Luxury Serengeti and Ruaha safari with Zanzibar

Itinerary in brief:

• 3 nights full board at Asanja Moru (Serengeti National Park)
• 2 nights full board at Asanja Ndembo (Ruaha National Park)
• 5 nights all-inclusive at Tulia Zanzibar

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: Domestic flights, transfers, all game activities, driver-guide, full-board accommodation with house drinks

Day 2: Arrival – Serengeti National Park

When you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, you’ll transfer to the domestic terminal for your flight to the Serengeti Airstrip, in the heart of the national park. The moment you land on the airstrip, your safari will begin, and you’ll spot all kinds of wildlife on your way to the camp.

Home to the largest migration of land animals in the world, more than two million mammals roam the 30,000 square kilometres of the Serengeti. The wildlife viewing is exceptional year-round, and the landscape is a breathtaking mix of dense bush, rocky outcrops, rivers and vast plains.

You’ll stay at Asanja Moru, a luxury bush camp nestled between rocky islands called the Moru Kopjes. With only seven luxury ensuite bush tents and one luxury family tent, it’s highly exclusive and packed with atmosphere. Each tent is individually decorated to represent a different Maasai ceremony and the Big Five are often spotted very close to the camp.

Included: All game activities, driver-guide, full-board accommodation with house drinks

Day 3: Serengeti National Park

This morning you’ll wake up to sweeping views of the Serengeti and a chorus of sounds from the bush. After breakfast, you’ll set off on a game drive around the Moru Kopjes. Early mornings are a great time for spotting lions in action, as well as all kinds of mammals grazing on the plains. If you’re very lucky, you may even a glimpse of the endangered black rhino.

After a thrilling wildlife safari, you’ll begin to learn about the indigenous Maasai community by visiting Gong Rock and the region’s famous Maasai rock paintings. You’ll then return to the camp for a delicious lunch and some time to relax in the Tanzanian sunshine. In the late afternoon, you’ll head out on your evening game drive, where you’ll stop for a scenic sundowner in the bush while the sun sets over the Serengeti.

Included: All game activities, driver-guide, full-board accommodation with house drinks

Day 4: Serengeti National Park

This morning, you’ll walk to the top of Asanja Hill for breakfast with spectacular views over the surrounding landscape. Afterwards, you’ll begin your full-day game drive in the Central Serengeti, where the river keeps the vegetation plentiful. Here, you’ll see wildebeest, zebras, elephants, giraffes, gazelles and many other species.

Where there is prey, there are predators, so keep your eyes peeled for lions roaming through the golden grasses, as well as cheetahs and hyenas. This is also one of the best places in the Serengeti to spot the park’s elusive leopards. Along the way, you’ll stop at several popular watering holes, as well as the Retina Hippo Pool, which is literally packed full of hippos.

Included: Domestic flights, transfers, all game activities, driver-guide, full-board accommodation with house drinks               

Day 5: Serengeti - Ruaha National Park

After breakfast this morning, you’ll be driven back to the airstrip for your flight to Ruaha National Park. When you arrive, you’ll be collected by your driver-guide and transferred to your camp, Asanja Ruaha. In contrast to the Serengeti, Ruaha National Park isn’t widely known, making it a brilliant place for an off-the-beaten-track safari. It’s a rugged, totally untouched wilderness.

When you reach the camp, you’ll have time to eat lunch and relax before setting out on your first Ruaha safari. With only 8 luxury suites, Asanja Ruaha is an exclusive tented camp deep in the forest, next to the Great Ruaha River. Each suite has its own private plunge pool, as well as a veranda overlooking the river.

In the late afternoon, you’ll begin your game drive and start to explore the park, dotted with ancient baobab trees. You can expect to see a huge variety of animals, from antelopes to elephants and lions. If you’re lucky, you might even see an African wild dog. At sunset, you’ll stop for sundowners, soaking up the atmosphere of the bush.

Included: Domestic flights, transfers, all game activities, driver-guide, full-board accommodation with house drinks               

Day 6: Ruaha National Park

You’ll set off early today for a full day of game activities in Ruaha National Park. You can even choose to begin with a game walk, learning about the smaller creatures and medicinal plants in the bush. On your game drives, you’ll weave between crocodile-infested swamplands to dry riverbeds with traipsing elephants and rocky outcrops popular with leopards. Between activities, you can take a dip in your plunge pool, book a treatment at the ‘pop-up spa’ or spot wildlife from your veranda with a pre-dinner drink.

Included: Domestic flights, transfers, and accommodation on an all-inclusive basis

Day 7: Ruaha National Park - Zanzibar    

After breakfast at camp, you’ll be transferred back to the airstrip for your flight to Zanzibar. When you arrive, you’ll be collected at the airport and driven to your resort on the east coast of the island.

Voted ‘the most romantic beach resort in the world’, Tulia Zanzibar is a slice of paradise. With only 16 deluxe bungalows, it’s highly exclusive and super stylish. The service is faultless and the attention to detail is second to none.

You’ll stay in a Seafront Luxury Villa, perched on the cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. You’ll see spectacular sunrises from your private terrace, and you can relax on your own private sandbank decked out with a hammock. Your stay also includes one free massage or spa treatment per person – bliss!

Included: Domestic flights, transfers, and accommodation on an all-inclusive basis 

Days 8 - 11: Zanzibar

After an adrenalin-fuelled safari, you can relax on these perfect palm-fringed beaches in the tropical sunshine. If you’re feeling active, you can book a snorkelling experience, try paddleboarding, go kayaking, or spot wildlife in the nearby Jozani Forest. For local culture, you can take a trip to historic Stone Town, an atmospheric outpost for the spice trade with a fascinating history.

Included: Transfers, international flights           

Day 12: Zanzibar - UK         

Today, you’ll check out of Tulia Zanzibar and you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight back to the UK.