11 DAYS TANZANIA LODGE SAFARI & ZANZIBAR ESCAPE

You arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where your private team is already waiting. Instead of driving straight into long transfers or tight schedules, the first night is about exhaling.

A short, scenic transfer brings you to Serval Wildlife Villa, a peaceful sanctuary where wildlife roams freely around the property. As you walk the grounds and settle into your villa, you’re already surrounded by animals — but in a calm, curated environment.

The evening is intentionally quiet:

• Soft sunset views over the bush
• A calm dinner with no rush
• Time to reset your body clock after the flight

Today begins without alarms. You can enjoy a slow breakfast at Serval, watch the light change over the property, and only leave once you feel ready.

Later in the morning, you transfer gently towards Arusha, Tanzania’s safari capital. Your base tonight is Gran Meliá Arusha, where coffee estates, Mount Meru views and city elegance come together in one property.

The afternoon is yours to shape:

• Lounge by the pool with a drink
• Unwind in the spa and wellness area
• Sit with a cocktail as the sun drops behind the hills

Leaving the city behind, the landscape opens wide. After breakfast you set off in your private 4×4 safari vehicle towards Tarangire National Park.

Tarangire is raw, ancient and atmospheric — home to giant baobab trees and some of East Africa’s largest elephant herds. With long sightlines and golden light, game viewing here feels almost cinematic.

You enjoy a full safari day with picnic lunch inside the park. Late afternoon, you climb into the cooler highlands, where the air is fresh and evenings are quiet.

Today, Africa opens fully. As you travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, wildlife appears even before you reach the Serengeti plains — Maasai herds, scattered zebras, distant vistas.

By afternoon, you’re entering Serengeti National Park and heading towards Meliá Serengeti Lodge, dramatically positioned above endless savannah.

This is where the scale truly hits you:

• Endless horizons stretching in every direction
• Wildlife moving freely below your balcony and along the valley
• Sunsets that feel almost unreal from the lodge deck

A full day to experience the Serengeti properly. Early morning reveals predators at their most active — lions on kopjes, hyenas returning to dens, maybe cheetahs scanning the plains.

By late morning you drift back to Meliá Serengeti Lodge for brunch, views and rest. Midday is for doing very little: a swim, time on the balcony, or simply watching wildlife from the lodge.

In the afternoon, you head back out into the golden light for unhurried exploration. You have time to sit with sightings instead of rushing to the next thing.

For those who wish, the day can begin with an optional hot air balloon flight, floating silently above wildlife at sunrise with a bush breakfast to follow.

After one last Serengeti morning game drive, you begin transitioning towards the highlands. It’s a day where you feel the geography of northern Tanzania shift beneath your wheels.

En route, there is time for a stop at Olduvai Gorge — a place often called the “Cradle of Humankind” for its archaeological importance. A short visit adds a layer of human history to your wildlife journey.

By afternoon, you arrive at Meliá Ngorongoro Lodge, perched close to the crater rim. The view alone is worth the journey: a natural amphitheatre filled with life below.

Dinner here feels special. Quiet. Anticipatory. Tomorrow is your crater day.

An early descent into Ngorongoro Crater rewards you with one of Africa’s most concentrated wildlife experiences. Lions, elephants, hippos, flamingos, buffalo — all within a single bowl of land.

After a rich morning of game viewing and a picnic lunch, you ascend the crater walls and begin your journey back towards the airstrip (Manyara or Arusha depending on logistics). From here you board your flight to Zanzibar.

The transition is magical: from safari greens to ocean blues in the same day. On arrival, a private transfer brings you to Meliá Zanzibar, where palm trees, warm air and the Indian Ocean welcome you.

This day is intentionally empty. No schedules. No alarms. Just the Indian Ocean, white sand and warm air.

Settle into Meliá Zanzibar’s rhythm:

• Late breakfast with ocean views
• Time by the pool or on the beach
• Optional spa treatment or gentle walk along the coast

After a focused safari section, your body and mind finally catch up.

Today brings you onto the water. A private boat takes you towards the Mnemba Island area, known for clear waters and vibrant marine life.

Expect:

• Chances of dolphin encounters (ethically approached)
• Snorkelling over coral reefs and colourful fish
• Time to float, swim and simply enjoy being out at sea

You return to Meliá Zanzibar by afternoon with time left for the pool, a nap, or sunset drinks at the bar.

A classic Zanzibar experience — elevated and private where possible. Your Blue Safari day takes you through turquoise lagoons, shallow sandbanks and island stops.

You’ll combine:

• Swimming and snorkelling in warm, clear waters
• Time on sandbanks and small islands
• A relaxed seafood lunch by the ocean

This is not about ticking boxes — it’s about falling into the island rhythm, with enough structure to feel guided but enough space to breathe.

Your final day connects you to Zanzibar’s soul. Depending on your flight time, you can explore a mix of:

• Historic Stone Town — alleyways, doors, markets and coastal heritage
• Spice farms — aromatic plantations that gave Zanzibar its nickname, the Spice Island
• Forest paths where red colobus monkeys live, usually in Jozani Forest area

Afterwards, a private transfer takes you to the airport for departure — closing the loop on a journey that moved naturally from wildlife to the Indian Ocean.