Tanzania Honeymoon: Great Migration Safari & Zanzibar

Why I Love This Trip

I honeymooned in Tanzania with this same local team, so this one is personal. It is the version I would plan for my best friend: a short flight to skip the worst stretch of road, two nights at the Four Seasons in the middle of the Serengeti, then two nights up north by the Mara River, where the herds cross from July to September.

After that you trade the safari vehicle for a villa on the beach. Four nights in Zanzibar, all inclusive, with a snorkel trip to Mnemba Atoll and a day on a sandbank in the Indian Ocean. Big adventure first, real rest after. That is the balance most couples want, and it is exactly what this trip does.

Where You Sleep

From Arusha you fly to Lake Manyara, drive up to the Ngorongoro Crater and on through the Serengeti to the Mara River, then fly straight to Zanzibar. The numbers on the map match the places you sleep.

1. 1night

   Arusha

   Day 1. Gran Meliá Arusha, Deluxe Room

2. 1night

   Ngorongoro

   Day 2. Ngorongoro Lodge, Rim Room

3. 2nights

   Central Serengeti

   Days 3 and 4. Four Seasons, Savannah Room

4. 2nights

   North Serengeti

   Days 5 and 6. Mara Mara Tented Lodge

5. 4nights

   Zanzibar

   Days 7 to 10. Meliá Zanzibar

Day by Day

1. Day 1Overnight in Arusha

   Arrive in Arusha

   Land at Kilimanjaro International and a driver is waiting to take you to the Gran Meliá Arusha. Tonight is just for resting up after the long flight. Your safari starts in the morning.

2. Day 2Overnight at Ngorongoro

   Fly to Manyara, then the Crater

   A short flight from Arusha to Lake Manyara saves you hours on the road. Your guide meets you at the airstrip and takes you down into the Ngorongoro Crater for a long afternoon of game drives, with a picnic lunch on the crater floor. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino. Tonight you sleep up on the rim at Ngorongoro Lodge, looking straight over the crater.

3. Day 3Overnight in the Central Serengeti

   Into the Serengeti

   Drive west as the highlands open up into the Serengeti plains, with game viewing the whole way. The Seronera area in the middle of the park is known for big cats, so watch the rocky kopjes for lions and leopards. Then check in to the Four Seasons Safari Lodge.

4. Day 4Overnight in the Central Serengeti

   A full day in the Serengeti

   A whole day of game drives with your own guide and vehicle. In the dry season the animals stay close to the Seronera River, which makes this one of the most reliable spots in the park.

5. Day 5Overnight in the North Serengeti

   North to the Mara River

   Head north toward the Kenyan border, where the herds gather from July to September. Your guide will know where they are that week and get you to the river for a crossing if one happens. Two nights at Mara Mara Tented Lodge keep you close to the action.

6. Day 6Overnight in the North Serengeti

   Migration day

   A full day out by the Mara River with a picnic lunch: thousands of wildebeest and zebra, and the crocodiles waiting for them. If you add the hot air balloon, this is the morning you float over the plains at sunrise, followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush.

7. Day 7Overnight in Zanzibar

   Fly to Zanzibar

   One last game drive on the way to the Kogatende airstrip, then a flight straight to Zanzibar. You are met on arrival and taken to Meliá Zanzibar, where a one bedroom Ocean Villa with its own pool is waiting. Everything is all inclusive from here.

8. Day 8Overnight in Zanzibar

   Snorkel Mnemba Atoll

   A half day boat trip to the Mnemba Atoll marine reserve, just off the coast from the resort. Snorkel the reef, keep an eye out for dolphins, and be back by the pool for the afternoon.

9. Day 9Overnight in Zanzibar

   Nakupenda Sandbank

   Cross the island to Stone Town and board a traditional boat out to Nakupenda, a strip of white sand in the middle of turquoise water. Swim, snorkel and stay for a fresh seafood lunch on the sandbank before heading back to the resort.

10. Day 10Overnight in Zanzibar

    A day for nothing

    No plans and no alarms. Beach, pool, spa, repeat.

11. Day 11Flight home

    Head home

    A transfer takes you to Zanzibar airport for your flight home.

About Your Hotels

Every night of this trip is somewhere I would happily stay myself. Here is what each one is like.

Day 1 · 1 night · Arusha

Gran Meliá Arusha, Deluxe Room

Your first night is all about resting up after the long flight, in a Deluxe Room with a king bed and a stone tiled bathroom. The hotel sits between coffee and tea plantations on the edge of Arusha, with Mount Meru outside many of the windows, an infinity pool and a rooftop pool, a spa, and The Grill for dinner.

Day 2 · 1 night · Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Lodge, Meliá Collection

I stayed here myself, and this is the night people talk about. The lodge sits up on the crater rim, and your Rim Room looks straight out over the Ngorongoro Crater through a wall of glass, so the place you spent the afternoon exploring is the first thing you see in the morning. The rooms have Maasai inspired décor and a king bed. Dinner is at the Crater Lounge or the Crater Grill, and drinks at the Crater Bar come with the same view. It is also a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.

Days 3 and 4 · 2 nights · Central Serengeti

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Savannah Room

Two nights right in the middle of the park. Your Savannah Room has a four poster king bed, a sitting area and a covered deck looking out over the plains. The infinity pool looks over a spring fed waterhole where elephants come to drink, so you can watch them from a lounger between game drives. There is a Thai spa with private massage pavilions, a Discovery Center about the Serengeti, and a channel on your TV that shows what is at the waterhole right now.

Days 5 and 6 · 2 nights · North Serengeti

Mara Mara Tented Lodge

Just fifteen tents, set under the trees along the Mara River, so the crossings are a short drive away. Each tent has a canopy bed with netting, a sitting area, a freestanding tub by the window looking out at the bush, an open air rain shower, and a shaded deck looking over the river. There is a pool for the hot afternoons, and the camp runs on solar power.

Days 7 to 10 · 4 nights · Zanzibar

Meliá Zanzibar, One Bedroom Ocean Villa

I stayed at Meliá Zanzibar myself, and after a week of early safari mornings, this is exactly where you want to land. Your one bedroom Ocean Villa has its own terrace with a private infinity pool, a Balinese daybed for afternoon naps and a spot to have dinner outside in the ocean breeze. Inside there is a separate living room and dining room, so it feels more like your own little house on the beach than a hotel room.

The villa is part of The Level, Meliá’s top tier, and that comes with a lot of extras. You have a butler with a direct line, private check-in, and breakfast brought to your villa until 11 if you would rather not leave. The all inclusive is upgraded too, with a minibar stocked with drinks, 24 hour room service and premium drinks at every bar. When you want a change from your own pool, The Level has its own beach lounge on Gabi Beach and an infinity pool just for guests 16 and over, with staff bringing drinks and snacks all day.

Who It's For

Couples who want the real thing: big wildlife, early mornings and long days out in the vehicle, balanced by a proper rest at the end. You don’t need to be especially fit, but expect bumpy roads between the parks and a few very early starts. Not on your honeymoon? It works just as well for an anniversary or any big trip for two.

Want the hot air balloon?A sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti is $550 per person, with a champagne breakfast in the bush after you land. I did it on my own trip and I 100% recommend it. Not everyone wants it, so it is not in the price. Tell me when you reach out, or decide later.

Why Book Through Me

This safari is run by a small, locally owned company in Tanzania, the same one I used for my own honeymoon. Booking with them means your money stays with a local team, not a big international brand selling these tours from overseas. You also get the same guide and driver I had, the same pair my other clients have traveled with. Their team is on the ground in Tanzania the whole time you are there, so help is always close by.

On my end, I will find your international flights, set up your travel insurance and let every lodge know you are on your honeymoon. Want an extra night somewhere, or a different hotel in Zanzibar? I can change any piece of it. And if something comes up while you are away, you message me, not a call center.