Tanzania: with or without the Serengeti?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a Tanzania trip combined with Zanzibar for 15 days (8+6 days). The setup: a private trip for two, in July or August.

We’re heading to Tanzania primarily for the safari experience—the animals, photography, and stunning landscapes. The classic Northern Circuit for beginners is Arusha / Tarangire / Ngorongoro / Serengeti.

But that’s a lot of driving if we do the full loop... and I’ve read it’s better to take your time in the parks rather than spend all day in transfers (saw that in Lonely Planet).

So, beginner’s question... Do you think Arusha / Tarangire / Ngorongoro is a good alternative? We’d skip the legendary Serengeti but could spend more time in the parks and avoid long stretches of rough roads (prioritizing paved routes instead)... Maybe adding Lake Manyara to the mix.

For context, we did Kruger about ten years ago (5 days self-drive).

Hi Manu,

Since no one has answered yet... We did a similar trip (but back in 2016, so it’s starting to feel dated! 🤪) with N’dutu instead of the Serengeti (I think it’s less far; landscapes and wildlife are relatively similar, but no "crossing" during the Great Migration... experts can correct me if I’m wrong 😉).

I actually made a travel journal at the time.

It’s a matter of taste, but personally, I quite enjoy road trips, especially in Africa—it lets you observe the landscapes and life in the towns and villages you pass through.

Will you have a driver or go self-drive?

Thanks Muriel, We’ll go through your travel journal.

For us, it’ll be with a driver for Tanzania. We’re taking a direct round-trip from Paris to Zanzibar and spending 2 weeks there.

We’ve also considered doing a one-way trip: - Arusha (overnight on arrival) - Tarangire (2 nights) - Lake Manyara (1 or 2 nights) - Ngorongoro (1 night) - Serengeti (3 nights) then a flight transfer from Seronera to Zanzibar

The idea is to stay for more than one night where it’s possible...

Hi there,

Be careful with flight transfers—the European Union has placed all Tanzanian airlines on the blacklist. No European travel agency will be able to offer you a flight because you won’t be insured. You might still be able to book directly, but at what risk? Best,

I saw that decision. But does it also apply to the domestic flight between Serengeti/Arusha and Zanzibar? For the flight from Paris, I’m thinking of a direct flight with AF (which is super expensive!)

For the Serengeti, I don’t know if there are any other airlines besides the Tanzanian ones. From Arusha to Zanzibar, you could, for example, choose Ethiopian Airlines. You’ll need to look around. Best,

Hi there,

Another itinerary idea: the one we did without feeling rushed or spending too much time in the car:

Day 1 Moshi-Lake Natron (I’d just done Kilimanjaro, so we started from the town at the foot of Kili). Afternoon and the next morning around the lake with its volcano and desert landscapes. Day 2 Lake Natron-Northern Serengeti (Mara River Camp) Day 3 Northern Serengeti (Mara River Camp) Day 4 Northern Serengeti → Central Serengeti (Katitkati Camp) Day 5 Central Serengeti (Katitkati Camp) Day 6 Central Serengeti → Ngorongoro Day 7 Ngorongoro → Tarangire (you’re only allowed 6 hours in the crater, so we left early afternoon for Tarangire) Day 8 Tarangire

The advantage of Lake Natron and the Northern Serengeti is that we hardly saw any other 4x4s for 3 days, except by the Mara River where everyone wants to see the herds crossing (but never more than a few 4x4s). Plus, the Northern Serengeti is very different from the central and southern Serengeti—endless green prairies instead of savanna. At Ngorongoro, you won’t be alone!

The 4 days in the Serengeti let us cover a lot of tracks and savannas to see tons of different animals.

After that, we went to Zanzibar... but it was a huge hassle, so I wouldn’t recommend our route. For Zanzibar, I’d suggest the stunning southeast coast (around Jambiani) with its incredible green and blue gradients at low tide, its bungalows (very few big resorts) on the edge of small villages, rather than further north where the clubs are. Finally, a day in central Stone Town isn’t too much... the hardest part is fitting it all together!!

I saw this decision. But does it also apply to the domestic flight between Serengeti / Arusha and Zanzibar? For the flight from Paris, I’m thinking of a direct flight so AF (which is really expensive!)

From the Serengeti, they’re small 10-seater planes on dirt runways, so they’re probably not listed with major airlines. I booked my tickets on the Air France website with fares cheaper than other airlines: Outbound with KLM Paris-Amsterdam-Kilimanjaro (Arusha airport), return from Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar-Paris with a technical stop in Nairobi on Kenya Airways (which is part of the AF-KLM alliance, Delta Airlines, etc.).

Thanks for all these ideas and the info...

I'm considering Tanzania, combining it with Zanzibar for a 15-day trip (8+6 days). The format: a private trip for two, in July or August. So, we're heading to Tanzania primarily for the safari experience: the animals, photography, and beautiful landscapes... And the classic Northern Parks circuit for beginners is Arusha / Tarangire / Ngorongoro / Serengeti.

Hello,

"We are ALL different, and our expectations for a safari trip are also very different." This is to say that advice can be hit or miss. In any case, there’s no single right way to plan a safari trip.

Giving advice is even trickier since we don’t know much about the person we’re addressing: what’s their level of passion for the wild world of mammals and birds???!

From what I understand, your safari will last 8 days, plus 6 in Zanzibar. Please don’t make the classic mistake of cramming as many reserves as possible into those 8 days. In this case, I’d recommend spending several days (4 or 5) in TARANGIRE and 2 days in MANYARA. I never recommend Ngorongoro because it was my only disappointment in Tanzania across seven safari trips, but if it appeals to you, see for yourself.

On the other hand, especially if you’re traveling as a couple and also visiting Zanzibar, I’d suggest considering a safari in the southern reserves, like Selous and Ruaha. The southern reserves are much wilder and more fascinating than the well-known northern ones (though they can be more expensive...). We’ve done 2 safari trips in the north and 5 in the south—far more exciting and intimate (there are fewer people in the south).

Of course, my perspective is just a reflection of my personal passion for animals and these regions. (And I don’t claim to have any absolute truth.)

Happy planning! Best regards.

If you're interested in stories about safaris in the south...

In another forum, spanning 33 pages: https://forum.image-nature.com/viewtopic.php?f=162&t=64394

Another forum, spanning 21 pages: https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t15265-safari-photo-en-tanzanie-du-sud-nov-dec-2022

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