7 Days Tanzania Luxury Safari Itinerary Ideas & Costs

This 7-day Tanzania luxury safari itinerary immerses you in the country’s diverse wildlife ecosystems, offering a mix of iconic game viewing and unique primate encounters.

In as few as seven days, one can encompass the principal highlights of Tanzania. This entails undertaking safari excursions in two or three of the national parks inside this country. Combine an athletic trip with leisure on tours of the Serengeti and relaxation on Zanzibar’s pristine white sand beaches. If you are truly seeking adventure, challenge your endurance with a six-day ascent of the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro.

7 Days Tanzania Luxury Safari Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Serengeti & Zanzibar

Engage in Tanzania’s two most renowned pursuits during a 7-day safari and beach retreat.

You will arrive at Arusha, a city in northern Tanzania, strategically situated near the nation’s most renowned national parks. From this location, take a brief fly to an airfield within Serengeti National Park. Translating to “endless plains” in the Maasai language, the Serengeti encompasses 5,700 square miles (14,763 square kilometres) of savanna, celebrated for its rich wildlife, including the iconic Big Five safari species: lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and black rhinos. This region also accommodates the Great Wildebeest Migration, during which over a million wildebeest traverse to new grazing areas from June to November.

You will tent in the park and, over the course of three days, participate in game drives in 4×4 safari vehicles to observe the diverse species. In addition to the Big Five, one can observe numerous giraffes and zebras, and there is a possibility of witnessing lions hunting wildebeest. You will then prepare for departure and travel by air to the island archipelago of Zanzibar for the final stage of the journey. Renowned for its pristine white dunes and beautiful waters, you may spend the final two days unwinding on the beaches here. Snorkelling and surfing are excellent alternatives, as is a trip of Stone Town, the mediaeval core of Zanzibar City.

7 Days Tanzania Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Arusha, Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Day 2-3 Serengeti National Park Game Drives
Day 4 Serengeti National Park to Zanzibar
Days 5-6 Zanzibar Optional Activities
Day 7 Zanzibar to Arusha, Depart

Itinerary #2: Best of Tanzania’s National Parks

Commence a 7-day Tanzania wildlife expedition across three distinct national parks, featuring interactions with indigenous tribespeople.

Similar to the prior schedule, your arrival will be in Arusha; however, you will initially proceed to Tarangire National Park rather than the Serengeti. This national park in Tanzania, encompassing 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometres), is relatively modest but hosts thousands of African bush elephants, observable on an afternoon game drive. You will proceed to Lake Eyasi to engage with the Hadzabe people, an endangered group that continues to subsist on the land as their ancestors did for the previous 10,000 years. Your next destination is Mto Wa Mbu, a village of farmers and craftspeople representing all 120 tribes of Tanzania.

Subsequently, proceed north to the middle savanna area of the renowned Serengeti for additional game drives. This region is ideal for observing lions and cheetahs. Concluding your journey with the most distinctive national park, you will reach the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest volcanic caldera globally, measuring 1,968 feet (600 m) in depth and covering an area of 100 square miles (260 square km). Over 20,000 animals inhabit the rich plains of the crater bottom, encompassing all of the Big Five species. Due to anti-poaching patrols, this is one of the rare locations where one is likely to observe a black rhino.

7 Days Tanzania Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Arusha
Day 2 Arusha to Tarangire National Park, Game Drive
Day 3 Tarangire National Park to Lake Eyasi, Tribe Experience
Day 4 Lake Eyasi to Mto Wa Mbu, Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Day 5 Serengeti Game Drives
Day 6 Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 7 Ngorongoro to Arusha, Depart

Itinerary #3: Zanzibar & Pemba Island

This 7-day vacation in Zanzibar encompasses leisure at the beach and cultural attractions on the primary island, along with an excursion to the adjacent Pemba for diving and other water activities.

This itinerary centres on Zanzibar, a gem of the Indian Ocean located off the eastern coast of Africa. Its alluring beaches and tranquil, crystalline waters establish it as a prominent vacation locale, complemented with an abundance of culture. You will encounter it during a walking tour of Stone Town, the mediaeval core of the capital. On this excursion, you will observe ancient sites such as the 17th-century Arab Fort, the 19th-century Sultan’s Palace, and the Anglican Cathedral. Conclude your second evening with a five-course tasting menu at an authentic Swahili restaurant in a fashionable district of Stone Town.

Subsequently, proceed northward to the adjacent island of Pemba. This destination offers an authentic escape, characterised by minimal infrastructure amidst extensive stretches of white-sand beaches, verdant valleys, and coconut plantations. Nonetheless, other optional activities are available to engage you, such as fishing, sunset sailboat excursions, and aquatic adventures. Snorkelling and diving are prevalent activities. The offshore Pemba Canal is a diverse marine ecosystem teeming with numerous species, including turtles, rays, whale sharks, and tropical fish.

7 Days Zanzibar Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Zanzibar Stone Town Zanzibar
Day 2 Stone Town Tour Stone Town Zanzibar
Day 3 Zanzibar to Pemba Island Pemba Island
Days 4-6 Pemba Optional Activities Pemba Island
Day 7 Pemba to Arusha, Depart

7 Days Southern Tanzania Safari: Mikumi & Nyerere National Parks

Prepare for an extraordinary safari across southern Tanzania, a region celebrated for its pristine parks and reserves. This weeklong expedition will lead you to two national parks—Mikumi and Nyerere—characterized by savannas and wetland ecosystems teeming with lions, hippos, and giraffes. You will observe these magnificent creatures during river and land safari excursions, while also enjoying some beach leisure and urban activities in Dar es Salaam.

7 Days Tanzania Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Dar es Salaam, Relax & Explore the City Dar es Salaam
Day 2 Self-Guided Tour of Dar es Salaam, Transfer to Mikumi National Park Mikumi National Park
Day 3 Dawn & Afternoon Game Drives, Mikumi National Park Mikumi National Park
Day 4 Transfer to Nyerere National Park, Afternoon at Leisure Nyerere National Park
Day 5 Full-Day Rufiji River Boat Safari, Riverbank Picnic Lunch Nyerere National Park
Day 6 Dawn & Afternoon Game Drives in Nyerere National Park Nyerere National Park
Day 7 Transfer to Dar es Salaam, Depart

7 Days Tanzania Safari Highlights: Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Serengeti

This weeklong expedition familiarises you with Tanzania’s most celebrated safari destinations, where you will explore the wilderness on game drives beneath Mount Kilimanjaro and over the Serengeti plains. Encounter the Big Five creatures, including lions and elephants, explore the extraordinary volcanic habitat of Ngorongoro, and conclude the 7 Days Tanzania luxury safari journey with cultural interactions and an exhilarating balloon flight.

7 Days Tanzania Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Arusha, Shanga Foundation Community Handicrafts Project Arusha
Day 2 Transfer to Tarangire National Park, Afternoon Game Drive Tarangire National Park
Day 3 Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Safari & Wildlife Activities Ngorongoro
Day 4 Full-Day Ngorongoro Safari with Picnic Lunch Ngorongoro
Day 5 Transfer to Serengeti National Park, Afternoon Game Drive Serengeti National Park
Day 6 Dawn Balloon Safari, Evening Game Drive Serengeti National Park
Day 7 Transfer to Arusha, Depart

7 Days Off-the-Beaten-Path Tanzania Safari: Morogoro, Iringa & Ruaha

Explore Tanzania’s lesser-known safari locales on this weeklong, wildlife-rich expedition. Commence at Dar es Salaam and proceed inland to the nebulous highlands of Morogoro, the historic archaeological ruins at Iringa, and the expansive savanna grasslands of Ruaha National Park. Throughout, you will admire classic fauna such as lions, cheetahs, and elephants, while also observing the rare, endemic red colobus monkeys.

7 Days Tanzania Highlights

Day 1 Arrive in Dar es Salaam, Free Afternoon to Relax & Explore Dar es Salaam
Day 2 Transfer to Morogoro, Half-Day Udzungwa Mountains National Park Tour Morogoro
Day 3 Full-Day Guided Udzungwa Nature & Waterfall Hike Morogoro
Day 4 Half-Day Udzungwa Rare Primate Safari & Hike, Transfer to Iringa Iringa
Day 5 Iringa Culture Tour, Visit Ismila Stone Age Site, Transfer to Ruaha Ruaha National Park
Day 6 Ruaha Dawn Game Drive, Fly to Dar es Salaam Ruaha National Park
Day 7 Self-Guided City Tour of Dar es Salaam, Depart