Wild Tanzania

Welcome to a wildlife wonderland. After touching down at the airport, you’ll be whisked by private transfer to a lodge surrounded by African savannah. Freshen up and enjoy the bird-filled gardens, sip an ice-cold drink by the pool and take in the panoramic views. Your fellow travelers will arrive throughout the afternoon, and you’ll join together at the welcome meeting to enjoy a cocktail or two and toast the bucket-list trip ahead.

Today, you’ll fly south to Mwanza, known as Rock City for the huge boulders scattered across its landscape. From here, you’ll skirt the shores of Lake Victoria to Little Okavango Camp, arriving at your secluded lakeside hideaway in time for a late lunch. After a rest, you’ll head out for a gentle canoe ride around the many waterways that stretch out from this beautiful spot. Drift through the tall papyrus grasses, and soak in the beauty of herons, egrets, swooping kingfishers and more, all in their natural habitat. You’ll return to camp in the evening for dinner with a front-row seat to more incredible bird life.    

This morning, you’ll wander around the fishing village of Mwaburugu, a beautiful hub by Lake Victoria that gives a taste of local life with boat building, fish markets and more. Returning to the camp by motor boat, you’ll stop for brunch en route at the Little Okavango viewing tower. This unique structure spans three stories, for a close-up view of Okavango birds at nesting, Serengeti park and lake level. Village weavers are particularly joyful to watch, with their dazzling yellow feathers and intricate nests. You may also spy otters, hippos and marine lizards around the lake. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a guided bird walk through the camp’s grounds.

Today you’ll enter Serengeti National Park, one of the planet’s greatest windows onto the natural world, and home of the world-famous wildebeest migration. As this is a moving spectacle, you’ll head for whatever Bush Rover Migration Camp gives the best view (Grumeti, Kusini or the River Mara, depending on the time of year). You’ll take an afternoon game drive to get to the camp, with a first glimpse of thundering herds of gazelle, zebra and wildebeest crossing the Serengeti plains. On arrival, the drama continues with converted Land Rovers situated at the heart of the migration, right off the tourist trail. Settle in with sunset drinks and your first four-course dinner in the bush. Note: the journey today is on unpaved roads which can be muddy and potholed – it’s often joked that you get an ‘African massage’ due to the bumps in the road. It’s a real African adventure experience!

Every year, more than 1.5 million wildebeest move in a vast loop across the Serengeti plains, in search of seasonal rains. Named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, the extraordinary spectacle is often described as the greatest show on Earth. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing these beautiful white-bearded herds tearing across golden grasslands, the sound of thousands of hooves echoing in the air. Because of its remote location, the Bush Rover Migration Camp offers some of the best, most intimate views of this electrifying pageant. The camp itself stays stationary but you will head out on safari Jeeps for morning and afternoon game drives today and tomorrow – for a ring-side seat to the action.

The drama of the wild continues today, with more mesmerizing game drives. As well as over 35 species of plain animals, keep your eyes peeled for the many lions, leopards, rhinos and more that call this area home. In-between safaris, you’ll be treated to hand-drawn baths and cocktails, along with decadent meals and campfire appetizers from a talented team of chefs. The safaris are incredible, but thanks to the off-grid setting, you’ll also catch amazing views of the migration from the camp itself. From your private Land Rover veranda, it’s not unusual to see wildebeest calves or the odd cheetah wandering into camp, along with herds of elephants washing in a nearby river. Breathtaking indeed.

Trading grassy plains for wonderful beaches, you’ll leave safari life behind today for the spice-scented islands of Zanzibar. You’ll travel from the airstrip via Arusha to this idyllic archipelago, located in the turquoise Indian Ocean.  After the internal flight, you’ll take a private transfer to boutique hotel The Zanzibari, on the northeastern tip of Zanzibar. This palm-fringed haven is your base for the next two days, promising a brilliant finale to a memorable trip. Crack out those flip-flops for a mosey along idyllic white sand beaches, with fronds swaying in the background and glistening blue sea on the horizon. The fishing village of Nungwi is well worth exploring, too.

It’s your final day – and it’s free to spend however you please. You might fancy hanging by the pool and relaxing; or since this is a dive capital, you could arrange a trip to nearby Mnemba Island (for an additional cost) with its colourful coral gardens.  Other extra activities available through the hotel include a visit to Zanzibar’s medieval Stone Town, snorkeling in azure shallows or even a sunset cruise on a traditional Dhow boat. In the evening, gather your fellow Flashpackers around for a sundowner in the hotel’s atmospheric Dhow bar and your last dinner together. You could follow up with a bar hop around the beach huts of Nungwi – it’s your last night, after all.

You’ve had an immense nine days together, on safari and by the beach. But today you must bid farewell to your slice of Tanzanian paradise. The hotel can help you arrange a transfer back to Zanzibar airport, where you can travel onwards – fuelled by sensational photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime trip.