Tanzania Classics (Safari & Zanzibar) (page 1 of 3)

I hesitated about writing this travel journal... This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.

No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...

But don’t think we were disappointed! The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together. So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.

Our 2-week itinerary: - Arusha (1 night upon arrival) - Tarangire (1 night) - Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo) - Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera) - Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night) - Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights) - Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)

Hakuna matata!

2026 is a milestone year for us: turning 60!

It’s been 12 years since we last had a summer family vacation (2014 in South Africa). Our kids are growing up (30, 28, and 26), they work a lot, they travel a lot, and it’s always tricky to align everyone’s schedules for a two-week family trip. But strangely, when we suggested the Tanzania/Zanzibar combo, we got an enthusiastic "yes" right away ("Oh, that’s cool!").

So here we are, Sunday, July 26th, at CDG. 9-hour nonstop flight (Paris/Kilimanjaro) with AF (no issues). Arrival at JRO at 8:15 PM, visa check (done online beforehand), baggage claim, 1.5-hour taxi ride, and we arrive at the "Ilboru Safari Lodge" in Arusha for our first night of rest. Tomorrow, we take off at 8:30 AM for Tarangire...

Gloomy morning and drizzle over the pool at Ilboru Lodge.

We meet our guide and his Land Cruiser. Tanzania doesn’t rhyme with BYD but rather with Toyota. It’s already striking in Arusha, but once we head into the parks, it’s practically a monopoly.

One of the rare Land Rovers we came across... broken down at the Seronera garage!



The Land Cruisers have an extended chassis with a seating capacity of 8 (7 passengers + driver/guide). Their roof is pop-up, allowing someone 2 meters tall to stand upright. Luggage space is limited, and we were asked to bring soft bags instead of rolling suitcases. The fridge is located between the two rear passengers, and our guide brought 3 large water bottles for the week.



My first concern after leaving Arusha is to get some cash. I brought 1000 USD and exchanged 400 for the trip (for little extras, tips, etc.). Suddenly, I’m a millionaire for a day... in Tanzanian shillings!

From Arusha, we head southwest toward Makuyuni and then Minjingu. The main road is paved for most of the journey; the approach to the park is via dirt tracks after 3 hours of driving from Arusha. The weather is overcast :(

At first, around Arusha, we’re still in a relatively green area, shaped by farming and the foothills of Mount Meru. Then, as we descend toward the Maasai steppe, the landscape becomes progressively drier and more open. We pass through villages, farmland, and grazing areas where you can spot Maasai with their cattle herds.

At the park entrance, while our guide "handles the paperwork," we ask about the park and wildlife... You have to be patient (even if there aren’t many people), and we quickly learn to stay in "Pole-Pole" mode!



The park map:

You should never hesitate to write a travel journal! ;)

Are the various formalities long between landing and exiting the airport?

For the vehicle, does a sunroof really make a big difference?

Monday, July 27th.

Tarangire covers 2,850 km², and we’ll spend an afternoon and the following day there. We only saw the northern part, near the Kuro ranger post. On either side of the Tarangire River, it’s elephant paradise: alone, in families, or in herds—we must’ve seen dozens...









This one could use a little freshening up...



Another highlight? Those massive baobabs—next to them, giraffes look like Playmobil figures!



The baobabs even take a beating from the elephants:



The landscapes are stunning, despite the overcast weather. It feels like Kruger, but even more picturesque.

We spend the afternoon in the park, and by evening, we head out through Sangaiwi to reach our camp on the other side of Lake Burungi. We underestimated the travel time to our accommodation, so we’d recommend staying inside the park instead.

Our original lodging was the "Lake Burunge Tented Lodge," but we ended up at the "Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge." Instead of a tent, we got a 100 m² chalet per pair—big enough to jog inside! Dinner on the terrace with a panoramic view, plus a pool we didn’t get to enjoy...

Without the roof, you spend a week in a sardine can. With it, it's pure bliss—you can join in the "hunt."

A must-have for me (vs. our 2014 Nissan Patrol in South Africa)

Tuesday, July 28: Tarangire (continued)

The weather cleared up. We head back into the park, with plenty of birds on the agenda alongside the savanna "classics." We're surprised by how few vehicles are around—we didn’t even venture to the southern part of the park.

Pygmy bee-eater, mongoose, dik-dik, ostrich, impalas, rock hyrax, elephants, giraffe, and baobabs...



















Unfortunately for us, the big cats were hiding in the tall grass. We only spotted a pair of lions, but didn’t really get to enjoy the sight.

Around 4:00 PM, we leave the park and head back toward Karatu. The landscapes change dramatically as we approach Lake Manyara: we go from livestock grazing to farming, and we recognize the rice paddies along the lake (Mto wa Mbu) just before starting the climb up the smooth tarmac road through a very dense forest.

Tonight, we’re staying at the lodge "Gilala Hai 360," a wonderful spot a bit off the beaten path in Karatu. Special mention for the view from the deck or the room, and the quality of dinner at this place.

P.S. The beef lasagna is just incredible!

Wednesday, July 29th: Ngorongoro

Departure at 8:30 AM this morning for the entrance gate of the conservation area. Along the way, the guide stops us at a souvenir shop... a scam, but we resist.

Once at the gate, we wait for the paperwork. *Pole-pole* (slowly). It’s gray out, and the higher we go, the thicker the fog gets.

At the top, the view of the crater isn’t (yet) dreamy...



Here’s the Lonely Planet description to capture this unique moment: "Before you lies this immense, almost circular caldera, nearly 20 km in diameter, surrounded by walls that can reach about 600 meters high. The crater floor feels like a world unto itself: grasslands, swamps, forest, a lake, and wildlife all concentrated in this vast natural amphitheater."

Our guide starts the descent on the right side of the crater. As we go down, the fog lifts, and the vegetation changes: lush forest, then acacia forest, and finally the caldera surrounded by the volcano’s walls.





Ngorongoro is famous for its rhinos (many of which were reintroduced from South Africa). We’re lucky to get a good look at them... but we’re not the only ones!







Lake Magadi is nice, but the light lacks a bit of contrast. The Lerai Forest is stunning with its tall acacias.





By late afternoon, the light returns, and the climb back up offers a prettier view.

Some animals we came across in the crater:















Tonight we’re sleeping in tents at Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp (the Tortilis are acacias). Super friendly vibe, but it’s a chilly night (11°C). Brrr, it’s a bit nippy in the morning!





The camp is located just above a local village community.

Thursday, July 30th, we hit the road to reach the Serengeti.

The day before, our guide suggested we stop in a Maasai village. We hadn’t planned it with the agency to avoid the "tourist trap" vibe, but our guide knows this village well (it’s the last one before the park entrance and after the Olduvai Valley). Plus, it’s halfway along the (very long) corrugated dirt road. So why not!

For $50 USD, we spend an hour there and really enjoy this exchange—we’re the only vehicle on-site (even if we’re not naive about the "commercial" side). Warm welcome, songs and dances, fire-starting by friction, a visit to the school and a few houses, ending with the traditional haggling over souvenirs laid out on the ground (we play along since it’s part of the package).

Photo permission is included in the visit. But I’ll skip the close-ups here.

Right after that, we arrive in the Serengeti.





Just five minutes after passing through the gate, and we already spot our first group of lionesses... If we’d been a little underwhelmed by the big cats so far, the three days spent in the park will more than make up for that wait.



The plains south of Seronera are endless, dotted with "kopjes"—those granite formations where big cats love to perch and scan the horizon. It’s really cool!

Soon after, we come across a group of about a dozen big cats led by a handsome male.





A little further on, two cheetahs are scanning the tall grass.





Then, another lioness with her "cuddly cubs"...





The guide insists we stay in the vehicle for lunch boxes. But don’t worry, we’ll be careful during the "bio breaks"!

The plains aren’t just for big cats:















The only leopard of the day is snubbing us from up in its tree!



Tonight we’re staying at Tukaone Hembe Camp. A real immersion in the middle of buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, and the sound of hyenas that’ll wake a few of us up.

About the camps, you're really in good hands.

Generally, you get a nice private tent with a shower and toilet, a larger tent for meals, relaxing, and recharging your devices, delicious food (soup / buffet and some fruit for dessert), carefully prepared lunch boxes, cozy beds with mosquito nets, a walkie-talkie and a lamp for moving around after dark, and a 360° view of the savanna! Hakuna matata!









The shower:



The polenta:

Friday, July 31st, we continue in the Serengeti around Seronera.

This morning’s highlight: another leopard sleeping in a tree. The picnic break is at Seronera, where the tourist facilities are pretty basic.

In the afternoon, we head north to explore Togoro. Our camp tonight is in the middle of nowhere—we’re loving it. Togoro African View Camp

A baboon along the Orangi River









We stop by the hippo pool







Back out on the plains after the leopard

The night went well for these 4 brothers who still aren’t convinced by the vegan diet. The vultures are taking advantage.

No craziness, no taking risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...

A nice, easygoing trip, then? Well, we’re gonna take it slow—like in our slippers! 😄 Especially since sooner or later, I really need to add this destination to my list...

Saturday, August 1st. How amazing it is in the Togoro plains!

Today's program: the Lobo hills (which we'll love) and then we head back up to the Grumeti River. We had the option to go up to the Mara River to see the wildebeest migration, but the guide told us the crossings weren't guaranteed, it would be crowded, and it was over 6 hours of round-trip driving. We voted for the tranquility of Lobo.

I follow a photographer's site, and the day before, he spent 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM without seeing a single crossing. On the day we could have been there, there was a 30-minute crossing at 1:00 PM. And even then, you had to be at the right spot... In short, no regrets about not going all the way up.

We were completely won over by this part of the Serengeti: Lobo!

















Family hunting trip return...

The Grumeti River and its zebras. No crocs—we're too far upstream. Downstream, it gets more intense for the zebras and wildebeest.

In the afternoon, we head back down to Seronera. Our camp tonight: Shuhudia Adventure Camp

Along the way, a serval strikes a pose... Its attention is fixed on the sound of my camera's "burst mode."











As we approach Seronera, water returns. Tonight, we’ll be held up for 10 minutes by two hippos right outside our tent after dinner.