Classic Serengeti & Zanzibar
Experience Overview
Trips to East Africa can accomplish more than just ticking off a laundry list of incredible animal life sightings. On this 13-day tour through the Serengeti and Zanzibar, you'll have the opportunity to learn about local village life led by a local, see how huts are constructed in farmers' fields, and visit a local spice plantation. Of course, there's plenty of time for wildlife spotting on safari drives through Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Parks to acquire wildlife snaps that'll make your friends and family envious.
Highlights
- Enjoy wildlife drives in the Serengeti
- Savour traditional cuisine in a local village
- Take in the views at Ngorongoro Crater
- Meet local artisans on a village walk
- Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stone Town
- Take in the aromas of a spice plantation tour
- Relax on a tropical beach.
Trip Details
Product Code: 1987
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Budget
Transport: Public shuttle, 7-seat 4x4 safari vehicle, plane, minibus, walking.
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Budget
Tour Operator:
G Adventures
Supplier Code: DKWZ
Starts: Nairobi, Kenya
Finishes: Stone Town, Tanzania
Duration: 13 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Light
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: Mto wa Mbu Village Visit and Lunch, Mto wa Mbu Your G for Good Moment: Clean Cookstove Project Visit, Mto wa Mbu Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
- Lake Manyara wildlife safari drive
- Serengeti wildlife safari drives
- Ngorongoro Crater wildlife safari drive
- Scenic flight from Arusha to Zanzibar
- Orientation walk in Stone Town
- Spice plantation guided tour
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodation
- Simple hotels (8 nt), full-service camping (4 nts).
- 12 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
Transport
- Public shuttle, 7-seat 4x4 safari vehicle, plane, minibus, walking.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer), certified safari driver/guide, camp crew, local guides.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,983 ($306 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.
Day 2: Nairobi/Arusha
Spend the day travelling to Tanzania.
Journey across the border into Tanzania, arriving in the picturesque town of Arusha in the afternoon. Spend some time exploring the town and its bustling markets, and have another night in the comfort of a hotel. Upon arrival into Arusha, you may be joined by other G Adventures travellers starting the Tanzania portion of the trip.
Day 3: Arusha/Mto wa Mbu
Experience the Mto wa Mbu village with a guided cultural walk and traditional lunch with a local family. Take a wildlife safari drive in Lake Manyara NP.
Travel to Mto wa Mbu village and take part in a cultural walk to learn about village life in the area. Meet the women who run the village tours and enjoy a delicious home made traditional lunch.
Spend the afternoon viewing wildlife along the main road that winds through a lush cool forests of Lake Manyara National Park, overgrown with ficus trees and covered with bromeliads.
This area is truly stunning, as the western wall of the Rift Valley escarpment provides a gorgeous backdrop. Search for the phenomenal birdlife, tree-climbing lions, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.
Day 4: Mto wa Mbu/Serengeti National Park
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive en route to the central Serengeti.
Drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on to Serengeti National Park. En route marvel at the sheer vastness of this territory, and spot the multitude of animal and birdlife while cruising through this acacia-accented savanna.
Day 5: Serengeti National Park
Rise early for a full-day wildlife safari drive in the Serengeti. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush and continue the search for the "big five" while taking in the vastness of the Serengeti plains.
Day 6: Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro
Take a morning wildlife safari drive as you depart the Serengeti, then continue wildlife viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater, before getting a spectacular view of the crater from your campsite on its rim.
The rich pasture and permanent water of the Crater floor supports a resident population of more than 20,000 to 25,000 large mammals.
Day 7: Ngorongoro/Arusha
Visit an authentic Maasai village and the G Adventures-supported Clean Cookstove Project, then return to Arusha for the night.
Day 8: Arusha
A free day to explore Arusha, or relax at the lodge.
Day 9: Arusha/Stone Town
Fly to the beautiful island of Zanzibar and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy an orientation walk with your CEO in historic Stone Town, and opt to continue on for a longer walking tour, or explore on your own.
Transfer to the airport for a short, but scenic flight to this island paradise. Arrive in Stone Town in time for lunch and an orientation walk. If you opt to continue on for a longer tour of Stone Town, you will be visiting the Old Slave Market and Palace Museum; entrance to these sites are optional and are to be purchased on site.
Day 10: Beach day in Zanzibar
Visit a local spice plantation for a guided tour. Continue to the white-sand beaches and turquoise waters of Zanzibar's beautiful coast.
Day 11-12: Beach day in Zanzibar
Enjoy free time to lounge on the beach, snorkel, or tour the island.
Day 13: Stone Town
Morning group transfer from the beach. Depart Stone Town upon arrival in the late morning.
Onward travel should be booked no earlier than 2:30pm.
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Jordan K. - Traveled, December 2023
Great service while travelling so there is little stress.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/27/2023
David C. - Traveled, December 2023
I have already recommended G Adventures to many friends, as I have described my experience. I liked how low key the whole Safari was. The tour guides and support staff - I could trust in entirely. I liked that the accommodations etc. weren't lavish. I felt close to the natural experience, not off in some luxury hotel or lodge. The group of fellow travelers were all friends by the end of the trip. We bonded so closely! And of course the BEAUTIFUL MAJESTIC SERENGETTI !!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/27/2023
Benjamin D. - Traveled, December 2023
Everything well organized... guides and CEO fantastic.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/27/2023
Janina W. - Traveled, November 2023
Hassle free, convenient, great knowledge
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/20/2023
Hayette H. - Traveled, November 2023
accommodation was low standard
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/13/2023
Nicole R. - Traveled, November 2023
I would highly recommend the classic Serengeti portion of the trip but I feel like you could do the Zanzibar trip without G Adventures
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/13/2023
Mary Y. - Traveled, November 2023
As a woman, I wouldn't have attempted to do this type of trip solo. G Adventures took the stress out of it for us. It would have been 10 out of 10 except for the camp ground in Serengeti.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/13/2023
Helen S. - Traveled, November 2023
Knowledgeable well organized CEO and extremely competent crew
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2023
Graham S. - Traveled, November 2023
Professional operator, experienced knowledgeable local guides, good value
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2023
Paula T. - Traveled, October 2023
It was organized. Overall I had a good time. I felt safe.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/08/2023
Sarah W. - Traveled, October 2023
The tour itself was very well put together, the locations and time spent in them was perfect and your team really made us all feel like family.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/01/2023
Anne D. - Traveled, October 2023
The CEOs are engaged and conscientious --working hard to make sure our experience meets our high expectations. Moses (national parks camping & safaris) made sure every details was taken care of and kept the group on schedule (no small feat).
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/01/2023
Manuela R. - Traveled, September 2023
Parts of the travel was challenging.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/04/2023
Margaret N. - Traveled, September 2023
The brochure was not edited and lacked correct info. we took valuable space to bring sleeping bags we could have rented. There were problems With finding good drinking water and most got the big D , the tents could have better foam or extra pad and fold up chair for older travelers. All in all it was a wonderful experience with great guides and drivers. I would recommend the G group because I loved helping put a chimney together in the Maasai village. People loved my pictures. I like G tours philosophy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/04/2023
Paulette C. - Traveled, September 2023
The experience was fine, but there could have been a bit more clarity in the description of the trip - some details were a bit lacking.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/04/2023
Benjamin H. - Traveled, August 2023
This is difficult because in truth the safari rated higher but events at the end were not reflective of a low end tour company, much less someone with the reputation of G Adventures. To summarize: - Our safari guide and drivers were good (see scoring) Edward said right at the start he was going to do something for the repeat travelers with G. Personally I didn't mind that he did not do this as I do not like the attention but others in the group noticed that he promised this and did not follow through. On our return to Arusha he left after receiving a tip from some of the group without a formal goodbye to the rest of the group. I hope this was a misunderstanding as I quite liked him. However when he left, those of us going to Zanzibar had no details of the transfer or tickets. Indeed even the lodge itself had a different time and so the lodge had to confirm transfers for us all. When we arrived in Zanzibar we unexpectedly joined with a group who were had finished Kilimanjaro. This was NOT on our itinerary and therefore not what any of us had paid for. Every other tour explicitly states when others join, this one doesn't. This is also a very bad idea. You have two already formed groups thrown together in a setting where most want to relax and not will often have different goals. Clashes are inevitable and as such, happened. On the first night the new tour guide, Dullah, kept one of our group waiting 45 minutes for the walking tour because the other group wanted ice cream (I think). Dullah could easily have managed this situation better. There was then some unpleasantness between group members (I was not present, I simply supported our group member when they were shaken up) where a large male made a personal, derogatory remark to a 58 year old woman. Dullah said nothing to the male and could have managed this better. This meant the following day I left Stone Town early with the female who wanted to leave immediately and go to Jambiani rather than be with the group. This meant I missed Stone Town but I could not, as a man, let the 58 year old travel alone. From this incident on the group never formed and was always two individual groups with tension and sometimes sarcastic/nasty remarks. Personally, I tried to remain neutral but Dullah did not manage this at all, something I think he has reflected on as to his credit we have spoken individually and he has said he is new and it was a big learning experience for him. I will expand later.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/20/2023
Rhonda N. - Traveled, August 2023
G Adventures is a great company with great tours, however the kind of tours they offer eg. Camping are not everyone's cup of tea
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2023
Susan R. - Traveled, August 2023
Great overall experience, dynamic and competent CEOs, a diverse selection of tours to choose from, good standards in food and accommodation.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/30/2023
Rosalind W. - Traveled, August 2023
can't do enough for you .good English a bonus
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/23/2023
Graeme P. - Traveled, August 2023
The G Adventures team were very helpful in everyway
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/23/2023
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