Compare Selous & Zanzibar Holiday by Wayfairer vs Tanzania to Zanzibar: White Sands & the Wilderness by G Adventures

Day 1:

Your ‘Selous and Zanzibar Holiday’ starts as soon as you board your international flight to Dar es Salaam Airport. If you’re flying from the UK we recommend that you fly with British Airways or Kenya Airways via Nairobi, total flight duration approximately 11 hours 50 minutes.

Overnight: International flight

Day 2:

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Selous Reserve

Upon arrival at Dar es Salaam Airport you will be met by a representative and transferred to the domestic terminal. You will then board your scheduled light aircraft flight to the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania. A representative will meet you at the airstrip and drive you to your camp or lodge where you’ll stay for the next four nights.

Days 3-5:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Selous Reserve

Selous is Africa's largest game reserve covering over 50,000 square kms, yet it remains one of Tanzania’s least known reserves and the numbers of visitors to Selous are much lower than the northern parks.

The rivers and lakes of Selous host some phenomenal game, including the largest hippo and crocodile and hippo populations in Africa. Along the banks of the Rufiji River you’ll find large herds of elephants, especially in the dry season (June to November) and you can also expect to see good numbers of buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, eland, wildebeest, baboon, hyena, lion and leopard, and endangered African wild dog.       

As the Selous is a game reserve your guide can go off road in your safari vehicle and you can get much closer wildlife encounters than in National Parks where you are restricted to the roads. As well as morning and afternoon game drives you can also enjoy bush walks and boat safaris.

Day 6:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Zanzibar

This morning you can enjoy one final game drive in the Selous before being transferred back to the airstrip for your scheduled light aircraft flight to Zanzibar.

You will be met on arrival in Zanzibar and driven to your accommodation where you will stay for the next four nights. We offer a range of accommodation options on the island and we will ensure that we match you to the most suitable accommodation for your requirements and sense of style – whether that is a rustic beach lodge or a luxurious 5 star resort.

Days 7-10:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Zanzibar

With its beautiful sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters and colourful coral reefs, Zanzibar is the perfect destination for post-safari relaxation. 

Should you wish to be active there are plenty of excursions that you can join, including visits to historic Stone Town, Jozani Forest, Prison Island, the spice plantations and cultural tours to local villages. There’s also a wide choice of adventure activities that you can participate in, including mountain biking, hiking, bird watching, wind surfing, kite surfing, sea kayaking and sailing. Additionally, the island has fantastic coral reefs which are perfect for diving and snorkelling – and you may even be lucky enough to see dolphins, green turtles and, at certain times of the year, whale sharks.

Day 11:

Meals: Breakfast

Unfortunately your ‘Selous and Zanzibar Holiday’ has come to an end. After breakfast you’ll check out of your accommodation and you’ll be driven back to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) for your flight home.

Overnight: International flight

Day 1 Arusha

Arrive at anytime. Head out to a local bar where the drinks are affordable and the company is fantastic. Get to know your new travel mates over a few Tuskers as a group. Connect over past travels, set your intentions for this trip, and as the night settles around you; simply enjoy being in the moment.

Day 2 Arusha/Serengeti National Park

Well folks it’s time for the Africa you have all imagined, the experience that has been depicted over and over again in books, movies, and television. So grab those cameras, purchase a quirky bucket hat, and head out on a wildlife safari drive into one of the most famous national parks in Africa; the Serengeti. Get ready for abundant wildlife, vast golden plains dotted with thorny acacia trees, and hippo-filled rivers as you begin a 3-day and 2-night excursion into the park itself and the great Ngorongoro Crater.

The Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater portion of the trip will make use of specialized 4x4 7-seater safari vehicles, with experienced safari driver/guides, who will ensure wonderful wildlife encounters. The safari vehicles each have sliding windows and a large pop-up roof, perfect for viewing animals and scenery. The group will split up among several vehicles and your CEO will spend time in each vehicle over the next three days.

Day 3 Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro

Grab your buddies and jump aboard for one last morning safari in the Serengeti. As the sun rises higher in the sky watch the animal kingdom come to life in this grassland savannah before returning to break down camp. Then it’s on to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, famous for Africa’s best wildlife viewing. Get ready for epic views from the crater rim and watch as animals meander around below drinking water from the permanent supply on the crater floor. You’ll be setting up camp in the late afternoon at a site near the crater rim and then you can spend the rest of the day enjoying one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on the planet.

Please note: if you have pre-booked the Serengeti Balloon Safari, today's the day for this activity! The CEO will give the final confirmation, as it is subject to change. You will miss the included morning wildlife safari drive with the group, but you will have a much better view from above! If you have not yet pre-booked, add it to your checkout page, or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance. Please note that due to the high-altitude location of our camp, temperatures can drop at night. We recommend bringing extra layers to wear during the evening and following morning.

Day 4 Ngorongoro/Arusha

It’s time to experience “Africa’s Garden of Eden” on a more personal level. Today, venture down to the crater floor where the group will embark on a final safari experience. Have those cameras charged and at the ready because, let’s face it if you are going to see any wildlife this would be the place (and we are so excited for you)! The animals are bound to this area by the crater walls and the enclosed nature of the crater means its own ecosystem has been created think; rich grasslands, swamps, acacia forests, and Lake Makat so get ready to see some magic. With full camera rolls the group will exit the crater in the late morning and travel back to Arusha. Swap stories along the way, pick those favourite photos from earlier, or simply sit back and let yourself enjoy the passing scenery as you cruise along.

Day 5 Arusha/Dar es Salaam

Leave Arusha early and be on the lookout for the mighty Mt Kilimanjaro on the road towards Dar es Salaam and watch as the Tanzanian countryside passes by and the blue waters of the Indian Ocean make their debut. The city started as a fishing village in the mid 19th century before becoming a port and trading centre. The group will spend the night here before embarking for the island beaches of Zanzibar. Want to cut travel time in half and spend more time in Stone Town? Pre-book the Zanzibar Express on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour.

Zanzibar Express; transfer this morning from your Arusha hotel to the airport for a scenic flight to Zanzibar. Arrive in Stone Town and spend the afternoon exploring on your own. Enjoy an extra night in Stone Town and meet back up with the group the following day. Only breakfast included.

Day 6 Dar es Salaam/Stone Town

After the jam packed last few days of this trip where you are going next is going to be just what you needed. Wake in Dar es Salaam before hopping on the ferry to the paradise of Zanzibar. Get ready for picturesque island beaches that will make you contemplate staying here and living off the grid. Few places on this planet are as entrancing and exotic as this Tanzanian archipelago so get ready to enjoy it, take loads of pictures, and relax in a place that has long lured backpackers and adventurers to it’s sandy shores.

Zanzibar is a Muslim society. Immodestly dressed women or men in shorts will get harassed and cause great offence in Stone Town. On the beach, customs are a little more relaxed, but travellers are encouraged to be respectful of the island's culture and cover up when walking around. Never try to take a photograph without asking permission.

Day 7 Beach day in Zanzibar

Roll out of bed this morning in Stone Town and explore the heart of Zanzibar. Wander the winding historic unpaved alleyways of Stone Town passing by balconies and gigantic wooden carved doors along the way. Get lost and spend hours exploring the streets and squares, drinking potent coffee from pavement vendors and buying sweetmeats from tiny cafes. Keep an eye out for tinga-tinga paintings, antique shops, beautifully printed cloths (kangas and kikois worn by local people), little carved chests with copper inlays, and spices – all beautiful presents or memories to take home. Transfer to the tropical haven of Jambiani for a relaxing few days as a group.

Day 8 Beach day in Zanzibar

Wake up in this island paradise and get ready to seize the day. You’ll be exploring one of the world’s great cultural crossroads… think Africa meets Arabia and add the Indian Ocean into the mix as the cherry on top. The day is yours to spend as you choose; head out for a diving experience, grab some goggles and go snorkelling, hop aboard a sailing trip, or just lounge on the beach and relax. Zanzibar’s tropical setting, unique culture, and active beach-party scene make this place a very enjoyable East African Indian Ocean experience.

Day 9 Stone Town

Your most difficult task today is going to be pulling yourself away from the beauty that surrounds you in Jambiani. Travel back to Stone Town on the other side of the island and explore the heart of Zanzibar. The tour ends in the late morning.

Morning group transfer from the beach. Depart Stone Town upon arrival in the late morning. Onward travel should be booked no earlier than 2:30pm.