Itinerary Details
1 Arrive Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Dar es Salaam is a bustling coastal metropolis where the fusion of Indian Ocean charm, lively markets, and a rich cultural mosaic create a vibrant tapestry of experiences in Tanzania's largest city. It also serves as the ideal jumping off point for exploring the surrounding region.
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2 Ruaha National Park – A Profusion Of Diverse WildlifeFly to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest national park, with over 7,700 square miles of wide-open terrain. Home to an extraordinary array of wildlife, the park reliably yields sightings of predators such as lions and rare wild dogs. In addition to over 500 species of birds and 1,400 species of plants, the Ruaha claims to have the largest population of elephants in Tanzania. Cape buffalo, greater and lesser kudus, Grant’s gazelles, ostriches, cheetahs, and roan and sable antelope also roam free here. After landing at a local airstrip, journey overland to your camp, passing wild landscapes that foster a fantastic sense of solitude.
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3 Ruaha National Park – Watch Life On The Move Day And NightSet out early on your first game drive in Ruaha National Park, watching for antelopes, lions, baboons, cheetahs and more. With a comparative handful of camps in the park, you have vast swaths of countryside mostly to yourself, while your guides draw on years of experience to put you in the heart of the action. As darkness falls, head out on a night drive as nocturnal species stir to life. You might see any number of species, including a leopard on the prowl whose burning yellow-green eyes seem to peer back at you across a clearing.
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4 Ruaha National Park – Boundless Safari-GoingIndulge in another full day of game viewing in Ruaha National Park. Keep your camera at the ready for an explosive cheetah chasing its fleet-footed prey and search the wild panoramas for zebras grazing in the tall grass, giraffes nibbling treetops and noisy hippos wallowing in riverine mud. You might spy a black-backed jackal on the hunt or a family of striped hyenas basking in the shade. Finish with a night drive to possibly sight civet cats, aardvarks, bushbabies, night jars and other after-dark denizens, putting an exclamation point on your foray though this wild bastion of biodiversity.
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5 Nyerere National Park – Staggering Vistas Filled With WildlifeNyerere National Park provides sanctuary to an estimated one million mammals, including half of Tanzania’s elephants. Some of Africa’s biggest populations of hippos and wild dogs also call it home. Barreling through a section of this enormous conservation area is the mighty Rufiji River, the largest in East Africa. The reserve is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing its profusion of wildlife, which you observe up close over your next two days on safari. Fly to Nyerere and journey overland to your elegant camp, where you settle in and dine beneath the stars.
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6 Nyerere National Park – Rise When The Animals DoWake early for a walking safari when the animals start their day. After breakfast back at camp, head out on a game drive in Nyerere National Park. Once again seek out the park’s big stars, including cheetahs, lions, elephants and giraffes. There’s action to see at almost every turn and your driver knows exactly how to position you for photo opportunities and memory-making to last a lifetime.
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7 Nyerere National Park – Boating And Fishing The Rufiji RiverExperience the rush of wildlife sightings on the Rufiji River either on foot or by boat and encounter the famous tigerfish on a fishing trip designed for both seasoned anglers and total beginners. The toothsome tigerfish is a top freshwater predator with plenty of fight, and its silvery skin and a sleek shape — not to mention its surly demeanor — might bring to mind a tarpon. Take your best shot at catching one and release it back to the river when you do, putting the focus on exploration and outdoor fun.
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8 Zanzibar – Dreamlike Island Of SpicesThe island of Zanzibar is a jewel in the ocean, surrounded by beaches that rate among the finest in the world and graced with a mesmerizing mix of influences from Africa, Arabia, India and Europe. Located off the coast of East Africa, Zanzibar is just 60 miles long and 20 wide. Its majority Muslim population belies its rich, multi-ethnic history, every chapter of which is reflected in the buildings of its capital, Stone Town. The old Slave Market provides a harrowing opportunity to reflect on the horrors of the trade, while the Old Customs House on the waterfront, built in 1865, is testimony to Zanzibar's long-ago reputation as an important global trading post. Zanzibar beckons with 25 beaches the color of sugar, offering visitors the opportunity to offer swim, snorkel, walk or wade — or simply lay back and soak up the equatorial sun. Once your flight touches down, settle into your hotel and start relaxing.
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9 Zanzibar – Sustainable Butterfly ProjectVisit to the Zanzibar Butterfly Center, located close to the Jozani Forest. Get up close to the native butterflies of Zanzibar and discover how they breed, hatch, pupate and grow. Join a guide in a netted enclosure and don't be surprised if you have butterflies skimming just passed you or even landing on you. Your guide will give you an overview of the project including how the butterflies are part of a sustainable local business.
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10 Zanzibar – Take Some Time To UnwindIndulge in a day all your own, free to relax or choose from the many activities the island invites you to try. Walk a white-sand beach, snorkel among colorful fish, try out your hotels amenities. Decide what you like and do it, on a day designed for unwinding.
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11 Stone Town – Center Of The Spice TradeIt’s time for a change of venue while remaining on beautiful Zanzibar as you move to a luxurious hotel inside the capital’s city limits, the perfect base for exploring Stone Town. Settle in and discover this intriguing UNESCO World Heritage Site, starting with a spice tour. Learn about the many spices grown across the island, such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and turmeric, purchasing some to take home if you wish. Afterward, visit sites tied to the island’s multi-cultural and sometimes turbulent history before partaking of a variety of ocean activities, caressed by trade winds and kissed by the sun.
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12 Stone Town – A Walk Through A Storied HistoryJoin a guide for a walking tour of Stone Town’s buildings, some dating to times when Sultans, Arabs, Europeans and Zanzibaris forged the human history of this charming island. Wander past the Anglican Cathedral and the Slave Markets, the Palace of the Sultans, Tip Tip's House, the Old Arabic Fort and Forodhani Park, and enter the iconic hand-carved Zanzibar Doors, longtime symbols of wealth and status. Continue to wend your way along narrow cobblestone streets, perhaps visiting a henna art shop or strolling the lively stalls of a fruit and vegetable market to see the colorful produce on display and chat with a vendor. What better way to complete your sojourn in Zanzibar than with a full immersion into the flow of daily life here, on the spice island of travel dreams.
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13 Depart ZanzibarMeals:
