Incredible Tanzania: Serengeti to Zanzibar

Over nine days, this G Adventures small-group tour leads from the town of Arusha into Tanzania’s famous national parks. In Tarangire National Park, the landscape is dotted with towering baobabs and one of Africa's largest concentrations of elephants. The route continues to the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera where hippos wallow and black rhinos occasionally appear. No itinerary could do better justice to the Serengeti's seemingly endless plains, where wildebeests thunder past and lions prowl during game drives.

After circuits on the mainland, the tour concludes with a flight to Zanzibar. The island’s old Stone Town offers a morning orientation walk, its narrow streets layered with history, before heading to the whitish sands and tropical waters. The pace picks up with spice tours and swimming, making it an effective counterpoint to the long drives and early starts of the safari portion. Meals come from local produce, and accommodation includes tented camps and hotels, reflecting a mix of comfort levels.

Travel is mostly in 4x4 safari vehicles and private transfers, with local guides for context. The group size averages ten, allowing for a communal experience without feeling crowded. The itinerary balances set activities and free time, though expect unpaved roads and some mechanical hiccups as part of the handleable realities of East Africa travel.