7 Days Safari & Zanzibar – Serval Wildlife, Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Island Paradise

Your Tanzanian adventure begins the moment you land at Kilimanjaro International Airport. After clearing immigration and collecting your luggage, your Wildflip Safaris representative will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you directly to the remarkable Serval Wildlife — a luxury ecotourism and wildlife haven tucked away in the Siha District of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Serval Wildlife is a truly unique experience that sets the tone for the journey ahead. This carefully curated private ecosystem features over 3,000 hand-planted endemic flora species that directly benefit the exquisite animals that reside within its boundaries. Gaze upon the mesmerising views of both Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro as you explore the reserve.

The resident wildlife at Serval is extraordinary: encounter the majestic African Lions, calm Colobus Monkeys, graceful Masai Giraffes, nocturnal Bat-eared Foxes, exquisite Elands, characterful Ostriches, and mischievous Blue and Vervet Monkeys — all free-roaming in their natural setting. The reserve offers unforgettable direct interactions rarely possible anywhere else in Tanzania.

After a hearty breakfast, your expert safari guide collects you from your hotel and you head off on the scenic drive to Tarangire National Park — approximately 2.5 hours from Arusha through the patchwork of Maasai villages and open savannah of the Great Rift Valley.

Tarangire runs along the life-giving Tarangire River and is characterised by low-lying hills on the Rift Valley floor, with natural vegetation of Acacia woodland, the iconic giant African Baobab trees, and vast swamp areas in the south. During Tanzania's dry season, the river and swamps act like a magnet for wildlife, drawing concentrations of animals rivalled by few places on earth.

The park is reputed to contain some of the largest elephant herds in Africa — a truly humbling sight as hundreds of elephants cross the open plains. Tarangire also shelters three rare species found in few other parks: the Greater Kudu, the Fringed-eared Oryx, and the endemic Ashy Starling. Lions, leopards, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, and zebra round out an exceptional game drive experience.

After breakfast, depart Tarangire and begin the memorable drive toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Behind the small town of Karatu, the road winds steeply up the slopes of the East African Rift Valley into the cooler, mist-wrapped highlands — a dramatic transition from the hot savannah below.

Descend 600 metres into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater — one of the most densely populated wildlife areas in the world. This ancient volcanic caldera is home to an estimated 30,000 animals, including some of Tanzania's last remaining black rhino. Supported by year-round water and abundant grazing, the crater sustains vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, and hippo — as well as some of Africa's highest concentrations of lions and spotted hyenas.

Enjoy a half-day crater floor game drive with a packed picnic lunch at one of the designated crater floor picnic spots. The experience of eating lunch surrounded by wildlife on all sides is simply unforgettable. In the late afternoon, ascend the crater rim and drive to your overnight lodge in Arusha.

After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to Arusha Airport for your mid-morning departure. Your domestic flight sweeps you southeast over Tanzania's interior and out across the shimmering Indian Ocean — touching down on the legendary island of Zanzibar in the early afternoon.

On arrival at Zanzibar International Airport, your Wildflip Safaris representative greets you for a private transfer to Stone Town — the ancient Swahili trading capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of the island. From the moment you step into its labyrinthine alleyways, you feel as though you've travelled back in time: carved wooden doors, ornate mosques, crumbling coral-stone mansions, and the lingering scent of cloves.

After a welcome lunch, your afternoon is spent on an orientation walking tour of Stone Town — exploring the House of Wonders, the Old Fort, the spice markets, and the waterfront. As the sun begins its descent, board a traditional Swahili dhow for a harbour sunset cruise, watching the golden light play across the old dhow harbour — one of the most romantic evenings in all of Africa.

Today is dedicated to one of the most magical experiences Zanzibar's coastal world has to offer. Rise early and head to the north end of the island to catch a traditional boat for an unforgettable dolphin watching excursion in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar's spinner and bottlenose dolphin pods are often encountered in large numbers — and if you wish, you may slip into the water to swim alongside them in their natural habitat.

Returning south along the coast, your guide will stop at one of Zanzibar's impossibly beautiful beach lunch spots — a place where the turquoise sea meets white coral sand in a setting that seems almost too perfect to be real. Take a leisurely beach walk, cool off with a swim, or simply absorb the beauty of the surroundings over a fresh seafood lunch before returning to your resort for the evening.

This full day follows the island's rhythms at your own pace — whether you choose to snorkel over pristine reef gardens, explore more of the spice island's interior, or simply relax by the pool and on the beach. Zanzibar's heavenly beaches are exactly that — a place to truly unwind after the exhilaration of the safari.

With no fixed schedule, the day is entirely yours. Soak up the sun on the white coral sand, cool off in the turquoise shallows, or arrange an optional spice tour or Stone Town visit through your guide. However you spend it, today is about rest, reflection, and savouring the last stretch of your tropical escape.

Your final Zanzibar morning is deliciously free. Savour a leisurely breakfast, then wander through Stone Town's old alleys at a slow, unhurried pace — a last chance to pick up those final gifts from the spice markets, browse the local craftwork boutiques, or sit in a seafront café watching the ancient dhows navigate the channel.

In the late morning, depart for an enchanting Zanzibar Spice Plantation Tour — the experience that gave this island its legendary "Spice Island" name. Your guide leads you through the aromatic groves where cloves, vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemongrass grow in tropical abundance. Learn how these spices shaped the island's history and economy over centuries of Indian Ocean trade.

The tour continues until the early afternoon, depending on your flight time. Return to your hotel to collect your luggage, say your farewells to this extraordinary island, and transfer to Zanzibar International Airport for your departure — your heart full, your spirit renewed, and your memories of Tanzania utterly unforgettable.