The Safari Daily · East Africa safari desk · Arusha
Ask about Tanzania, Kenya, Zanzibar, safari costs, routes, camps, seasons or trip planning. The Safari Daily will send you a practical answer by email.
Anything that helps you plan a safari in East Africa: how many days a route needs, which parks suit your month, what a trip costs locally, where to stay, travelling with children, honeymoon ideas, and how to add a beach stay on Zanzibar.
Most first safaris in Tanzania use the Northern Circuit from Arusha: Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park. Seven to ten days is a common length, with the most nights in the Serengeti. Where the Great Migration herds are depends on the month, so the right Serengeti area changes through the year.
Kenya safaris usually start in Nairobi and centre on the Masai Mara National Reserve and its neighbouring conservancies, often combined with Amboseli National Park or Samburu. Distances between parks can be driven or flown, and trips of four to seven nights work well.
Zanzibar pairs naturally with a Tanzania safari: scheduled light aircraft connect Arusha and the Serengeti airstrips with Zanzibar, so a beach stay can follow the last game drive without a long road transfer. Six or seven safari nights followed by three or four nights on Zanzibar is a typical balance.