Nyerere National Park · Ruaha National Park · Zanzibar
South to the Spice Island
Rufiji boats and Ruaha predators, then three barefoot days on Zanzibar's coast.
- Duration
- 11 days
- Destinations
- Nyerere National Park · Ruaha National Park · Zanzibar
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 1 to 8 guests
- From
- $6,200 per person
Overview
Rufiji boats and Ruaha predators, then three barefoot days on Zanzibar's coast.
Here is the classic Tanzanian pairing of bush then beach, with the busy north swapped for the empty south. You start in Nyerere and Ruaha, then finish on Zanzibar's white sand.
The first days are spent in Nyerere National Park, driving across miombo woodland that spreads out like a small country and cruising the Rufiji by boat, with big lion prides never far away. A light aircraft then takes you to Ruaha, the wildest and least visited of Tanzania's big parks, whose predator density rivals anywhere on the continent. A second short flight sets you down on Zanzibar, where three days at a five-star resort on the beach are threaded with Stone Town's carved doors, the giant tortoises of Prison Island, a spice-farm tour and wild dolphins off Kizimkazi. There are no overland border crossings and no shared game-viewing queues: just southern wilderness, then proper rest.
- Nyerere National Park and boat safaris on the Rufiji River
- Ruaha, the wildest and quietest of Tanzania's large parks
- Three days on Zanzibar at a five-star beachfront resort
- Stone Town, Prison Island and a working spice farm
- Southern-circuit wildlife without the northern crowds
Best forCouplesHoneymoonersWildlife enthusiasts
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
June to October is the best time, with dry weather in Nyerere and Ruaha and calm, sunny days on the Zanzibar coast. December to February is hot and good for the beach, with green bush in the south. The long rains in April and May are best avoided, as some southern camps close.
- LionHigh
- African ElephantHigh
- African Wild DogRare
- HippopotamusHigh
- Spinner DolphinHigh
Kizimkazi, Zanzibar
- Aldabra Giant TortoiseGuaranteed
Prison Island
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Dar es Salaam
- Day 1-3Nyerere National ParkDrive from Dar es Salaam
- Day 4-6Ruaha National ParkFlight from Nyerere National Park
- Day 7-8ZanzibarFlight from Ruaha National Park
- Day 9Kizimkazi, ZanzibarDrive from Zanzibar
- End · Day 10-11ZanzibarDrive from Kizimkazi, Zanzibar
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival on the Rufiji
Nyerere National Park
Once your plane lands in Dar es Salaam (Julius Nyerere International), a transfer carries you to a camp in Nyerere National Park, set on the Rufiji's bank. Should you wish, a sunset cruise shows off the river's hippos and crocodiles.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Lion country
Nyerere National Park
Game drives fill the day. Big lion prides roam the miombo woodland and open grassland alongside elephant herds, buffalo and giraffe. The park is roughly the size of Belgium, so every encounter feels wild and unhurried.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- All meals
Day 3
Woodland drive, river sundowners
Nyerere National Park
The morning drive explores woodland where leopard and wild dog hunt. In the afternoon you take a boat out on the Rufiji, a vantage on African wildlife that few visitors ever get. Sundowners are served on the water as hippos surface around you.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- All meals
Day 4
By air to Ruaha
Nyerere to Ruaha National Park
A light aircraft carries you west across the plains of southern Tanzania, with the miombo woodland running to the horizon below. That afternoon a drive beside the Great Ruaha River previews what the coming days hold.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Big cats and big elephants
Ruaha National Park
A full day in one of Tanzania's largest national parks, one of Africa's best-kept secrets. Lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog share the same landscape, and elephants number in the thousands. No convoys of vehicles, just you, your guide and the bush.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 6
Into the remote interior
Ruaha National Park
Drives today push out to the remote corners of Ruaha, where sable antelope and greater kudu inhabit parched miombo woodland. Animals converge on the Great Ruaha River from every direction, so hunters and hunted cross paths along its banks daily.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 7
Flight to Zanzibar
Ruaha to Zanzibar
After a morning drive in Ruaha you fly to Zanzibar and transfer to a five-star resort on the beach. The afternoon is for white sand and slowing down.
- Ridge
- Kilindi Zanzibar
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 8
Stone Town and Prison Island
Stone Town and Prison Island, Zanzibar
A guided morning in UNESCO-listed Stone Town takes in carved wooden doors, Arab arches and everyday Swahili life. A boat then crosses to Prison Island, where Aldabra giant tortoises, some over 100 years old, wander freely through the gardens. The day closes with a sunset cruise on a dhow.
- Ridge
- Kilindi Zanzibar
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 9
Dolphins and a spice farm
Kizimkazi and a spice farm, Zanzibar
An early boat trip to Kizimkazi lets you swim with wild spinner dolphins in open water. Later, a spice-farm tour takes you among the clove trees, cinnamon, vanilla vines, black pepper and ylang-ylang. Sundowner drinks come in the evening, timed to the sun sinking into the Indian Ocean.
- Ridge
- Kilindi Zanzibar
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 10
A day for the beach
Zanzibar
Nothing is scheduled. Turquoise water, pale coral sand and palms offer a sharp contrast to the intensity of the southern parks. Snorkelling, sailing or kayaking can be added if you wish.
- Ridge
- Kilindi Zanzibar
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 11
Departure
Zanzibar
A last morning by the sea, then a transfer to Zanzibar Airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $6,200 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room.
- Priced for two travellers sharing. For one traveller, or three or more, we quote on request.
- The Trail price is our published starting rate for this itinerary; Ridge and Summit are indicative estimates for the same route.
- These rates are indicative. We confirm the exact price for your dates and group in your personal quote.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- All park fees
- Every game drive and boat safari
- Beachfront hotel on Zanzibar
- All meals while on safari
- Breakfast on Zanzibar
- Domestic and inter-island flights
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Lunch and dinner on Zanzibar
Good to know
- Rates are per person sharing a twin or double room. Single supplements are available on request.
- The Zanzibar stay is on a bed-and-breakfast basis, so lunch and dinner there are paid for separately.
- Lodging and rates depend on availability and may vary with the exact travel date.
- The Tanzanian government sets all park and conservation charges, and these may be revised without prior warning.
Questions
Good to know
South to the Spice Island
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.