12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday

12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday

On this 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday, You will encounter Africa’s Big 5 mammal species as you explore the World’s famous Maasai Mara National Reserve and the vast Serengeti Plains as well as the Ngorongoro Crater, You will blend your Safari with a relaxation at the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar.S

Safari destinations

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Located in the South Western region of Kenya along the Great Rift Valley area in Norok County Kenya adjacent to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Maasai Mara National Reserve was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary covering an area of 520 sqkm of the current Mara Triangle.  Later it was converted into a Game Reserve and by 1984 the park had a total area of 1510sqkm. The park is dotted with acacia trees, shrubs and bushes and has 2 draining rivers which are Maasai Mara River and Talek River. A unique wildlife conservation haven famous for its Natural diversity of wildlife like the Big 5 mammals which are Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffaloes and Rhinos in large numbers as well as other mammals like Cheetahs, zebras, wildebeests, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, duikers, impala hartebeests, roan antelopes, topi, wildebeest and Thomson’s gazelles.

Also boosts of over 500 bird species like Bateleur, Secretary bird, Schawlow’s turaco, Abdim’s stork, Hammerkops, Temminck’s courser, Southern ground hornbill, Usambiro barbet, Saddle-billed stork, Giant kingfisher, Woolly-necked stork, Black-headed heron, Giant kingfisher, African jacana, Crowned lapwing, Malachite kingfisher, Grey-headed kingfisher among others. . Maasai Mara National Reserve is also famous for its annual Wildebeest Beast Migration where Millions of these creatures migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park which occurs between July and October making it one of the 7 Wonders of the World.

Serengeti National Park

Located in the Northern region of Tanzania and it was established in 1952. The park covers an area of 14763sqkm making it home to over 70 mammal species like  dik-dik, Oryx, greater Kudu, Hyenas, Hippos, bushbuck, Jackals, giraffes, Janet cats, Baboons, Giraffes, elands, spring hare, porcupine, warthog, Hyraxes, vervet monkeys, Colobus monkeys, patas monkeys, and mongooses and also Africa’s Big 5 mammals which are lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and Rhinos. Serengeti National park also boosts of over 500 bird species including Grey-Breasted spur fowl, Fischer’s lovebird, Rufous-tailed weaver, Usambiro barbet, Grey-crested helmet-shrike, Kori Bustard, Red-capped robin-chat, Secretary bird, Verreaux’s eagle, Yellow-throated sand grouse among others. Serengeti National Park is well known for its annual Wildebeest Migration of over 1,500,000 and 250,000 Zebras which occur between the months of July and August.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Located in the Northern part of Tanzania on the Eastern Great Rift Valley Arm which is managed by Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. The Conservation area was officially established in 1959 and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and it is part of the Serengeti Ecosystem. Ngorongoro’s main attraction is the Ngorongoro Crater which is the World’s largest intact and unfilled Volcanic Caldera with over 25,000 mammals including wildebeests, hippos, warthogs, hyenas, zebras, elands, gazelles, and the Big 5 mammal species which are lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos as well as buffaloes and over 100 bird species co-existing with the Semi-nomadic Maasai people.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Hotel – Transfer to Maasai Mara National Reserve – Evening Game drive

The 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday will start off with a pick up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Hotel by our Professional driver guide from Paradise Adventure Vacations who will meet and greet you, he will then brief you about your Safari and thereafter get a move on to Maasai Mara National Reserve found in the Southwestern region of Kenya and it is about 5 hours’ drive. Upon arrival you will check into your accommodation for a delicious lunch and then later, you will go on a relaxed scenic drive until sunset in the rosy grassy hills in search for African wildlife like Elephants, Buffaloes, giraffes, duikers, impala hartebeests, roan antelopes, topi, wildebeest and Thomson’s gazelles. Later you will return for your dinner and an overnight.

Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 2: Maasai Mara National Reserve – Full day Game Drive 

After your delicious breakfast, you will embark on a full day game drive with your packed lunch in search of Africa’s Enormous Big 5 as well as other mammal species like zebras, wildebeests, hippos, giraffes, duikers, impala hartebeests, roan antelopes, topi, wildebeest and Thomson’s gazelles. Later in the evening hours, return back to your lodge with an amazing game drive which will give you sights of more wildlife species to spice up your day. You will have your freshly prepared dinner as well as an overnight.

Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 3: Maasai Mara National Park – Morning Maasai Community Encounter – Afternoon Nature walk

Upon waking up on your day 3 of the 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday, you will delight on your delicious breakfast and then head out to the Maasai Community living near the park for a rich encounter which will give you the definition of a true African Culture, you will enjoy their local dances and history and later spend your entire afternoon relaxing at your lodge as you await your lunch. Later, you will go for a 2 hour Nature walk with a local Maasai guide who will share his experience and expertise with you. He will teach you about the hidden secrets of the African savannah and how the Maasai people track wildlife and birds and also how they find medicine in the bush. You will later return to your lodge for a relaxed dinner and an overnight.

Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park through Isebania Boarder

Day 4 of the Safari will begin with an early morning breakfast and check out of the lodge. You will then embark on morning game drive as you exit Maasai Mara National Reserve to proceed to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It will be a long day of driving but the game drives in and out of the parks will be surprisingly rewarding. Dinner and your overnight will be at your lodge.

Location: Serengeti National Park 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 5: Serengeti National Park – Full day Game drive in Northern Serengeti

Your day 5 will begin with an appetizing breakfast and thereafter transfer with your picnic lunch boxes to the Lobo valley for a full day game drive. This part of Serengeti is unspoiled, beautiful and quieter in comparison to the southern Serengeti plains. This area stretches from the Lobo Hills southwards to Seronera and is characterized by green rolling hills which is a pleasant diversion from the much flatter southern plains. However, as the northern Serengeti is much quieter in terms of tourist traffic, it may be worth considering as you will cross this landscape of open grasslands with sprinkles of dense woodlands in complete privacy.

Location: Serengeti National Park 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 6: Serengeti National Park – Full Day Game drive in Seronera

Day 6 of your safari will have an early morning yummy breakfast and thereafter drive to the Seronera area for a full day exploring this world’s most famous and wildlife sanctuary. You will view the nocturnal predators as they return from hunting and the animals waking up in early morning light. Depending on the time of the year, you can expect to see the migration of millions of Wildebeests and zebras, other mammal species you will see include giraffes, antelopes, monkeys, baboons, hippos, antelopes, the Big 5 including the lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards and many bird species. You will have your picnic lunch as you enjoy the beauty of the park, later in the evening you will return to your accommodation for your dinner as well as an overnight.

Location: Serengeti National Park 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 7: Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater through Olduvai Gorge with Afternoon Game drive

You will start your day 7 with a lovely morning breakfast with your picnic lunch boxes via the Olduvai Gorge where it is believed the cradle of mankind began. While here, you will encounter and learn about the fossils, stone tools and the skeletons of many extinct animals excavated in the gorge. Thereafter transfer with an afternoon game drive to Ngorongoro Crater which is not only called Africa’s Eden but also the ‘8th Natural Wonder of the World, a visit to the crater is a main draw card for tourists coming to Tanzania and a definite World-class attraction.

You will check into your lodge for a mouth-watering lunch and thereafter descend into the Crater floor which is about 260 sqkm with a depth of over 2000 feet. This 5 hours game drive on the crater floor will show you a lot of wildlife action which has not to be missed therefore keep your Cameras ready. The African elephant, Black rhino, buffalos, Hippos, Cheetahs, Hyenas, and Lions are found here in plenty. You will later begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater and then return to your lodge for dinner as well as an overnight.

Location: Ngorongoro Crater 

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park – Game Drive – Transfer to Arusha for your flight to Zanzibar

After your lovely breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and go for a full day exploration of Lake Manyara National Park with your packed lunch. Manyara, a relatively small but diverse park 120km west of Arusha, is so named for the shallow salt lake that occupies a good 70% of the park’s lands. Flooding and drying seasonally, this soda lake is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species.

On our exploration of the park, we shall see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, elephants and with some luck, we shall also see 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 the exploration, we will drive to Arusha for a flight to Zanzibar, upon landing, you will meet our guide who will then transfer you to your Hotel for your dinner as well as an overnight.

Location: Zanzibar

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 9: Full day Stone Town – Spice Farm – Prison Island

On this day after your breakfast, you will go for a Tour to Stone Town which is one of the few remaining ancient Towns in Africa blending African, Indian, Arabian and European cultures. You can take some rest and enjoy this paradise made of beautiful beaches of white sands and turquoise water of the Indian Ocean. You will enjoy several other activities such as Spice farm Tour and Prison Island.

Location: Zanzibar

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 10: Transfer to Nungwi – Full day Relaxation

You will have a delicious breakfast on your day 10 of the 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday and thereafter transfer to Nungwi beach which is about 1 ½ hours from Stone town. Nungwi beach is a top tourist destination with vast stretches of white sand blanketed by colorful shells and azure blue waters. You will relax and spend your entire day at this beach enjoying the activities, beauty as well as the sunsets.

Location: Zanzibar

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 11: Transfer to Jozani forest for Nature walk – Visit Kae Sunset Beach

Your day 11 of the Safari will start with a mouthwatering breakfast and thereafter drive to Jozani Forest which is located in the Southern region of Zanzibar. You will go on a guided nature walk which will get you up close to the red colobus monkeys, bird species and also butterflies. You will have your lunch and transfer to Kae sunset beach where you will spend the rest of the day relaxing at the beach.

Location: Zanzibar

Accommodation Option:

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

Day 12: Fly to Julius Nyerere International Airport for your Departure flight 

On this final day of your Safari, you will have breakfast and thereafter you will fly to Julius Nyerere International Airport to catch your departure flight back home. This 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday offers a unique blend of adventure, wildlife encounters, and breathtaking Natural beauty. Whether you are a seasoned safari-goer or a first-time visitor, this itinerary is sure to leave you with lasting memories of your time in Tanzania. Thank you so much for specifically choosing Paradise Adventure Vacations on the 12 Days Maasai Mara, Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Holiday and we hope to see you again!!!

Location: Dar-Es-Salam

Accommodation Option: No

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

The Safari Package Includes:

• Return airport transfers (pick up and drop off)
• Private transport for 12 days in a well-modified safari Extended land-cruiser (4WD,air-conditioned and pop-up roof)
• Game Drives in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
• Fuel for 12 days
• English safari driver guide for 12 days
• Mid-range accommodation for 11 nights on full board (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
• All en-route meals and bottled mineral water throughout your tour
• All activities and park entrance fees and all applicable government taxes
• Maasai Community Encounter in Maasai Mara National Reserve
• Nature walk safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve
• Domestic flights from Arusha to Zanzibar and from Zanzibar to Julius Nyerere International Airport
• 3 Days Unforgettable Zanzibar Experience
• Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey

The Safari Package Excludes:

• International flights
• Country entry visa
• Personal travel insurance
• Items of personal nature/laundry/telephone charges
• Souvenirs and gifts, Tips
• Alcoholic and other soft drinks (sodas, special juice order at the lodge and wines)