Serengeti and Zanzibar: How to Combine Safari and Beach
The most natural pairing in East African travel: a few days on safari in the Serengeti, followed by a slow week on a white Zanzibar beach. Bush and beach — adventure, then stillness. Here is how to put the two halves together, from the team who look after the safari half.
Do the safari first, the beach second
Safari means early starts and active days; the beach is the natural place to unwind afterwards before the long journey home. Allow three to four nights on safari and four to five on Zanzibar — around seven to nine nights in total.
How the journey works
A short light-aircraft flight leaves the Serengeti and flies on to Zanzibar — often direct, around two hours, or with a short connection through Arusha — putting you on the island by mid-afternoon — a half-day of easy, scenic travel. The internal flights are booked as part of your safari arrangements.
The best time for both
June to October suits both — the classic Serengeti dry season, and dry, sunny weather on the coast. The Central Serengeti has excellent wildlife year-round, but the long rains of April and May, the wettest months on the coast, are best avoided.
The safari half: RAFIKI on the Orangi River
RAFIKI Orangi River Camp sits in the heart of the Central Serengeti, on the banks of the permanent Orangi River — the richest year-round wildlife in the park, with front-row access to the migration. Fully all-inclusive: private vehicle and guide, unlimited game drives, all meals and drinks, and a personal butler. We arrange the safari leg and the flights that join everything up.