his attentive nature, professionalism and general good nature. A fortnight or so before my arrival I'd still not heard from him so I emailed to find out the itinerary for when I arrived in Rwanda - nothing. Just a curt response confirming that he had the number for my hotel and presumably (Aron did not confirm) that he would call me at my hotel to arrange a time to pick me up from my hotel.
I arrived at the hotel, following a 10 hour flight from London on Friday, 24 January to find there was no message was left by Aron advising when I'd be picked up the following day. On Saturday, 25 January at about 9 am the receptionist knocked on my door to inform me that a driver had arrived to pick me up and drive me to Uganda. As I'd not had any advance information of this arrangement I was not ready; i hadn't showered or eaten breakfast. And so we did not set off until gone 10 am. This was the first poor service i'd received.
I'd paid for a 3-day Gorilla trek etc which included on the first day a visit to the Rwanda Genocide memorial. When the driver set off we'd been driving and passed a sign to the memorial site, after almost an hour I asked if we were still going to the memoial site, and only then did the driver inform me that due to the late departure he had decided to postpone the visit to the memorial until the return leg of my three day trip. The second poor service i'd received.
Bwindi national park is in Uganda and so I was driven through Rwanda to Uganda via a land border, an eight hour journey that ordinarily shouldn't have taken that long. The third poor service.
During the drive Aron maintained constant communication with the driver - whose name escapes me - and not once did he ask the driver to pass the phone to me so that he could speak to me. By that I mean even welcoming me, asking me how my trip was, finding out if there was anything I needed, any issues or problems with the trip I'd paid for. The fourth poor service I received
When we arrived at Rushaga camp each visitor at dinner was assigned a table with the name of their guide on it; stupidly I immediately thought Ohhh so Aron had sent a driver to pick me up from Rwanda and that now I was going to meet him! How wrong i was. When i sat down expecting to meet Aron who should turn up? but the driver! Cheekily I asked if he was Aron and offended he curtly replied no!. When i asked what happend to Aron he informed me that Aron had been in constant communication throughout the day! When I asked why Aron hadn't even said hello or welcomed me he just said that Aron was on another tour. At that moment I realised what was happening and why. In Aron's eyes I was a black African tourist that yes, had paid for the same service and support that my white counterparts had received but due to his low perception of me and fellow black Africans I did not warrant the same service, attention, or even respect. I did not speak to the driver again for the rest of the evening. I was surrounded by fellow travellers that were accompanied by guides who made them feel welcome, valued and respected; they sat together sharing stories from their travels whilst I and the driver sat silently. Even as I tried to get the driver to understand how insulted and disrespected I felt he just didn't get it. A part of me feels if i was white he wouldn't have found it so hard understanding how poorly I'd been treated. But as a black African what reason did I have to complain? The fifth poor service I'd received
On the second day i was due to visit Mgahinga national park almost a two hour drive away. As debrief started at 8 am we arranged to leave Rushaga Gorilla camp by 6 am; arranging to meet for breakfast at 05:30 am. 06:00 am the driver was nowhere to be found. Finally at 06:30 he appears in the dinning room feigning an alarm malfunction. I had to demand an apology from him. The sixth poor service i'd received.
We arrived at the national park at 08:25. I was the only black tourist and when I asked the guide to summarise the debrief he audibly commented that as I'd arrived late he'd not be able to repeat it for me. Cynically I felt that If I was white he'd problably have ignored the fact that the driver had got me to the debrief late and still gone through the key points. The seventh poor sevice I'd received.
I could go on and on but I won't. I think you get the gist. I never once spoke to Aron, met him or communicated with him during my time in Rwanda and Uganda. I left Rwanda on Tuesday, 28 January 2020 and have delayed posting this review until now to see whether or not I'd hear from Aron. I haven't and I know I never will.
I would never recommend this company to anyone regardless of who you are. I pity and despise racists and would never support a business that openly discriminates against black Africans.

Would absolutely recommend Safari 2 Gorilla Tours! Thanks Aaron and Martin for an unforgetable trip!

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Makanga Hill,
P.O.BOX 568 Kabale