Yes, you can combine a Tanzania safari and a Zanzibar beach holiday in as little as 7 days. Our 7-day beach-and-Mikumi package starts from US$1,815 per adult. A 10-day Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar trip built from two live packages starts from about US$3,235, and a 12-day north-and-south version from about US$4,470.
Last updated: 7 October 2026. Prices checked against the live trip pages on lekobeadventures.com.
A “bush and beach” holiday is the classic way to see Tanzania: a few days of game drives on the mainland, then a slower week on the white sand of Zanzibar Island. Because Lekobe Adventures and Safaris is based in Zanzibar, most of our safaris already start and end at your Zanzibar hotel, which makes the combination simple. Below you will find three ready-made itineraries, real “from” prices, and the practical details travellers from the USA, UK and Europe ask us about most.
How a Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday fits together
Zanzibar is an island off the Tanzanian coast, and the big national parks are on the mainland. You do not need to drive between them. Our Zanzibar-based safaris use scheduled or light-aircraft flights, so the day usually looks like this:
- 5:00 am pick-up from your Zanzibar hotel (4:00 am on some Nyerere trips).
- Morning flight to Arusha, directly to a Serengeti airstrip, or to Mikumi or Nyerere.
- Game drives with your guide, picnic lunch in the park, nights in a lodge or tented camp.
- Flight back to Zanzibar on the last afternoon, with a transfer to your hotel.
Flights during the tour, park fees for non-residents, accommodation, a professional driver-guide and airport transfers are included in these packages. International flights, tips, drinks, travel insurance and visa fees are not. For the full cost breakdown by trip length, see our guide to safari from Zanzibar cost.
Bush and beach itineraries at a glance
These are built only from trips that are live on our website today. Prices are per adult, in US dollars, and are starting prices. Your final quote depends on group size, travel dates and the hotels you choose.
| Trip length | Safari part | Beach part | Parks visited | From (per adult) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Day trip to Mikumi by flight | 5 nights across Stone Town, Paje and Nungwi | Mikumi | US$1,815 (one package) |
| 10 days | 4-day northern circuit from Zanzibar | 5-day Zanzibar beach package + extra nights | Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro | about US$3,235 (two packages) |
| 12 days | 4-day northern circuit + 2-day Nyerere fly-in | 5-day Zanzibar beach package + extra nights | Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Nyerere | about US$4,470 (three packages) |
The 10-day and 12-day totals simply add up the starting prices of each package. Extra hotel nights between packages are quoted separately, and a combined booking may be priced differently once we know your dates.
7-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar itinerary
If you have one week, the 7-Day Zanzibar Beach with Mikumi Safari Adventure is the easiest option because it is a single package. It is a private, mid-range tour that can start any day and is suitable for all ages.
Day by day
- Day 1: Airport pick-up and night at Tembo Hotel in Stone Town.
- Day 2: Fly-in safari to Mikumi National Park. Pick-up at 5:00 am, flight at 7:00 am, landing around 8:00 am. Game drives, picnic lunch at 1:00 pm, return flight at 4:00 pm and back in Zanzibar around 4:30 pm. Night in Paje.
- Day 3: Shared Safari Blue snorkelling trip from Fumba to Kwale Island and Menai Bay, with a buffet lunch.
- Day 4: Jozani Forest for red colobus monkeys, a cultural walk and a swim at Maalum Cave. Move to Nungwi.
- Day 5: Stone Town, Prison Island and a spice farm tour, with lunch included.
- Day 6: Free beach day with jet skiing at Kendwa.
- Day 7: Transfer to the airport.
Who it suits
First-time visitors who want a taste of safari without giving up beach time. If seeing the Serengeti matters more to you than Mikumi, swap the day trip for the 3-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Fly-in from Zanzibar, which starts from US$2,068, and add beach nights around it. Our article on the Zanzibar to Serengeti safari compares the 2-day and 3-day options in detail.
10-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar itinerary
Ten days is the length we recommend most often. It gives you the northern circuit, including the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, and still leaves several full days on the beach. It combines the 4-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro from Zanzibar (from US$2,025) with the 5-Day Zanzibar Beach Holiday Adventure (from US$1,210).
Day by day
- Day 1: Arrive in Zanzibar. Stay near Stone Town so the early safari pick-up is easy (extra night, quoted separately).
- Day 2: 5:00 am pick-up, 8:00 am flight to Arusha, then about two hours by road to Tarangire National Park for game drives. Night at Mawe Mawe Manyara Lodge.
- Day 3: Drive 3 to 4 hours to the Serengeti, picnic lunch and afternoon game drive. Night at Safari Haven Serengeti Camp.
- Day 4: Morning in the Serengeti, then on to Karatu near the Ngorongoro gate. Night at Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp.
- Day 5: Descend into the crater at 6:30 am to look for black rhino, picnic lunch on the crater floor, then fly from Arusha back to Zanzibar. Transfer to Kisiwa on the Beach in Paje.
- Day 6: Safari Blue snorkelling trip.
- Day 7: Jozani Forest, Maalum Cave and sunset jet skiing at Nungwi. Night at Nungwi Dreams by Mantis.
- Day 8: Stone Town, Prison Island and spice farm tour.
- Day 9: Free day on the beach (extra night, quoted separately).
- Day 10: Transfer to the airport.
Upgrade options
For more comfort, replace the safari with the 4-Day Luxury Fly-in Migration to Serengeti & Ngorongoro (from US$2,420), which flies you to Kogatende airstrip in the northern Serengeti and includes the crater-rim Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw Camp. That brings the two-package total to about US$3,630 per adult.
According to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, the conservation area covers 8,292 km² and contains the world’s largest unbroken caldera, home to all of the Big Five, which is why the crater day is a highlight of almost every northern itinerary.
12-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar itinerary
With twelve days you can see two very different sides of Tanzania: the open plains of the north and the river landscapes of Nyerere National Park in the south, then finish on the beach. This route adds the 2-Day Fly-in Private Safari to Nyerere NP (from US$1,235) to the 10-day plan, for about US$4,470 per adult in total.
Day by day
- Days 1 to 5: As in the 10-day plan: arrive in Zanzibar, then the 4-day Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari, flying back to Zanzibar on day 5 (extra night in Zanzibar).
- Day 6: Rest day in Zanzibar before the next early start (extra night).
- Day 7: 4:00 am pick-up for a 6:00 am flight to Nyerere. Game drive, bush lunch and a swim at the Majimoto hot springs. Night at Selous Safari Lodge.
- Day 8: Sunrise boat safari on the Rufiji River for hippos and crocodiles, a walking safari and a Maasai village visit, then fly back to Zanzibar and transfer to Paje.
- Days 9 to 11: Safari Blue, Jozani Forest with jet skiing, and Stone Town with Prison Island and the spice farm.
- Day 12: Transfer to the airport.
Prefer something lighter on the budget? Combine the 4-day northern safari with the 7-day Mikumi beach package instead, for about US$3,840 per adult plus one or two extra nights.
Safari first or beach first?
We almost always suggest doing the safari first and the beach second. There are three practical reasons:
- Early starts. Zanzibar-based safaris begin with a 4:00 or 5:00 am pick-up. That is easier while you are still on home time and staying near the airport.
- Distance. The beach hotels on our 5-day package are about an hour and a half by road from the airport, so it makes sense to head to the coast only once your flights are done.
- Recovery. Game drives are early and dusty. Ending with a few slow days by the sea is the best way to finish the trip.
If your international flight lands in Kilimanjaro or Arusha rather than Zanzibar, ask us to start the safari on the mainland and fly you to the island afterwards.
When to go and what to arrange before you travel
Seasons
The best season varies by park. Our trip pages list June to October for wildlife viewing in Tarangire and Ngorongoro, July to November for Tarangire’s river concentrations, and January to February plus June to October for the Serengeti. See our best time to visit Tanzania guide for month-by-month advice.
Paperwork and money
- Check visa and entry rules with the Tanzania Immigration Services Department before you book flights.
- Read our guide to mandatory inbound travel insurance for Zanzibar before you fly.
- Budget for tips: our guideline is US$10 per person per day for your guide.
- Most of these packages are private tours and are not designed for solo travellers. If you are travelling alone, ask us about shared departures.
Travelling with children
Minimum ages vary by trip: 1 year on the 4-day northern safari, 3 years on the 3-day Serengeti fly-in, 4 years on the beach package and the 2-Day Safari to Tarangire & Ngorongoro from Zanzibar, and the 7-day Mikumi package is suitable for all ages.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for a Tanzania safari and Zanzibar?
Seven days is the minimum for a relaxed trip with one safari day and several beach days. Ten days lets you add the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with a 4-day safari and still enjoy four or five nights on Zanzibar. Twelve days or more allows two different safari regions plus the beach.
Should I do the safari or Zanzibar first?
Safari first is usually best. Zanzibar-based safaris start with a 4:00 or 5:00 am hotel pick-up, which is easier near the start of your trip, and the beach is the ideal place to recover after early, dusty game drives. If you fly into Kilimanjaro, starting on the mainland also saves an extra flight.
How do you get from the Serengeti to Zanzibar?
You fly. On our northern packages the guide drives you to Arusha Airport after the last game drive, or to a Serengeti airstrip on fly-in trips, and you take a flight back to Zanzibar the same afternoon or evening. These internal flights and the hotel transfer on arrival are included in the package price.
How much does a Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday cost?
On our live trip pages, a 7-day beach-and-Mikumi package starts from US$1,815 per adult. A 10-day northern safari plus beach starts from about US$3,235, and a 12-day north, Nyerere and beach trip from about US$4,470. Quotes depend on group size, dates and hotels.
Is a bush and beach holiday suitable for families?
Yes. The 7-day Zanzibar beach and Mikumi package is listed as suitable for all ages, and the 4-day Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari from Zanzibar accepts children from one year. The 5-day beach package has a minimum age of four. Private tours let you set the pace for younger travellers.
Plan your Tanzania safari and Zanzibar holiday with Lekobe
Tell us how many days you have, who is travelling and your rough dates, and we will send a tailored bush-and-beach quote. Message us on WhatsApp (+255 676 68 1293), email info@lekobeadventures.com, or use the enquiry form on any trip page, such as the 4-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro from Zanzibar or the 7-Day Zanzibar Beach with Mikumi Safari Adventure.
