9-Day Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Tour with Stone Town and Snorkelling

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Day 01

Arrival in Arusha

• Your adventure begins in Arusha, your gateway to the incredible national parks of Tanzania. Your representative will be at the airport to meet you and take you to the hotel. There will be a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening to give you an overview of the trip.

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Day 02

Journey to Serengeti National Park

• Cover an approximate 7-hour journey to get to your lodge in Serengeti National Park, one of the most easily recognizable names in conversations about wildlife photography, sweeping landscapes, and the thrill of observing some of the world's most untamed beasts at close quarters.
• Get a taste of this in the late afternoon as you embark on a game drive.

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Day 03

Morning and Afternoon Game Drives in Serengeti

• In the morning, sweep your way through the wild plains of the Serengeti and watch the sun comb the grasslands, giving shape to the landscape and bringing out its wild residents from their hidden quarters. Watch the buffaloes snort into the wind or a gazelle lift its head at a real or imagined danger lurking in the reeds. Wait with hushed breath to catch sight of a big cat casting a disdainful eye over its kingdom or flicking its tail in the early light.
• Return to your lodge after the morning's event and pick up the threads of its narrative in the afternoon as you climb onboard your vehicles for yet another game drive.
• For an alternative experience, head up into the skies at early light on board a hot air balloon and get an eagle-eyed view of the Serengeti, watching the wildlife disperse or turn a quizzical eye at your approach.

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Day 04

Ngorongoro Crater and Karatu Town

• Leave your camp and make your way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, marked by its famous caldera, akin to a gigantic velodrome touched with lush green boundaries and a lake that shimmers with the changing hours of the day.
• Descend upon the flamingos and several water birds that skirt the water's edge here, flecking the land with vivid colours. Wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson's gazelles crop placidly at the grass while, far out on the grassy skyline, lions and cheetahs mimic their turn of heads, marking a prospective meal and an opportunity that might present itself.
• Spend your time here peeking into a slice of life of the animals and then head for your overnight destination of Karatu. Rest, relax, and stroll through this small town with its local market, vegetable stalls, and colourful kiosks that sell tinga tinga paintings and wooden souvenirs.

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Day 05

Cycling to Mto wa Mbu Village

• Get up to some physical exertion after breakfast this morning as you settle yourself on a bicycle saddle and pedal across rice fields and banana plantations to Mto wa Mbu village to gain an insight into the lives of the people who inhabit it. Home to more than 18,000 people, the town itself is a synthesis of dialects, social norms, customs, and the intermingling of 120 tribal cultures that shape the place together.
• Learn about the daily lives, the joys, and the struggles of the people who reside here, and share a traditional lunch with them as you explore the village.

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Day 06

Flight to Zanzibar and Stone Town Walk

• Take a flight out of Arusha to Zanzibar this morning to bridge the distance between the wild and dreamy urban space. Once you've settled at the hotel and had lunch, take a walk through the labyrinth of Stone Town's streets, where distinctly Arab, Persian, Portuguese, and Indian influences mark their subtle passage through the area's history.
• Visit some of the town's most famous landmarks as you breeze through the winding alleys, where ornate carvings on doors thrust themselves out onto the streets, where temples share space with mosques and cathedrals, and where silver jewellery shops squeeze themselves between those that sell rugs, antiques, wall hangings, and a myriad of other objects.
• Head back to the hotel once the tour is over, though you may choose to linger around town for a bit and spend time in some of the chaotic markets.

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Day 07

Dhow Cruise and Snorkelling in Zanzibar

• Set off on a locally constructed dhow this morning, chopping your way through the languid blue expanse of the Indian Ocean. Drop anchor at one of the many secluded islands strewn along your path, then slip right into the waters with your snorkelling gear, swivelling through the marine life that lurks among the seabed.
• Take a break from the fun and games and make your way across to the sandbanks to sink your teeth into a traditional lunch of barbecued fish, rice, and lentils. After lunch, weigh your options on how best to spend the afternoon - floating across the waters on an outrigger canoe, going out for a swim, or just kicking your feet up and turning a blind eye to the world.

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Day 08

Spice Plantation Visit at Kizimbani

• With several cultures knocking at the doorsteps of Zanzibar, vestiges of their influence are writ large across the region, none more so than the cuisine embellished by spices brought by traders from foreign lands.
• Wade into a spice plantation at Kizimbani to get acquainted with the colour, texture, and smell of these oils and spices this morning.

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Day 09

Departure from Zanzibar

• It's time to bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories.