Compare Zanzibar to Nairobi by Intrepid Travel vs Luxury Kenya and Zanzibar Holiday by Wayfairer

Day 1 Stone Town

Catch a ferry to Africa's 'Spice Island' of Zanzibar. Filled with pristine white-sand beaches, winding cobblestone alleyways and fragrant bazaars, Zanzibar has had a colourful history – everything from slave traders to Arabian sultans and fruit exporters. The sight of traditional dhows sailing along the coast evokes what the island must have been like in centuries ago. The old part of Zanzibar's main city is known as Stone Town, and the best way to see this is on foot, exploring the markets, shops, mosques, palaces and courtyards. When the sun is setting, why not grab a drink from a bar overlooking the seafront. A seafood curry at a local restaurant is also a great choice. You'll spend the night in Stone Town at a basic inn.

Day 2 Zanzibar Northern Beaches

Once checked out of your Stone Town accommodation, consider booking in to an optional guided tour of the island's spice plantations, learning all about the history of this town's spice trade. You will have the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. After lunch, head to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.

Day 3 Zanzibar Northern Beaches

Enjoy free time in this beautiful archipelago today. There are many ways you can spend your day – perhaps talk to your leader for any recommendations they might have. Snorkelling in search of exotic fish is an excellent option, or you could take a traditional dhow boat on the water. You might also like to feast on a sumptuous lunch of grilled local seafood, or just relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book. It's totally up to you!

Day 4 Stone Town / Bagamoyo

Today you will be picked up and taken back to Stone Town to meet your new leader and travel group at an 11 am welcome meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and meet your new fellow travellers. After this important meeting, catch the ferry to Dar es Salaam. There you'll meet your driver and cook, board your overland vehicle and take a short drive to your camp at Bagamoyo, a lovely spot by the beach.

Day 5 Usambara Mountains

If you wake early, you can make an optional excursion to the historical slave trade markets that once operated in Bagamoyo. After, it’s time to travel into the remote Usambara Mountains.This unspoilt area of Tanzania attracts very few tourists, making it the perfect place to soak in your surroundings. The forests stretch across the mountains and are ideal for easy hikes and guided walks. You base is the old German colony of Lushoto, where you’ll stay on the grounds of one of the earliest hotels in Africa.

Day 6 Usambara Mountains

Today, explore the beautiful Usambara Mountains and experience this area’s gentle hospitality on a visit to some of its small communities. From your base, hike to the gorgeous Irente viewpoint. It's best to pack some water and snacks in a day pack for this trip. On your way back, visit a local cultural project based at Irente farm and enjoy a cooking demonstration and a picnic lunch.

Day 7 Arusha

Get ready for is a full day of travel as you board your truck once again and venture towards Tanzania’s national parks. Your destination is the sprawling gateway town of Arusha. Arrive at your campsite on the outskirts of the town and settle in for the evening.

Day 8 Karatu

After breakfast this morning, head to Karatu, the gateway to the Ngorongoro Crater. Here, you'll hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves and the Endoro waterfalls along the way. Rich with calcium, the Elephant Caves got their name as elephants would come here and break off pieces of rock, eating the dust to receive important minerals. Today's trek, accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger, is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of overland travel. You'll hike through Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area here and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot beautiful birdlife as you walk. After, head to Karatu village for a tour of the local coffee farm. Here, you'll see the innovative farming practices from the locals and learn about the farming activities that sustain the coffee, bean, maize, banana, soya and pea crops. Tonight, enjoy a traditional dinner with a local Tanzanian family in their home, who will cook you a few different dishes to try. Learn about the local culture with educational stories from a locally trained guide. What a night!

Day 9 Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park

Get up early, put your camping and personal gear into a six-person jeep and head out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending between 3 and 4 hours exploring this perfectly intact volcanic crater. Watch for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. Next, move on to the open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Your campsite is within the Serengeti itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Day 10 Serengeti National Park

Wake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then go back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option today of a balloon ride over the park (in place of a portion of the morning game drive). If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you'll be treated to a five-star bush breakfast, then be returned to your camp.

Day 11 Mto wa Mbu

Rise with the sun and enjoy another game drive as you leave the Serengeti in your dust. Jump back into your overland vehicle and head for Mto wa Mbu. After setting up camp, we'll take a guided stroll through the farming areas, local homes and farmlands, getting to know the local community and their way of life. Later, we'll enjoy a scrumptious, locally prepared dinner in town.

Day 12 Nairobi

Set off early and cross the Kenyan border then continue to Nairobi. You'll be dropped at the finishing point hotel in Nairobi where your trip ends. If you'd like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.

Day 1:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Your ‘Luxury Kenya and Zanzibar Holiday’ starts the moment you board your international flight to Nairobi. If you’re flying from the UK we recommend Kenya Airways or British Airways– both airlines have direct flights from London Heathrow to Nairobi, flying time 8 hours.

Day 2:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Overnight: Masai Mara

On this holiday we offer a ‘meet and assist’ service. As soon as you disembark the aircraft from your international flight you will receive a warm welcome from a friendly representative who will escort you through immigration, customs and baggage collection and they will remain with you until you meet your driver in the arrivals area. You will then be transferred to the domestic airport where you’ll board a light aircraft flight to the Masai Mara.

Upon arrival at the Masai Mara you will be met by a representative and driven to your safari lodge or camp where you will stay for the next four nights.

We work with a number of luxury lodges and safari camps within the Masai Mara and in the outlying conservancies (including Sir Richard Branson’s 12-tented luxury safari camp within the Olare Motorogi Conservancy) and we will ensure that we match you to the most suitable accommodation for your requirements, sense of style and budget.

Days 3-5:

Overnight: Masai Mara

Over the next three days you’ll enjoy incredible morning and afternoon game drives on the plains of the Masai Mara. This iconic reserve offers amazing wildlife viewing opportunities and it’s highly likely that you’ll see zebra, impala, gazelle, wildebeest, buffalo, rhino and elephant, plus lions, cheetahs and leopards. Your lodge or camp may also offer the opportunity for a night game drive where you’ll see nocturnal animals such as aardvarks and honey badgers.

As well as game drives, there are a range of other activities you can participate in during your time in the Masai Mara, including cultural visits to Maasai villages and markets, guided bush walks, horse riding, and black rhino tracking experiences, or you may wish to take an early morning hot air balloon flight over the plains and forests of the Masai Mara followed by a champagne breakfast.

Day 6:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Stone Town, Zanzibar

Today you’ll enjoy an early morning game drive before being driven to the airstrip in time for your scheduled light aircraft flight to Nairobi where you’ll board a connecting flight to the exotic island of Zanzibar.

You will be met on arrival in Zanzibar and driven to your luxury accommodation in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stone Town where you’ll spend the next two nights. Your exquisite hotel is located in the ‘Old Town’ surrounded by sultan's palaces, Portuguese forts, ancient dhow harbours, and colourful bazaars.

Day 7:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Stone Town, Zanzibar

Today you’ll have a full day to explore Stone Town’s labyrinth of winding alleyways and discover the ancient stone houses, carved wooden doors, Arabian arches, latticed windows, and overhanging balconies.

You may also want to explore cultural places of interest, including the Portuguese Fort, the old Dhow Port, the Old Slave Market, the Sultan's Palace, the House of Wonders, Livingstone House, the Hamamni Baths and the Persian Baths of Kidichi.

Day 8:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Zanzibar

After breakfast you’ll check out of your Stone Town hotel and then you’ll be driven to your luxurious beach accommodation where you’ll spend the next four nights. Whether you want to stay at an upscale all-inclusive resort situated on a private island off the northeast coast of Zanzibar or a luxury villa resort on the pristine sands of Bwejuu Beach, our Africa Fair Travel Specialists will aim to match you to the most suitable accommodation based on your requirements and sense of style.

Days 9-12:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Zanzibar

Enjoy Zanzibar at your leisure. There are plenty of excursions that you can join during your time here, including visits to Jozani Forest, Prison Island, the spice plantations and cultural tours to local villages. There’s also a wide choice of adventure activities that you can participate in, including mountain biking, hiking, bird watching, wind surfing, kite surfing, sea kayaking and sailing, plus the island has fantastic coral reefs which are perfect for diving and snorkelling – and you may even be lucky enough to see dolphins, green turtles and, at certain times of the year, whale sharks.

Day 13:

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast you’ll check-out of your accommodation and you’ll be driven to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) for your flight home as your ‘Luxury Kenya and Zanzibar Holiday’ comes to an end.

Overnight: International flight