Tanzania: Serengeti to Zanzibar

Tour begins: Kahawa House. A transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Kahawa House is included. Welcome to Tanzania and the start of your African safari. Although most flights land at Kilimanjaro International Airport after the sun has set, thoughts of Ernest Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro will come to mind as you journey the short distance from the airport to your hotel.

Spend the day exploring Tarangire National Park, renowned for its vast elephant herds and iconic baobab trees. Morning and afternoon game drives take you through diverse landscapes, from open savannas to lush riverbanks teeming with wildlife. Spot zebras, giraffes, lions, and perhaps a rare glimpse of leopards. The Tarangire River attracts animals year-round, offering incredible opportunities for photography and observation. Return to your lodge mid-afternoon for time to spend as you please.

This morning, depart your lodge for a visit to Isoitok, a Maasai boma (village), for an opportunity to learn about Maasai cultural traditions and have a bush lunch. Back at the lodge, you'll be able to observe Ngorongoro's wildlife-rich caldera below from the comfort of your private terrace.

An early morning game drive explores Ngorongoro Crater, long regarded as Africa's "Garden of Eden." Within the crater lie grasslands, forests and a freshwater lake, inspiring a continual migration of animals. Riding in your four-wheel-drive safari vehicle, you'll have a chance to spot Africa's celebrated "Big Five" – buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black-maned lion and the rare black rhinoceros. Midday, travel to Oldupai Gorge, where archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered fossilized remains of some of the earliest humans ever recorded – 1.8 million years old. Visit the museum and enjoy a private lecture by a resident expert about the site, before setting off over the unpaved roads that take you across the plains and grasslands of the always-fascinating Serengeti National Park. You'll have many opportunities for wildlife viewing en route to your safari lodge in the Central Serengeti; its authentic décor was inspired by Maasai tribal dwellings. Dinner is at leisure; learn about local cultural traditions during a performance at the lodge this evening.

A morning game drive on the Serengeti plains may yield sightings of wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, rhinoceros, hippos, buffalo, jackals, and gazelles. This is also one of the best places on the African Continent to see prides of lions. Return to the lodge for lunch, then enjoy an afternoon at leisure that's followed by briefing on tomorrow's ballooning before dinner at the lodge.

Lift off on an exciting hot air balloon flight* as dawn breaks over the vast Serengeti grasslands; from aloft, observe wildlife in the first light of day, an African safari thrill – and enjoy another thrill upon your return where a champagne breakfast in the bush waits for you. Spot more wildlife on an afternoon game drive; animals you might see on nclude wildebeest, lion, buffalo, cheetah, warthogs, giraffes and zebra. Join us for dinner this evening and say farewell to Tanzania.

Rise early for your final Serengeti game drive this morning, then fly late this morning to intriguing Zanzibar, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean that was once a wealthy trading center for spices. Upon arrival, set off with your local guide on a walking and driving tour of Stone Town, in the main port of Zanzibar City. Your home for the next two nights is a fabulous hotel overlooking the turquoise sea and white sand beaches.

Traditional Arabian sailboats called dhows have plied the Indian Ocean waters of the Swahili Coast for millennia, trading and fishing from one island port to the next. Sail out to sea from Stone Town aboard a traditional dhow for an "Indian Ocean safari" off the coast of Zanzibar this morning, as the captain and crew help you spot dolphins frolicking in the ocean blue; cast anchor on a sandy beach for swimming and perhaps some snorkeling near beautiful coral reefs. After returning to shore, the afternoon is yours to check out more of fascinating Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on your own. Join us this evening for a farewell reception with entertainment followed by a farewell dinner at your seaside hotel.

Tour ends: Zanzibar. If you wish, join our local guides for a "spice tour" of Stone Town this morning, or just enjoy some time at leisure before checking out of your hotel. Allow 3½ hours for flight check-in. Note: International flights out should be booked after 5:00 PM.