Itinerary

DAY 01 | Arrive Dar es Salaam – Selous Game Reserve
Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Welcome to Tanzania! On arrival at the airport in Dar es Salaam, board a flight to Selous Game Reserve.
Transfer from airstrip to lodge in Selous Game Reserve.
Enjoy a safari in Selous Game Reserve (Motorboat).
Later, proceed on a motorboat safari in Selous Game Reserve. The motorboat safari is a real highlight, where guests have the opportunity to spend the day exploring the river banks for fabulous sightings of crocodiles, hippos and elephants. With total exclusivity for all activities, visits to Stiegler’s Gorge, Kidai Island, Hot Springs and Lake Tagalala can be arranged, or a fishing trip on one of the lakes, which are home to great volumes of cat-fish and the fierce tiger fish. Nothing is too much trouble at Kiba Point.

Lunch and dinner.

DAY 02 | Selous Game Reserve
Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Enjoy an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
This morning, proceed on an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve. The prodigiously large mammal populations found here, support the claim that the Selous is the greatest surviving African wilderness. Buffalo numbers are estimated at 120,000-150,000, and the reserve’s 40,000 hippos and 4,000 lions are probably the largest such populations on the continent. The Selous also harbours an estimated 100,000 wildebeest, 35,000 zebra, 25,000 impala and significant herds of giraffe, greater kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and eland. It is also one of the most important sanctuaries in Africa for the endangered African wild dog, sable and puku antelope. There are also huge populations of crocodile, hippo, spotted hyena and leopard to name just a few of the big game species found here.

Experience bird watching in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
In the afternoon, proceed on a bird watching tour in Selous Game Reserve. More than 440 bird species have been recorded in the Selous. On the lakes, you’ll find pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers and giant kingfishers. The sandbanks are home to carmine and white-fronted bee-eater colonies whilst pairs of fish eagle, palmnut vulture, ibises and palm swifts nest in the borassus palms. Other water birds found in the Selous include: yellow-billed stork, white-crowned and spur-winged plovers, various small waders, pied and malachite kingfishers. Pairs of trumpeter hornbill and purple-crested turaco can also be seen between the riparian trees. Also worth looking out for among a catalogue of egrets and herons is the Malagasy squacco heron, a regular winter visitor, while the elusive Pel’s fishing owl often emerges at dusk to hawk above the water

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 03 | Selous Game Reserve
Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Enjoy an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
This morning, proceed on an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve. The prodigiously large mammal populations found here, support the claim that the Selous is the greatest surviving African wilderness. Buffalo numbers are estimated at 120,000-150,000, and the reserve’s 40,000 hippos and 4,000 lions are probably the largest such populations on the continent. The Selous also harbours an estimated 100,000 wildebeest, 35,000 zebra, 25,000 impala and significant herds of giraffe, greater kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and eland. It is also one of the most important sanctuaries in Africa for the endangered African wild dog, sable and puku antelope. There are also huge populations of crocodile, hippo, spotted hyena and leopard to name just a few of the big game species found here.

Experience bird watching in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
In the afternoon, proceed on a bird watching tour in Selous Game Reserve. More than 440 bird species have been recorded in the Selous. On the lakes, you’ll find pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers and giant kingfishers. The sandbanks are home to carmine and white-fronted bee-eater colonies whilst pairs of fish eagle, palmnut vulture, ibises and palm swifts nest in the borassus palms. Other water birds found in the Selous include: yellow-billed stork, white-crowned and spur-winged plovers, various small waders, pied and malachite kingfishers. Pairs of trumpeter hornbill and purple-crested turaco can also be seen between the riparian trees. Also worth looking out for among a catalogue of egrets and herons is the Malagasy squacco heron, a regular winter visitor, while the elusive Pel’s fishing owl often emerges at dusk to hawk above the water.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 04 | Selous Game Reserve
Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Enjoy an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
This morning, proceed on an early morning safari in Selous Game Reserve. The prodigiously large mammal populations found here, support the claim that the Selous is the greatest surviving African wilderness. Buffalo numbers are estimated at 120,000-150,000, and the reserve’s 40,000 hippo and 4,000 lion are probably the largest such populations on the continent. The Selous also harbours an estimated 100,000 wildebeest, 35,000 zebra, 25,000 impala and significant herds of giraffe, greater kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and eland. It is also one of the most important sanctuaries in Africa for the endangered African wild dog, sable and puku antelope. There are also huge populations of crocodile, hippo, spotted hyena and leopard to name just a few of the big game species found here.

Experience overnight fly camping in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
This evening, enjoy sleeping under the stars, ‘fly camping’, in the Selous. Fly camping is overnight from your camp, under a mosquito net, with the stars sparkling down on you, and an armed ranger close by! It is a magical experience, and something which should not be missed. Star beds are all the rage at the moment, with many camps offering luxury ‘star beds’ out in the bush – so you can sleep under the twinkling stars in some extraordinarily comfortable tree houses and star beds.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 05 | Selous Game Reserve
Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Experience bird watching in Selous Game Reserve (Private).
In the afternoon, proceed on a bird watching tour in Selous Game Reserve. More than 440 bird species have been recorded in the Selous. On the lakes you’ll find pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers and giant kingfishers. The sandbanks are home to carmine and white-fronted bee-eater colonies whilst pairs of fish eagle, palmnut vulture, ibises and palm swifts nest in the borassus palms. Other water birds found in the Selous include: yellow-billed stork, white-crowned and spur-winged plovers, various small waders, pied and malachite kingfishers. Pairs of trumpeter hornbill and purple-crested turaco can also be seen between the riparian trees. Also worth looking out for among a catalogue of egrets and herons is the Malagasy squacco heron, a regular winter visitor, while the elusive Pel’s fishing owl often emerges at dusk to hawk above the water.

The morning is at leisure to explore the reserve on your own.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 06 | Selous Game Reserve – Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Post breakfast, check out from the lodge and transfer to airstrip in Selous Game Reserve
Board a flight from Selous Game Reserve to Zanzibar.
On arrival at the airport in Zanzibar, transfer to your hotel.
Enjoy a dhow cruise at sunset in Zanzibar (Private).
The evening, enjoy a dhow cruise at sunset in Zanzibar. Think Zanzibar, think white-sailed dhows billowing across the horizon. These traditional wooden boats are everywhere around the island, with crews spending their days fishing at sea before returning with jam-packed nets in the evening. And that’s when you can commandeer one! Gliding up the coast at sunset is an unbeatable way to see the island in all its palm-fringed glory. Make sure to head to the north-east tip of the island and float around the glorious Mnemba Atoll for the best views of the sinking sun, cocktail in hand. This is definitely one of the top things to do in Zanzibar.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 07 | Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Experience scuba diving in Zanzibar (Private).
With scuba-diving becoming ever more popular on the list of holiday pastimes, an abundance of dive schools have sprung up around the beaches of Zanzibar. And while there’s never a bad place to dive in those balmy turquoise waters, we might have a favourite, and it goes by the name Mnemba Island. Just one sandy mile in circumference, the island is the epitome of beach bliss but what makes it even better is the protection zone that surrounds it, conserving coral reefs where clouds of tropical fish rub shoulders with Giant turtles and bottlenose dolphins. Quick, grab your flippers!

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 08 | Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Relish lunch at The Rock Restaurant at Michanwi Pingwe Beach (Private).
Head to the east of the island and you’ll find The Rock, just off Michanwi Pingwe Beach. This restaurant is unusual, because it is literally built on a rock, in the Indian Ocean! The setting is gorgeous, as you’d expect, and time it right and you can even get a boat out to it.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 09 | Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Experience scuba diving in Zanzibar (Private).
With scuba-diving becoming ever more popular on the list of holiday pastimes, an abundance of dive schools have sprung up around the beaches of Zanzibar. And while there’s never a bad place to dive in those balmy turquoise waters, we might have a favourite, and it goes by the name Mnemba Island. Just one sandy mile in circumference, the island is the epitome of beach bliss but what makes it even better is the protection zone that surrounds it, conserving coral reefs where clouds of tropical fish rub shoulders with Giant turtles and bottlenose dolphins. Quick, grab your flippers!

Celebrate the night partying at Kendwa Beach (Private).
Once the preserve of sarong-wearing, full-moon partying backpackers, Zanzibar’s northern beaches have upped their game in the last few years with a host of new swishy hotels. And thank goodness for that, as Kendwa and Nungwi beaches really are the perfect spot for a quintessential pastel-hued sunset. Head right into the thick of things and grab a Konyagi (local gin) from a grass-topped beach bar before dancing until the sun comes up again or check into Kilindi for a more sophisticated sundowner on the terrace. Everyone who has experienced Kendwa will agree it is one of the top things to do in Zanzibar.

Note: Transfer from Kendwa Beach to hotel in Zanzibar is not included.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 10 | Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
The day is at leisure to explore the city on your own.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 11 | Depart Zanzibar
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Today, you will be transferred from hotel to airport in Zanzibar for your flight back home.

Breakfast.