Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Beach Holidays: How to Combine Them
April 17, 2026 · Updated November 10, 2026
By the Enclose Africa Safaris planning team, Arusha, Tanzania. Last updated November 10, 2026.
Short answer: Do the safari first, then fly to Zanzibar. Plan 8 to 12 days in total: four to seven days on safari in northern Tanzania, then three to four nights on the beach. You fly from the Serengeti or from Arusha, Tanzania, to Zanzibar, so no days are lost to driving. The safari and the beach stay are booked as one trip, with the domestic flight included.
Why combine a Tanzania safari with Zanzibar?
A safari is early starts, long game drives and a new lodge every night or two. A beach stay is the opposite. Putting the beach at the end gives you time to rest before the long flight home, and both halves are in the same country, so there is one visa and a short domestic flight between them.
Zanzibar also adds something the parks do not: the old trading town of Stone Town, spice farms, and warm, shallow water on the Indian Ocean. Our Zanzibar guide covers the island in detail.
How many days do you need?
| Total trip | Safari | Zanzibar | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 days | 4 days: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti | 3 nights | A first look at both, or limited vacation time |
| 11 days | 6 days: Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater | 4 nights | Couples and honeymoons, with more time in the Serengeti |
| 12 days | 7 days: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti | 4 nights | Families and anyone who wants the full northern circuit |
Fewer than four days on safari means choosing between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. We explain that tradeoff in how many days you need for a Tanzania safari.
Safari first or beach first?
Safari first, for three reasons:
- Energy. Game drives start early. Most travelers would rather do that at the beginning of a trip and rest at the end.
- Flights. You land at Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha for the safari and fly home from Zanzibar. Neither leg is repeated.
- Laundry and luggage. Safari clothes are dusty by the end. The beach is where the bag gets repacked for home.
Every one of our Tanzania safari and Zanzibar itineraries runs in this order.
How do you get from the safari to Zanzibar?
You fly. There are two common ways, and our itineraries use both:
- From the Serengeti. On the 8 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari with Zanzibar and the 12 Days Tanzania Private Safari with Zanzibar Beach Escape, you take a morning game drive to Seronera Airstrip in the central Serengeti and fly to Zanzibar from there. This saves the long drive back to Arusha.
- From Arusha. On the 11 Days Tanzania Honeymoon Safari and Zanzibar Beach, the safari ends at the Ngorongoro Crater, so you transfer to the airport and fly from there.
On arrival, a driver meets you at the Zanzibar airport and takes you to your beach hotel. More routes are in our guide on how to get to Zanzibar.
Three ways to do it
These are our three Tanzania safari and Zanzibar trips. Prices are the “from” prices on each tour page, per person, as of November 2026. Your quote depends on travel dates, group size and the lodges you choose.
| Trip | Safari | Beach | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari with Zanzibar | Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti | 3 nights | $3,582 |
| 11 Days Tanzania Honeymoon Safari and Zanzibar Beach | Tarangire, Serengeti with a hot air balloon flight, Ngorongoro Crater | 4 nights | $5,092 |
| 12 Days Tanzania Private Safari with Zanzibar Beach Escape | Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti | 4 nights | $5,293 |
All three are private: one vehicle and one driver-guide for your group. The 11-day trip includes a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti. On the 12-day trip the balloon is optional and quoted separately.
What is included, and what is not?
On these three itineraries the price includes the private 4x4 safari vehicle and driver-guide, all park entrance fees, the Ngorongoro Crater fee, lodges or camps, full board meals on safari, the domestic flight to Zanzibar, and the Zanzibar beach stay.
It does not include international flights, visas, tips or drinks. Check the meal plan for the Zanzibar nights on your quote, because beach hotels do not always include every meal. The full checklist is in what is included in an all-inclusive Tanzania safari, and price ranges are in how much a Tanzania safari costs per person.
When is the best time to go?
- June to October. Dry season in the northern parks, with the best wildlife viewing, and good beach weather on Zanzibar. This is the most popular time for the combination.
- January and February. Warm and mostly dry on the coast, and calving season in the southern Serengeti.
- The months before June. Zanzibar’s main rainy season. The safari still runs, but this is the weakest time for the beach half.
Our month-by-month guide is in the best time to visit Tanzania.
What can you do on Zanzibar besides the beach?
Most travelers do very little for the first day, which is the point. After that:
- Walk the alleys and markets of Stone Town
- Visit a spice farm
- Take a boat to Prison Island
- Snorkel or sail on a Safari Blue day trip
There is a longer list in things to do in Zanzibar. For a quieter island with strong diving, look at Mafia Island.
Where do you stay?
On safari, each night has three lodge options: midrange, luxury and high-end. We compare them in luxury vs midrange Tanzania safari. On Zanzibar, our itineraries use beach resorts such as Ocean Paradise Beach Resort and Melia Zanzibar. A common choice is midrange lodges on safari and a better hotel on the beach, because the beach is where you spend the most waking hours at the hotel.
Plan your safari and beach holiday
Tell us your travel month, how many days you have and who is traveling, and we will send a day-by-day plan with a quote. Deciding between countries? See Kenya vs Tanzania safari. Browse all Tanzania safaris or contact us to start.
Also read: What is a game drive? | Animals of Tanzania and the Serengeti