Serving stacks of unforgettable experiences, Tanzania is a sure-fire bucket-list-level destination. To help you make the most of your trip, read on to discover a rewarding Tanzania itinerary that’ll have you experiencing the country’s iconic wildlife, landscapes and culture in immersive style. Here we suggest ways to enjoy 10 days and a week in the country, along with how to include Kenya and Zanzibar in what's likely to be a trip of a lifetime.
Whether you have 10+ days, or just a week, here we present how to enjoy Tanzania’s top attractions, with wildlife safaris at the fore.
As a bonus, we also share a couple of combined itineraries that cover the varies charms of Kenya and Zanzibar.
Focusing on mainland Tanzania’s wildlife and cultural highlights, the following Tanzania itinerary for 10 days will take you from Arusha and Tarangire National Parks, to the epic Ngorongoro Conservation Area and majestic Serengeti.
After arriving in Kilimanjaro International Airport, transfer to your lodge in Arusha — gateway to many of Tanzania’s top national parks, and well worth exploring beyond taking a safari in Arusha National Park.
The airport is around 50 km from Arusha, so you could be at your lodge in 1-1.5 hours. If you have time, you could spend your first afternoon visiting the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre, shopping at a Massai market, or taking a tour of one of the coffee farms on the slopes of Mount Meru.
Mount Meru, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Day 2 will see you enjoy your first safari of this Tanzania itinerary, thanks to spending a full-day in Arusha National Park.
Less crowded than parks covered later in this trip, it’s a wonderful way to ease yourself into safari life, and also plays host to significant numbers of giraffes and colobus monkeys, with Momella Lakes renowned for its flamingos.
You could also opt to go on a ranger-guided hike near Mount Meru, or enjoy a short canoe safari before returning to your Arusha lodge.
Day two will see you transfer to Tarangire National Park (2–3 hours), a place that's especially known for its ancient baobab trees and huge herds of elephants.
We suggest staying in a tented camp or lodge inside the park for a more immersive bush experience.
Day four is fully devoted to enjoying an immersive game drive through Tarangire’s varied habitats — think vast savannahs dotted with iconic baobab trees, grassy floodplains, and acacia woodlands.
Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours like Serengeti and Ngorongoro (more on those later), it’s every bit as rewarding, in no small part thanks to the Tarangire River that snakes through the park, providing a vital water source for wildlife.
On that subject, though Tarangire is best known for its large elephant herds, here you can also spot lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffes, and smaller antelope.
It’s also a joy for birdwatchers, with hundreds of species to look out for, including hornbills and the endemic yellow-collared lovebird.
Tarangire National Park, north Tanzania © LMspencer/Shutterstock
Day five involves a move to Lake Manyara National Park — a small, lush park that’s famous for its tree-climbing lions, hippos and flamingos.
After going on a guided game drive through forests and around the lakeshore, enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park and overnight at a lodge in Karatu.
On day six, it’s time to transfer to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater area — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s been hailed the eighth wonder of the world.
Just 1.5 to 2 hours from Lake Manyara National Park, pre-booked tours and transfers can include cultural stops en route, offering the chance to learn about Maasai communities and local conservation efforts.
Day 7 will see you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater. Created by volcanic upheavals that accompanied the formation of the Great Rift Valley, the spectacular 8288-square-kilometre site occupies the highlands between the valley and the Serengeti Plains.
As you pass through Lodoare Gate, the road climbs through Oldeani Forest before serving an unforgettable view of the enormous caldera.
The magic continues when you enjoy a game drive that will most probably deliver sightings of all the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos), along with incredible birdlife, including ostriches, Verreaux’s eagles, Egyptian vultures, kori bustards and lesser flamingos.
After a full day of game viewing, exit the crater and head towards Serengeti National Park to your next lodge, so you’re ready for the next day’s big safari adventure.
Ngorongoro Crater lakeside, Tanzania
Rise early on day eight to spend a full day in the Seronera region of Serengeti National Park. Known for its year-round predator activity, here the plains teem with the likes of cheetahs, wildebeest, lions and leopards.
After spending the afternoon on a drive, overnight in a tented camp or lodge for a magical under-the-stars safari experience.
Depending on the season (more on when to visit a little later), head towards the north or south Serengeti to witness the Great Migration.
Expect dramatic river crossings from July to October, while visits during the December-to-March calving season offer the chance to see young finding their feet.
On day ten, it’s time to leave Tanzania.
If you have the budget, you could take a scenic bush flight from a Serengeti airstrip back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport to avoid the drive.
Serengeti migration © Shutterstock
If you only have a week, here’s how to condense the above 10-day itinerary into 7 days.
Serengeti safari, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Given that you’re going to the effort of getting to Tanzania, you might want to consider configuring an itinerary that also covers Kenya and/or Zanzibar, depending on your interests.
Here’s how you could cover these options across two terrific ten-day itineraries.
If maxing out your chance of seeing more wildlife is a top priority, consider combining Tanzania and Kenya, bearing in mind that if you’re looking for an unforgettable family vacation, visiting Kenya with kids can be especially wonderful.
After landing in Nairobi, transfer to your hotel and rest up ahead of a day two transfer that will see you start your safari adventures.
Alternatively, if you have the time and energy, consider enjoying a few of the best things to do in Nairobi before you leave, along them exploring the Oloolua Nature Trail — a scenic walk on the outskirts of the city — and visiting Nairobi National Museum.
On day two, travel south to Amboseli National Park (4–5 hrs), which is most famous for its elephant-spotting opportunities against a Mount Kilimanjaro backdrop.
That afternoon, begin your safari experience with an afternoon game drive before bedding down in a lodge that offers majestic mountain views.
Editor’s tip: wise up on the best safari lodges in Kenya and compare options for places to stay throughout your trip.
Elephants in Amboseli © Shutterstock
Day three is devoted to a full-day game drive in Amboseli — expect to see large herds of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and (if you get lucky) cheetahs.
Looking for something extra-special? Be inspired by the best luxury safaris in Kenya.
Day four involves a drive to the Namanga border, where you’ll cross into Tanzania and transfer to a hotel in Arusha.
Arrive early enough, and you could head out to explore some of the city that same afternoon and evening.
Tarangire National Park is your day-five destination — a scenic, lesser-visited park that’s esteemed for its baobabs and huge elephant herds.
Day six will see you take early morning drive to Ngorongoro Crater to descend into the world’s largest intact caldera and enjoy a full day spotting rhinos, lions, elephants and hippos.
It’s time to drive to the Serengeti on day seven, stopping en route to visit a Maasai village or Olduvai Gorge ahead of taking an afternoon game drive across the plains, and overnighting in a tented camp
Day 8 is fully devoted to exploring the Serengeti’s diverse habitats and wildlife on a guided game drive.
On day nine, take a morning flight from the Serengeti to Nairobi via Arusha.
If you have time, head to a local market for some last-minute souvenir shopping before your final overnight stay.
Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your homeward flight.
Keen to uncover Kenya? Browse more Kenya itineraries, and wise up on the best time to go on a Kenya safari.
Maasai market in Nairobi © Shutterstock
If you like the idea of blending unforgettable wildlife adventures with blissing out on the best beaches in Tanzania and Zanzibar, here’s how to do exactly that across a 10-day itinerary.
After landing in Kilimanjaro. transfer to Arusha. Hopefully, you’ll have time to head out to visit a local coffee plantation that afternoon, or simply relax at your lodge, taking in views of Mount Meru.
Day 2 will see you transfer to Tarangire, stopping to enjoy a scenic game drive en route to your lodge.
Offering a diverse ecosystem that plays host to flamingos, hippos, and tree-climbing lions, exploring Lake Manyara is a richly rewarding way to spend day three.
Alongside spotting wildlife from your jeep, you’ll get to picnic by the lake and explore forested trails before continuing to your lodge in Karatu.
Day five will see you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full day of incredible wildlife viewing, with rhinos, lions and buffalo sitting top of the spotting tree.
Transfer to Serengeti National Park on day five, preferably stopping at a Maasai village on the way, while leaving time for a late-afternoon game drive when you arrive.
Spend the day exploring the Serengeti, where guided game drives give opportunities to see big predators and hidden watering holes.
Kendwa beach, Zanzibar © Shutterstock
After all that adventuring, day seven brings a shift in pace and scenery, when you’ll take a scenic flight from the Serengeti to Zanzibar (via Arusha).
After transferring to your chosen beach resort on the east coast, unwind with a swim in bath-warm waters ahead of enjoying an oceanfront dinner.
Need we say anymore?! Zanzibar is known for its idyllic white-sand beaches and clear, calm waters.
Rise early on day 9 to do a deep dive in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stone Town.
Be sure to explore the Old Slave Market, fort and spice market before heading back to the beach for a chilled afternoon.
Enjoy a final beachfront breakfast before transferring to Zanzibar International Airport for your onward flight.
Still undecided? Discover why the time to visit Zanzibar is now!
House of Wonders, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania © LMspencer/Shutterstock
Here’s an overview of pertinent trip-planning tips, with more detail in our full guide to how to plan a trip to Tanzania.
Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Tanzania © Shutterstock
The answer to that question depends on your budget, travel style (slow travel versus being prepared to pack stuff in!), and the length of your must-do list.
It’s also essential to figure out how much time you’ll need to travel between regions, and to recover from those very early safari starts.
As revealed above, it’s possible to do a pretty deep dive into a circuit of northern national parks in a week. Alternatively, devote all your 7-day trip to a Zanzibar beach break.
Meanwhile, in ten days, you could enjoy the best of both worlds through spending, for example, a week on safari before hitting the beach.
Kizimkazi village. Zanzibar, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Covering many of the best things to do in Tanzania, here’s a handy checklist of the best places to include in your Tanzania itinerary.
Kilimanjaro forest, Tanzania © Shutterstock
To see the Great Migration in the Serengeti, June-July is the best time to visit Tanzania.
Beyond these peak Great Migration months, it’s best to visit between June and October for wildlife sightings, especially in the west and south.
This is the dry season, which means animals tend to congregate around known watering holes (making for easier viewing conditions), and there’ll be fewer mosquitos to bug you.
While most travelers need a visa to enter Tanzania, the process is straightforward.
Either apply for an e-visa online before arrival (the recommended option if you want to avoid long queues), or obtain one when you arrive (expect a queue!)
Either option allows a stay of up to 30 or 90 days, depending on your nationality.
In addition, note that your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry, and always check entry requirements before traveling — they can change with little notice.
Inspired to take a trip to Tanzania? Why not contact our local Tanzania travel experts to have them curate an itinerary that delivers everything you’re looking for, including options to add on experiences in Zanzibar and Kenya?
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for visiting Tanzania & Zanzibar
written by
Joanne Owen
updated 14.04.2025
