Tanzania and Zanzibar: A 10 Day In-depth Itinerary

Tanzania is a vast country, from the snowy peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, to the incredible wildlife parks and turquoise waters of Zanzibar. Ten days is a reasonably short time to spend in both Tanzania and Zanzibar but if you are short on time, there is still a lot you can pack into 10 days.

Here is a 10 day itinerary for an amazing week in Tanzania and Zanzibar !

Day 1 in Tanzania

Arusha

Arusha is a fairly large town and is where most of the safari tours will depart from. There is actually quite a bit you can do here, so it is worth spending at least a day here. You can visit the Cultural Heritage Centre (which has an awesome souvenir shop) or explore the Arusha Natural History Museum.

There are many markets and souvenir shops that sell some really unique gifts, such as wooden animals masks and beautiful oil paintings. If you have more time to spend here, then head out on a coffee plantation tour or take a visit to the stunning hot springs (which aren’t actually hot!).

Accommodation:
There are a lot of places to stay in Arusha from homestays, hostels, bnb’s, and nice hotels.
If heading out on a safari and returning to Arusha, it may be worth seeing if your hotel can arrange for your luggage to be kept safe, so you only have a small bag for safari. Although I kept my big backpack, so this is still fine.

Take a look on booking.com for a whole range of options.

Day 2 in Tanzania

Maasai Tribe

Close to Mto wa Mbu village, take a visit to see one of Tanzania’s Maasai tribes, which is a 2 to 3 hour drive away. These tours can give a real insight into how the tribe lives, their culture and traditions, and their homes. The tribe is incredibly welcoming and will greet you with big smiles. You can even have a go at jumping with the ladies, whilst they sing.

The G Adventures tour I was on had created the Planeterra project, which installs cooking stoves in the villager’s huts. These can help keep out 90% of the pollution from the smoke, as well as being much safter than having an open fire. The women were very happy to show us inside their huts.

Accommodation:
Again, there are so many options here in the village of Mto wa Mbu. I stayed at the Twiga Campsite and would recommend it. They have cheaper camping, as well as actual lodges if you fancy something a bit nice. Although I would recommend camping! There is something pretty special about sleeping under the African sky. The Twiga site also has a pool to relax in at the end of the day.

Day 3 in Tanzania

Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park

This is a long 8 hour drive, but on the way, you will still see lots of wildlife through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way you will pass through a few towns and villages, be sure to stock up on food and essentials if you are camping in the Serengeti.

Your best bet is to book a tour when in Arusha (or whilst planning your trip). Whether it is a camping tour, or a luxury resort stay, they should take care of the food for you, so you only really need to buy any snacks, or toiletries etc. Tours can range from budget to luxury. My tour was one of the cheapest as I chose to camp, and I absolutely loved it!

Arriving to the entrance of the Serengeti is incredibly exciting and you will see animals almost immediately! If you choose to camp, then you will be sleeping amongst the lions, zebras and all the other wild animals, as there are no gates or barriers. This is a little scary but also pretty amazing, I mean my group even had a wild elephant take a walk through the campsite.

Accommodation:
There are many types of accommodation in the Serengeti, but you will most likely be booked on a tour in which it comes included. Whether you have a tent or a 5* resort, you will not be disappointed.

Day 4 in Tanzania

Full day safari

Wake up early for sunrise to get the most out of your day of wildlife viewing. This is such a pretty time in the Serengeti National Park and the animals will all be out, so this is a good time to spot them. I was only in about 10 minutes before we saw a big male elephant walking through the trees.

You could spot anything from lions, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, crocodiles, monkeys, elephants, birds, hippos, giraffes and so much more! There is even a small café right in the middle of the park, where you can grab a coffee and snack. Our group headed back to camp for lunch, before heading out again the afternoon.

Accommodation:
Same as previous night. If you are camping, then you can sit by the bonfire with a cold beer and roast marshmallows. If staying in a lodge, well…. Just enjoy whatever amazing things they have to offer there haha!

Day 5 in Tanzania

Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro

Slowly drive out of the Serengeti National Park, seeing all the animals from the previous day, and make your way to the stunning Ngorongoro Crater. If you thought you saw a lot of animals in the Serengeti, you will be amazed what you find here.

I could not believe how much wildlife there was, and all so close together too. The backdrop of the crater is absolutely stunning. Driving through, I saw herds of wildebeest and zebra, lions, elephants, a hippo, and a rhino which was in the distance.

Accommodation:
Your accommodation will be included in your tour. If on a camping tour, you may get to stay at a campsite overlooking the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. I stayed at Simba Campsite, which had beautiful views. This is also where the elephant casually walked through our tents!

Day 6 in Tanzania

Back to Arusha

Your safari tour is likely to drop you back off at Arusha, where you first departed. Enjoy the drive back, taking in all the small villages and dusty roads. When back in Arusha, either relax in your accommodation or campsite, or enjoy the nightlife, ranging from bars, restaurants, clubs, a cinema, or live music venue. Just be sure to go out with a group after dark to keep safe when in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Accommodation:
Arusha accommodation ranges from hostels to fancy hotels.

Day 7 in Tanzania

Arusha to Stone Town, Zanzibar

Get an early flight and travel to the beautiful Zanzibar. The time from Arusha to the airport is around a 1 hour drive, and then the flight to Zanzibar is approximately 1.5 hours. If you get an early flight, you will have plenty of time to explore Stone Town.

The flight to Zanzibar will likely be on a small plane and you will get some incredible views flying onto the island. The blue waters are just divine!

Stone Town is such a cool place, with a mix of different cultures and architecture. It has a sort of European feel with all the old buildings but mixed with African, Arab, and Indian cultures. Its full of life, with many markets, palaces, and museums to visit. I would recommend a visit to the slave chambers. Even though it can be upsetting it can give a real insight into life back then and allow you to understand more about the island’s history.

There are many restaurants and bars to spend the evening too. I went to one rooftop bar to watch the sun go down with a lovely cocktail in hand.

Accommodation:
There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses to stay at in Stone Town.

Day 8 in Tanzania

Stone Town to Beach Resort

This morning, you could either explore some more of Stone town, or make your way straight to the beach resort. I booked half day tour for myself, going out to Changuu Island. I would really recommend this tour; it is only 30 minutes from Stone Town by boat. The island has a hard history and was used to hold slaves back in the day. However nowadays many people visit to see the giant tortoises that live here. You can also go snorkelling off the island as part of the tour, where you can see lots of colourful little fish.

If you want to head straight to the beach, basically anywhere you go in Zanzibar is gorgeous, so not sure you can go wrong here. However, the North and West side beaches are said to be a little better. I stayed in Nungwi (North point) at cheapish hotel beach resort, with buffet breakfast included (bacon here I come).

The area is essentially a long strip of beach resorts and bars and cafes. You can venture out to the local area and villages if you want a bit more of an authentic experience, but I would either book a village tour or go with other people, as I’m not sure how safe it would be if you are alone.

Generally, the locals are friendly, but you may get hassled by the beach boys trying to sell you cheap sunglasses! Apart from that, you can basically just relax and enjoy paradise. The water is so clear and if you get up early for sunrise, you will see the calm waters sparking. You may even see the local women going out in the ocean to fish.

If you are after a little more action, then there are a few water sports to enjoy, as well as paddle boarding, snorkelling, and sunset boat tours.

Accommodation:
There are so many fabulous places to stay in Zanzibar, ranging from low budget backpackers to luxury resorts.

Day 9 in Tanzania

Beach Resort

Explore more of the beautiful resort, sip cocktails on the beach, have a game of beach volleyball with the locals, read a good book, go for an ocean swim, or just sit and people watch! This is a great time to sit and relax after a busy safari. I would recommend you time your trip here well though as I got caught out with monsoon rain for much of my time here!

For those who cannot sit still, why not try making your way to a few beaches and seeing what Zanzibar has to offer. A trip from the Northern end and down the West coast could be a great way to see a few different beaches.

Accommodation:
Again, plenty of places to stay for all budgets.

Day 10 in Tanzania

Beach Resort to stone Town

Enjoy the morning before heading back to Stone Town and traveling to your next destination (book a late flight so you can still have almost a full day!).

If you have time, you could visit some of Zanzibar’s wildlife filled forests, such as the Jozani Forest or Masingini Forest. There are also caves to explore, old ruins and spice plantations.

When to Visit Tanzania and Zanzibar

Tanzania (Serengeti)

Safaris can be enjoyed any time of the year, although March to May is the low season as there will likely be rain. However, I went in March and had great weather, so you never know! January and February can also be a good time to visit the Southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

If you are wanting to catch the great wildebeest migration at its best, then go in June to September.
Temperatures are generally in the mid to high 20’s region (Celsius) but at night they can drop to around 15 degrees. During early morning and night, it can get cool on safari, so bring some warmer clothes.

Zanzibar

The best time to visit Zanzibar is from June-October. This is when you will see the least rain and the temperatures are a little cooler. You could also try January and February when it will be dry but hot.

The rain comes from March-May when there will be tropical monsoon rain throughout the island (usually in the afternoon). November and December also have a short rainy season, but its generally lighter (but can be unpredictable).

Temperatures are nice and warm, going down to 19 Celsius at night in the cooler months and going up to low to mid 30’s in the hotter months.

Best time for Tanzania and Zanzibar combined

June to September is one of the best times to see the wildebeest migrations, as well as dry weather in Zanzibar.

January and February is another good time, if you don’t mind it being that bit hotter. The island will be dry, and the animals will be likely to gather at the watering holes.

What to wear in Tanzania and Zanzibar?

Tanzania

For safari, you will want some neutral coloured clothing to blend in with the scenery. Anything really bright could scare off animas and anything blue tends to attract the tsetse flies. You will want some longer trousers for safari and clothing you do not mind getting a bit dusty. Bring along some shorts or a dress to wear around camp/ hotel. You will also want some warmer clothes for early morning and night-time.

Zanzibar

As it is hot and humid you will want to bring loose fitting clothing, with breathable fabrics such as linen. Of course, bring along bathing suits, shorts, dresses etc but do remember this is a Muslim country so these types of clothes would be better for the beach. For walking around Stone Town, or the villages, you will want to cover up your legs and shoulders and not wear anything too tight or figure hugging.

I really hope this post on Tanzania and Zanzibar was helpful. If you wanted a longer safari, you could either take out the full day in Arusha or sacrifice a beach day for an extra day of wildlife viewing. The safari was one of the best things I have done so its worth doing 2 days minimum, preferably 3 or 4 days.

Please share or take a read of some of my other adventures from Tanzania and Zanzibar!

Tanzania and Zanzibar Travel Guide