As first-time visitors to Tanzania, we were quickly overwhelmed with how much this country has to offer. When planning our Tanzania itinerary, we knew we had to include a safari, but also wanted to experience the local culture, some city life, and relax in Zanzibar.
We found the perfect balance of all these things on our Tanzania itinerary and are excited to share it with you!
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Arriving in Tanzania
Most international visitors land at one of 3 major airports when visiting Tanzania: Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ).
Dar es Salaam is the country’s largest city and we found that flights to Dar were the most economical, compared to flying into Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar. However, Kilimanjaro is where you want to land if you want to start off by experiencing Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit, where the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro are found . It is possible to go on safari from Dar, but you would be touring the Southern Safari Circuit, comprised of Mikumi, Ruaha and Selous.
We decided to fly into Dar so that we could relax a bit and recover from the long journey from North America. Even though Dar is often just a transit point for most tourists, we found it fun to explore the city for a day.
Read: Dar es Salaam Airport: Arrival and departure guide
Once you arrive on your international flight, you can switch to a local airline to fly to other smaller airports around Tanzania. We chose to fly from DAR to JRO on local airline Fastjet, and to and from Zanzibar on Precision Air.
Read all about our experience: Tanzanian Budget Airlines: Are they safe to fly?
12 Day Tanzania Itinerary
Tanzania Itinerary Day 1: Dar es Salaam
Check into your hotel
Since we had found a flight deal from Victoria, Canada to Dar es Salaam this is where we decided to start our Tanzania itinerary. Our total journey from Victoria to Dar es Salaam took 29 hours. We figured it would be best to spend a couple nights in Dar to recover from the long trek and get over our jet lag before flying north.
Rest
Honestly, your first day might be a bit of a write off, unless you are flying in from the same time zone. It’s a good idea to rest and acclimate before heading off on safari.
We chose a hotel with a pool and it was super relaxing to just laze around for the evening before our first full day in Tanzania.
Where to stay in Dar es Salaam: Protea Hotel by Marriott Dar es Salaam Courtyard
We loved this hotel – it was a pleasant and relaxing stay just outside of the city centre. Even though it is not located right downtown, it is easy to get to and from downtown via taxi or an Uber.
They have shuttle service (for a fee) to and from the airport, which is nice after a long flight when you don’t want to worry about haggling with taxi drivers. Also, they have the most amazing breakfast buffet! Oh, and strong AC, which is needed in humid Dar es Salaam!
Tanzania Itinerary Day 2: Dar es Salaam
It’s nice to have a chance to explore Dar es Salaam for a full day, especially since most tourists just skip it.
We also figured it would be good to give ourselves a day leeway, in case of flight delays/cancellations. We definitely didn’t want to book our safari too early after arrival in case of this! It ended up being a good thing, because our flight to Europe was super delayed and we almost missed our connection to Tanzania. We were lucky, but another family on the flight missed the first day of their safari because of it!
Visit the National Museum
Head to the National Museum to pass an hour or 2 of your time. It is a good place to learn about the history and culture of Tanzania. The entrance fee is 6500 TSH. There are also some modest botanical gardens next door.
Check out Azania Front Church
Keep on walking down Sokoine Drive and you will come to Azania Front Church which makes for some nice photos.
View St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Shop at Kariakoo Market
Here you will experience hectic, exhilarating local market life! You will find everything from exotic fruits to spices to knock off electronics. As with any busy place around the world, beware of pickpockets!
We were advised not to head here late as it is supposedly not safe to walk around after dusk, unless accompanied by a local.
Unfortunately we had to skip Kariakoo altogether due to having to spend extra time sorting out our lost luggage. We really regret not making it here!
Eat some local food
Try a little gem of a place called Mamboz BBQ located on Morogoro Street. Their specialty is bbq chicken and it is delicious!
There’s something about dining on the sidewalk, sitting on plastic chairs – it just feels more authentic and local. We really loved it. But then again we are street food-lovers so this isn’t for everyone!
For a detailed itinerary read our Dar es Salaam One Day Itinerary
Tanzania Itinerary Day 3: Dar es Salaam to Arusha
Time to head to the north! Fly to either Arusha (ARK) or Kilimanjaro (JRO). Arusha is Tanzania’s third largest city and the country’s safari capital. Most come here as a starting point to their safari, but it’s worth it to add on an extra day to explore Arusha town itself.
Don’t plan on doing too much on this travel day – we learned that flights are not always on time so keep your schedule fairly flexible 😉 As they like to say: “This is Africa”.
Experience the local culture
Arusha is a great place to stay for an extra day if you want to add some cultural tourism to your Tanzania itinerary. There are many Maasai-run cultural programs offering encounters with local tribes. However, if this feels too touristy for you, we recommend staying with a local family for a more personal and authentic experience.
We had an amazing stay with a Maasai family in Arusha and learned so much about their lives. They even showed us around town and took us to local spots to eat – it was a great way to have a truly local experience.
Read all about our experience: Maasai Homestay Experience in Arusha
Shop at the Maasai Market
This market has all kinds of fruits and vegetables, spices, snacks and some clothing and shoes.
Dinner at QX Pub
This is a great little local pub in the Kijenge area of Arusha. Even if you aren’t here for the beer, it is a great place to try some nyama choma! Aka char-grilled meat. We had the goat and it was delicious!
Where to stay in Arusha: Maasai Home Stay
Tanzania Itinerary Day 4: Arusha
Enjoy a local breakfast
Visit a local shop for some yummy mandazi and chai tea. Mandazi is similar to a fried donut and pairs well with the very milky and filling chai tea.
Visit the Tanzanite museum
The Tanzanite Experience is found in the center of Arusha and consists of an educational tour of the small “museum” and a store.
We had never heard of tanzanite before so we found it to be a pretty interesting experience for us. There is no entry fee but there is some expectation that you will purchase something at the end of the tour. However we did not feel pressured to buy anything.
If you do have some money to spend and are in the market for some jewellery, the collection here is absolutely beautiful!!
Go on a nature walk
Spend the afternoon taking in the beautiful nature of Arusha. Visit Themi Living Garden for a lovely, peaceful place to walk around.
Our hotel actually had daily guided walking tours, as well as walking trails all over the peaceful property. It was a great place to explore and check out the different plants and birds.
Relax at the pool before safari
Many of the hotels in Arusha have lovely outdoor pools. Lounging by the pool is a great way to relax before your safari, especially if you are still trying to overcome your jetlag.
Where to stay in Arusha: Moivaro Lodge
This is a lovely coffee plantation lodge with 40 individual cottages. It’s located on 40 acres with beautiful gardens, walking trails and a refreshing pool with views of Mount Meru.
We were greeted with wet cloths and a welcome drink of tropical juice. Our cottage had a fireplace, large bed, fresh flower petals throughout the room, mosquito net and bug spray, bottled water, and a nice shower with strong water pressure and rainfall shower head.
The food was very good with both African and international dishes.
Tanzania Itinerary Day 5: Tarangire
Head off on your safari!
Likely the most exciting part of your Tanzania itinerary: your safari! You can definitely book with one of the many, many tour operators in Arusha once you arrive in town. However, if you are like us and like to have things planned out ahead, you would do well to book at least 6 months in advance from your home country.
We booked with Shadows of Africa and were super happy with them. They will help you plan the perfect Tanzania itinerary for you based on your budget. We loved that we were able to pick and choose from a range of hotels of different budget levels, allowing us to have some luxury as well as some more mid-range or budget options mixed in.
Read our Shadows of Africa Safari Company Review
Visit Tarangire National Park
Start off with a visit to Tarangire which is only 2 hours from Arusha. If you love elephants, this place is a must on your Tanzania itinerary!
The park is 4000 sq. km. with the Tarangire River looping through it. You will likely be able to see every possible animal you could see on safari, other than the rhino.
It is also full of giant baobab trees which are quite the impressive sight. Another big draw for Tarangire is its birdwatching, with over 550 species recorded.
Check out the elephants!
Tarangire is one of the best places in Africa to see elephants!
Fun fact: Elephants can smell water 20km away and live up to 65 years.
You might even get lucky and see a tiny 5 day old baby elephant like we did!
Search for cheetahs
While the elephants are the major attraction here, we also saw cheetahs, giraffes, impalas, antelopes, zebras and many more off of our safari checklist.
Watch out for the monkeys
If you picnic in this park, watch out for the naughty monkeys! Even though we were warned about them, one monkey still managed to steal my food from right in front of me! I was totally shocked but also laughed about it after. They are quick!!
Where to stay: Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge
This lodge is not located inside Tarangire. Instead, it is overlooking the beautiful Lake Manyara, placing you in a good position to start another full day of safari tomorrow!
The grounds here are very pretty and there is a nice, refreshing pool. Just watch out for the large baboons that like to jump onto your balcony! It’s kind of cool to see them so up close, but they also scared me one morning as I heard them jump down and appear outside the window by the bed haha. Make sure to keep the patio doors locked 😉
Tanzania Itinerary Day 6: Serengeti
Head to Tanzania’s most famous park!
The Serengeti is what most people picture when they think of Tanzania and a typical African landscape. It is one of the world’s most famous wildlife sanctuaries and Tanzania’s largest park. Coming in at a total of 14,763 square kilometres, this park is MASSIVE.
Witness the migration
This park is most famous for being home to the world’s largest wildlife migration with over 2.5 million animals migrating 800km. If you can make it to Tanzania during migration season then you will be able to witness this most impressive sight. However, there is still plenty to see outside of migration season and you won’t be disappointed!
- Note: Migration season varies each year, depending on the rains and other factors. However the best time to witness it in the Serengeti is usually between December and July, with the highest concentration of animals between April to June.
Admire the predators
The endless plains are full of amazing wildlife. You will be able to see almost every safari animal imaginable, but the highlight is the predators. You will come across so many lion prides and if you are lucky you will get to witness a kill.
Leopards are another animal to look out for as well as all kinds of unique birds. And if you didn’t get your fill of elephants yesterday in Tarangire, you will be able to see many more here! Buffalo, giraffe and all kinds of antelope can also be found.
Where to stay in Serengeti: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp
Out of all the places you can stay on safari, this will probably be your favorite! Located right in the heart of the Serengeti with the most fantastic views.
The private outdoor showers here were a highlight of our Tanzania itinerary! Nothing more memorable than watching a herd of elephants from the shower.
Tanzania Itinerary Day 7: Serengeti
Such a vast park deserves at least another day of exploration.
Go on a sunrise game drive
Today you can look out for any animals that eluded you on your first day in the Serengeti. An early morning/sunrise game drive is your perfect opportunity! Make sure to head out before 6am and watch the plains come alive.
We saw many groups of antelopes grazing on the dew-covered grass. A leopard also sneakily passed by us and a pride of lions were stalking some buffalo.
Check out the kopjes
Another feature of the Serengeti not to miss is the unique-looking kopjes scattered around the plains. These are eroded granite “islands” which were created millions of years ago from volcanic bubbles coming to the surface. They are quite interesting to see.
Since your park pass for the Serengeti is only good for 24 hours you will need to make your way to your next destination after lunch time.
Where to stay in Ngorongoro: Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge
This lodge is situated right on the rim of the crater and every room offers fantastic views! Don’t forget your binoculars! You can watch the wildlife on the crater floor right from your room.
This lodge has a decent buffet, good entertainment in the evening and free wifi for half an hour, and then it’s $5/hour or $10/24 hours.
Tanzania Itinerary Day 8: Ngorongoro
Search for the rare black rhino
Ngorongoro Crater is probably most famous for being the place where you can see one of the very rare and endangered black rhinos that are freely roaming around! A highlight of any Tanzania itinerary.
Other than the famous black rhinos, Ngorongoro is also where you can find the densest population of predators in action. You will see many lions, as well as hyenas, and some leopards if you are lucky. There are also tons of hippos in the various pools around the crater.
All kinds of birds can also be seen, including many flamingos, and some ostriches.
Where to stay in Karatu: Country Lodge
Staying in the town of Karatu is a good choice if you need to make it to the airport the next day. You still have quite a ways to drive back so staying outside of the parks is a wise idea. It is also a nice place to relax after a bumpy and dusty safari.
Tanzania Itinerary Day 9: Arusha to Stone Town
Enjoy a relaxing breakfast
End this portion of your Tanzania itinerary with a relaxing breakfast at the lodge.
Say farewell to the amazing northern safari circuit and make your way to Arusha airport.
Fly to Zanzibar
Time to embark on the beach portion of your Tanzania itinerary!
When coming from safari, the closest airport to fly out of is Arusha airport
(ARK). This is a tiny, open-air airport. There are a few small souvenir shops inside, a tiny bathroom and not much in the way of food.
Precision Air offers direct flights from Arusha to Zanzibar at reasonable rates.
Arrive in Stone Town
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ), aka Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, is located 7km south of Stone Town. It is a fairly small airport without any frills.
Upon exiting the terminal there will be a crowd of drivers waiting. Taxis are readily available and drivers will be eager to approach you to offer a ride. Just be sure to agree on a price beforehand so you don’t get ripped off.
Your other option is to arrange a driver ahead of time, which is what we did to avoid the hassle. We booked through Zanzitaxi and they were great. Our driver was waiting with a sign, had ice cold water ready for us in a spacious, air conditioned van. The ride into Stone Town to our hotel cost us $10.
Go on a walking tour
Stone Town is full of history and twisting alleyways that are easy to get lost in. It is best to start off with a walking tour to get acquainted with the area and learn all about Stone Town’s fascinating, albeit dark, past.
It’s worth it to hire a guide and get their local insight. You can ask your hotel to hook you up with a good one.
Tour the slave chambers
Stone Town is now a popular tourist spot but it’s important we don’t forget its terrible past. If you can bear it, it is worth taking a guided tour into the slave chambers and learn about the dark history of Africa’s last slave market.
Have dinner at Forodhani Gardens
The famous waterfront Forodhani Gardens is a great place to sample some local food. If you are a street food enthusiast like us, you’ve gotta eat here!
It is popular with locals and tourists alike and gets busy every evening after sunset. If you love seafood, this is the perfect place for you. Prices are pretty good, just make sure to ask before you order so that you don’t get ripped off!
We ended our walking tour here and got our guide to help us find some good stalls to order at. It is best to try the stalls that are busy with locals 😉
For a more detailed itinerary check out Stone Town, Zanzibar in 48 hours
Where to stay in Stone Town: Doubletree Zanzibar – Stone Town
This hotel is located in the heart of Stone Town, making it easy to explore everywhere on foot. The rooms were very clean and nicely decorated in traditional Zanzibari-style.
There is free wi-fi available, a modern bathroom, and, best of all, strong AC!
Tanzania Itinerary Day 10: Spice Tour and Prison Island
Go on a spice tour
Zanzibar is not known as the spice island for nothing! When you are here, it is worth it to tour one of the many spice plantations in the countryside and get to see, smell and feel the spices in person.
I had considered skipping the spice tour because I figured it might be super touristy, but it honestly turned out to be one of my favorite things we did in Zanzibar!
Take a boat to Prison Island
Changuu Island, more popularly known as Prison Island, is about a 30 minute boat ride from Stone Town. It is known for its large colony of Aldabra giant tortoises (changuu). There are over 100 tortoises here and the oldest one we saw was 192 years old!
Feed the tortoises
You can make a donation to get some spinach to feed the tortoises if you wish. It was pretty fascinating watching them eat and they totally reminded me of dinosaurs!
View the old prison
The island was once a transit camp for slaves and houses an imposing building that was built to serve as a prison back in the late 1800s. Thus the name “prison island”.
Go snorkeling
After exploring Prison Island, hop back into the boat and have the driver take you to the nearby reef for some snorkeling!
Have dinner at the Tea House Restaurant
This rooftop restaurant is located at the Emerson on Hurumzi hotel (not to be confused with Emerson Spice hotel). Dining here is a fantastic culinary and cultural experience not to be missed!
Dinner is served at 7pm and the sunset views from the rooftop are gorgeous. You can choose to dine Swahili-style (on the floor), or you can opt to dine Western style at the few available tables. We recommend Swahili style for the full experience
The meal is 3 courses and consists of delicious Persian and Omani-inspired dishes. You will have the pleasure of listening to live traditional Taarab music while you dine and learn a bit about Zanzibari culture while listening to stories from the servers.
Seating is limited so make sure to make reservations before heading to Zanzibar! Dinner is by reservation only and the cost as of September 2019 is $35 USD/person.
Tip: Reservations require a deposit that must be paid at least 24 hours beforehand. Drop by here on your first evening in Stone Town to pay your deposit so your reservation will be confirmed.
Tanzania Itinerary Day 11: Stone Town to Pongwe
Have breakfast at Lukmaan
For your last morning in Stone Town, head out early and walk on over to Lukmaan which is a popular restaurant for locals. They serve the food cafeteria-style and there is a separate area to order drinks. My favorites here were the pastries and smoothies! Very affordable as well.
Take a photo at Mercury House
If you are a Freddie Mercury fan, stop here to take a photo outside the house where he once lived. Unfortunately the house is occupied so you can not explore inside.
Shop at Darajani Market
Wander over to Stone Town’s main market and immerse yourself in another local experience! The bustling Darajani market is home to all kinds of spices, seafood, meats and produce, as well as other items such as clothing, accessories, household goods, etc.
Head to the beach!
We booked a driver to take us to the tiny beach-side village of Pongwe. It is not easily accessible by public transport so booking a driver makes sense if you want to maximize your time.
The company we used was Budget Zanzibar Taxis as we found they had the best rates ($35 from our hotel in Stone Town to our hotel in Pongwe, for up to 5 passengers, not per person).
Relax by the beach
Pongwe, on Zanzibar’s northeast coast, is far from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s not much to do, other than relax under the swaying palm trees and stare out at the mesmerizing turquoise waters.
The beaches are some of the most gorgeous we’ve ever seen and make the perfect place to wind down after your busy Tanzania itinerary.
Where to stay in Pongwe: Seasons Lodge
This is one of our favorite places we’ve ever stayed! The lodge consists of ten beachfront bungalows, each with its own private beachfront lounging area. The highlight for us was the beautiful clawfoot tub with a view of the Indian Ocean!
Tanzania Itinerary Day 12: Pongwe and Kizimkazi
Check out the local dolphins
Start your day off with an early morning drive down to Unguja’s southern tip. Here you will find the village of Kizimkazi which is best known for its dolphin tours. The local fishermen take tourists out on their boats in Menai Bay to see the resident pods of bottlenose and humpback dolphins.
Read all about our experience Swimming with Dolphins in Zanzibar
Seeing and swimming with dolphins so close is an amazing experience! Just make sure to respect the dolphins and don’t try to touch them nor chase them. We found them to be quite playful and they swam up right around us.
Go kayaking
After your eventful morning, head back to the hotel and explore more of Pongwe.
The water here is so clear and calm. It is so much fun to kayak around the area and check out all the different hotels from the ocean.
Seasons Lodge has kayaks you can borrow for free so it’s perfect!
Check out The Island Hotel
While kayaking around Pongwe, you will come across a large coral island on which The Island Hotel sits.
It is such a neat hotel because at high tide it can only be accessed by boat, but at low tide you can walk to and from the shore. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can stop in and have lunch or dinner.
Observe the local women harvesting seaweed
During low tide, the ocean recedes considerably and reveals little seaweed farms.
You will see the local women walk out and harvest their seaweed to haul away and sell. It is quite neat to see.
Go snorkeling
Borrow a snorkel from the hotel or bring one of your own, and set out for some snorkeling over the reefs! I chose to bring my own because I love my full face snorkel mask compared to traditional snorkels – so much easier 
It was awesome, too, because I could attach our GoPro right onto the mask.
You don’t even need to go out on a boat – we were able to see fish just by swimming out from the shore at high tide.
Explore the town by bike
Seasons Lodge has bikes for guests to borrow which is awesome. Go on a mini adventure and bike around the local villages.
You can also ask the front desk to hook you up with a guide and have him show you around. Our guide offered to show us around the local school and the neighborhood where he grew up.
Get ready for your Tanzania itinerary to come to an end
Relax by the pool, soak in the last bit of Tanzanian sun and reflect back on all you witnessed on your amazing 12 day Tanzania itinerary!
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More posts to help plan your Tanzania Itinerary:
What To Wear On A Safari in Tanzania
How to Choose a Safari Company in Tanzania
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