12 days Luxury Tanzania Honeymoon Safari and Zanzibar

Tanzania is a country bursting with natural beauty, wildlife, memorable experiences and some the friendliest people you will ever meet. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a Lion King representative and a big smile. You will be driven to your accommodation in Arusha and depending on your arrival time, may wish to explore the city a little. Otherwise, simply rest, refresh and prepare for the start of your Safari. Most people see Arusha as nothing more than Tanzania’s safari capital or a stopover for hiking the snow-capped Mt Kilimanjaro. Located exactly halfway between Cairo and Cape Town, Arusha represents the middle of the Old British Empire marked by a simple clock tower. Dig beneath its chaotic, dusty exterior and you’ll find there are plenty of reasons to explore this city.

Drive time approximately two and a half hours. The Park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it. This ‘river of warthogs’ is the only source of water for wildlife in the region during the dry season. In places, the vegetation is quite dense, including elephant grass, acacia woodlands and lush groundwater forest. The Park is well known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. You may also see giraffe, bushbuck and hartebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators, including lions and leopards. There are more breeding species of birds found in Tarangire National Park than anywhere else on the planet! The huge and ancient Baobab trees can be seen here. Some of them are said to have lived for more than a thousand years and can grow to have trunks reaching 30 metres in circumference.

This relatively small but diverse park, 120km west of Arusha, is so named for the shallow salt lake which covers a good seventy percent of the park's surface area. Flooding and drying with the seasons the soda lake is home to thousands of flamingo as well as over 500 other bird species. On our exploration of the park we will see monkey, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, and, with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes; not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab dotted cliffs. After another memorable game drive we, with our adventure replete with images of the African wilds to last a lifetime.

Along the way, we'll pass through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you might be lucky enough to see baboons or even leopards and elephants in the dense undergrowth. Passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will be able to see the breath-taking Ngorongoro Crater before traveling onwards to the Serengeti National Park, which you will reach by midday. The Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats, such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah, and mountains. After an extensive game drive, you will drive to your accommodation where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

The Serengeti, the habitat of an abundance of wildlife such as impala, buffalo, crocodile, and hippo, is more well-known for its great migrating herds of zebra, antelope, and wildebeest. The animals’ trek is determined by the rainfall and varies from year to year. In November and December, the animals move from the northern region, dominated by woodlands and hills, to the grassy plains of the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June, they return to the north. Apart from the migrating herds, we may have the opportunity to see the resident predators, leopard, cheetah, and lion, fulfilling their role in the circle of life. After an unforgettable day, we will return to your accommodation for relaxation, dinner and our overnight sleep on The Endless Plain.

You might be able to spot the “Big Five” – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard – before embarking on your journey to Ngorongoro Crater. This UNESCO world heritage site formed millions of years ago is 600 m deep and covers roughly around 260 square kilometres. Due to its dense animal population of approximately 25 000, the Crater offers the best game viewing of all the parks in Tanzania. You will arrive at the Crater rim before lunch. You will descend into the Crater and very quickly, you will be able to see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants, and some of the more than 500 bird species in the area. With a little bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhino through the grass. After lunch and a full afternoon inside the Crater, you will head to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

You will spend the first night in Stone Town for a day of relaxation with amazing views of the old city. There is a possibility of arranging extra activities such as a day tour in Stone Town including Old Town guided tour, Spice Tour, and Prison Island. A tour to Jozani Forest can also be organized. All tours and excursions can be arranged at the hotel.

Island (approximate drive time 90 minutes). Over the next few days, you will be able to relax and enjoy everything the Island has to offer. You can lounge on the beach or by the pool, or take part in some of the many activities. Your hotel will be able to arrange day trips to small islands or to the coral reefs. Professional PADI diving schools offer a full range of scuba diving with professional equipment. Other water sports such as kiting, kayaking, catamaran sailing, wind surfing, deep sea fishing, water skiing, parasailing and jet skiing are also on offer. Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island and was once the world’s leading producer of cloves. A guided tour of a spice farm is an option here.

At an appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport in time to catch your flight.