Serengeti Safari PackagesZanzibar to Serengeti Safari: 2 Days With Return Flights
A Zanzibar to Serengeti safari is a short way to pair a beach week with the Serengeti. This listing from Beach & Safari Holidays on GetYourGuide does it in 2 days for $1,875 per person. You fly from Zanzibar to the Seronera airstrip inside the park, meet a private driver-guide, and spend the rest of day 1 on a game drive with a picnic lunch. The night is at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, about a 5-minute drive from the Serengeti gate. A short morning drive on day 2 leads back to the airstrip for the flight home. Park fees and the flights are in the price. Some charges are not, and this page lists them all before you book. If you want more time, compare it with other Serengeti safari packages on the Serengeti safari packages compared.
About This Tour
Beach & Safari Holidays runs this as a private trip from Zanzibar with an experienced driver-guide waiting at Seronera airstrip. The transfer from your Zanzibar hotel to the airport happens early in the morning, the flight lands inside Serengeti National Park, and the day belongs to a full game drive with a picnic lunch in the park.
You sleep one night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, a safari comfort lodge roughly 5 minutes by road from the Serengeti gate. Day 2 starts with a short game drive on the way to the airstrip, then the flight back to Zanzibar where a driver returns you to your hotel. Meals are full board at the lodge, drinking water is included, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
$1,875 per person. It covers park fees, hotel pickup and drop-off, the return domestic flights between Zanzibar and Seronera, the private guided safari, one lodge night on a full board meal plan and drinking water.
2 days, one night away, with the game drive running the whole of day 1 and a short drive on the morning of day 2.
Hotel pickup in Zanzibar, then an early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Seronera airstrip. Be at reception 5 minutes before the departure time.
One night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, a safari comfort lodge about a 5-minute drive from the Serengeti gate.
Landing fees, the visa, Zanzibar's mandatory government travel insurance, a Tourism Development Levy of $1.50 per person per night and village tax of $1 per person per night at check-in, plus alcoholic drinks, tips and personal expenses. International flights are not included.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is offered.
Check Dates and Availability
Seats on the flights to Seronera are limited, so confirm your date early. The listing warns that your departure date may move to a date when north flights are available.
Quick answer Price, flights and the catch
This 2-day Zanzibar to Serengeti safari costs $1,875 per person and includes return flights to Seronera airstrip, park fees, a private guide and one night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma. Landing fees, the visa, Zanzibar travel insurance and small nightly taxes are extra. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- See exactly what the $1,875 covers in What the Price Actually Covers.
- The day-by-day plan is in The Route Day by Day.
- Only 2 days in the park and no Ngorongoro Crater? The Serengeti Fly-In Safari gives you 3 days and the crater.
- Compare it with every Serengeti safari package in the catalog before you book.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $1,875 is the from-price per person on GetYourGuide. The inclusions are generous by fly-in standards, but several charges sit outside it and you should budget for them before you book.
Included in the $1,875
The listing states these as included: park fees for Serengeti National Park, hotel pickup and drop-off in Zanzibar, the domestic flights from Zanzibar to Seronera and back, the private guided safari, an experienced driver-guide, the Tanzania lodge named in the itinerary, the night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma on a full board meal plan, and drinking water. A picnic lunch in the park on day 1 is part of the meal plan. Guides speak English and German.
- Park fees, Serengeti National Park
- Return flights Zanzibar to Seronera and back
- Private guided safari with an experienced driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Zanzibar
- 1 night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, full board
- Picnic lunch in the park on day 1 and drinking water
What You Pay on Top
The listing is explicit about the extras. Landing fees are not included. The Tanzania visa is not included, and Zanzibar's mandatory government travel insurance for tourists is also on you.
At lodge check-in you pay a Tourism Development Levy of $1.50 per person per night and village tax of $1 per person per night. Alcoholic drinks, tips and all personal expenses are excluded, as are international flights. The vehicle type is not stated, only a private guided safari with a driver-guide.
If you want to fly back over the plains at dawn instead, the Serengeti Balloon Safari is a separate product from Seronera that this trip does not include.
The Money Line by Line
This table splits the listing's own inclusions and exclusions so you can see the shape of the cost. The figures come from the GetYourGuide listing text for Beach & Safari Holidays.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Park fees | Yes | Serengeti National Park entry listed as included |
| Domestic flights | Yes | Zanzibar to Seronera and back, seat availability permitting |
| Lodge night | Yes | Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, full board |
| Landing fees | No | Listed as not included |
| Visa | No | Buy separately before or on arrival |
| Zanzibar travel insurance | No | Mandatory government insurance for tourists in Zanzibar |
| Levies at check-in | No | $1.50 Tourism Development Levy and $1 village tax per person per night |
| Drinks and tips | No | Alcoholic drinks and tips excluded, water included |
| International flights | No | Flights to and from Tanzania are on you |
The Stone Town waterfront in Zanzibar. Photo: Erasmus Kamugisha, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route Day by Day
The itinerary comes straight from the operator's listing. Two days, one flight each way, one lodge night and one full day on the ground in Serengeti National Park.
Day 1, Zanzibar to the Middle of the Park
An early morning transfer collects you from your Zanzibar hotel for the flight to Seronera airstrip, which the listing describes as right in the middle of the national park. Your driver-guide waits at the airstrip and the full day is a game drive, with a picnic lunch taken in the park during a break. After the drive the guide brings you to Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, about 5 minutes by road from the Serengeti gate.
The Serengeti itself covers about 14,750 km², so one day samples a fraction of it. The listing says to look for lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo, though no sighting is ever guaranteed because the animals decide where they are.
Day 2, a Short Drive and the Flight Home
After breakfast there is a small game drive on the way to Seronera airstrip. From there you fly back to Zanzibar, where a driver meets you and returns you to your hotel. No return time is stated.
Keep in mind the listing's own warning: north-bound flight seats are limited and your departure date may have to move to a date when flights are free.
The Route at a Glance
Both days in one table, with the nights and the legs as the listing states them.
| Day | Route | Night at |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Zanzibar hotel to Zanzibar airport, flight to Seronera airstrip, full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park | Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma |
| Day 2 | Short morning game drive to Seronera airstrip, flight back to Zanzibar, transfer to your hotel | Not applicable, trip ends |
Coastal Aviation ( Zanzibar to Serengeti )
A flight from Zanzibar to the Serengeti on Coastal Aviation. Third-party video by Henry steve. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Trip Rules Out
This is a fast, expensive, short trip with real limits. Read them before you commit, because each one has a better-fitting alternative in the same catalog.
Health and Mobility Limits
The listing says it is not suitable for people with back problems, heart problems or insect allergies, and it is not suitable for wheelchair users. If any of that applies to you, look at a road-based lodge trip instead, such as the 5-Day Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari, and raise your needs with the operator first.
The 2-day Ceiling
You get roughly one full day of game driving and one short morning drive. There is no Ngorongoro Crater, no second full Serengeti day and no chance to chase the migration north. If the crater matters to you, the Serengeti Fly-In Safari is a 3-day private trip that lands in the Serengeti and spends day 3 in the crater.
If you want the herds, the 8-Day Serengeti Migration Safari puts 2 nights in the northern Serengeti.
The From-price Is Not the Whole Cost
The $1,875 from-price leaves out landing fees, the visa, Zanzibar's mandatory government travel insurance, the nightly levy and village tax, alcoholic drinks, tips and your international flights. Budget for all of it. For a cheaper road trip from the mainland, the 5-Day Serengeti Camping Safari runs $1,320 per person over 5 days with a free Arusha hotel night either side.
Date Flexibility Required
North-bound flight seats are limited and the listing reserves the right to move your departure date to a day when flights are available. If your Zanzibar schedule cannot shift, confirm seat availability before you lock in the rest of your plans, or pick a road safari from Arusha where no small-plane seat is needed.
The terminal at Seronera airstrip in the central Serengeti. Photo: ערן, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Season, Fees and Paperwork
What the research says about when to go, which fees this trip touches and what to have in your bag.
When to Go
SafariBookings names the dry season June to October and high season July to March, with daytime highs around 27°C and chilly nights. Roadtrip Africa picks January-February and June-October as the best months. The wildebeest herds move with the rain, so where they are on your dates is never certain.
On a 2-day trip from Seronera you will see whatever the central plains hold that day.
The Fees That Touch This Trip
Park fees are included in the price, which matters because the TANAPA tariff sets the Serengeti conservation fee for non-East African adults at $70 per day in peak season and $60 in low season, both VAT exclusive, and other sources quote VAT-inclusive figures of $82.60 and $70.80. The tariff defines peak as 16 May to 14 March. On top of the tour price you pay the visa, listed by SafariFind at $50 for a single-entry tourist visa valid up to 90 days (Duma Explorer says US passport holders pay $100 for a multiple-entry visa), Zanzibar's mandatory inbound travel insurance, the $1.50 Tourism Development Levy and $1 village tax per person per night, and tips.
Tanzania Specialist suggests $10 per day per person in your group for a driver-guide (Duma Explorer suggests $50 per vehicle per day), and lodge staff tips of $10 to $15 per guest per day via a communal box are a common suggestion.
Visa, Health and Packing
GOV.UK advises applying for an e-visa online before travel, requires a passport valid at least 6 months after arrival with one blank page, and says non-residents must buy Tanzanian government inbound travel insurance. Talk to a travel clinic about health requirements for your itinerary. Bring your passport or ID card, the one item the listing names.
Pack light summer clothes for the midday heat and warm layers for cool mornings, and check a full safari packing list plus advice on what to wear on safari before you fly.
Sources: TANAPA tariff, SafariBookings, GOV.UK, Tanzania Specialist
Day by Day on the Ground
The listing's own two-day plan, with the operator's day numbers. Times beyond early morning are not stated.
-
Early morning
Pickup in Zanzibar
Your driver collects you at your hotel reception. Be there 5 minutes before the departure time for the transfer to Zanzibar airport.
-
Day 1
Flight to Seronera airstrip
The domestic flight lands at Seronera airstrip in the middle of Serengeti National Park, where your driver-guide is waiting.
-
Day 1
Full-day game drive
The whole day is a game drive with your private guide, with a picnic lunch taken in the park at break time. The listing names lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo as animals to look for, without promising any of them.
-
Day 1 evening
To the lodge
Your guide drives you to Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, about a 5-minute drive from the Serengeti gate, for dinner and the night on a full board plan.
-
Day 2 morning
Short game drive
After breakfast, a small game drive runs while you make your way toward Seronera airstrip.
-
Day 2
Return flight and drop-off
Fly from Seronera back to Zanzibar, where a driver meets you and returns you to your hotel. No return time is stated.
Pros and Cons
An honest split. The pros are the listing's own strengths, the cons are the things you should weigh before paying.
What we genuinely like
- Flights both ways are in the price, which is how a Zanzibar start reaches the park
- Park fees are included, unlike some listings where they are unstated
- Private guide and private safari rather than a shared vehicle
- A lodge night on full board, with water, at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma near the gate
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and reserve now, pay later
The honest downsides
- Landing fees, the visa, Zanzibar's mandatory travel insurance, nightly levies, drinks, tips and international flights all sit outside the $1,875
- One full game drive day is short for the Serengeti, and there is no Ngorongoro Crater
- Flight seats are limited, so the operator may move your departure date
- Only 9 reviews back the 4.4 score, a small sample next to other listings
- Not suitable for people with back problems, heart problems, insect allergies or wheelchair users
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who need a guaranteed departure date, want the crater or the migration on the same trip, or cannot absorb the extras on top of the price.
Questions About This Zanzibar to Serengeti Safari
How much does this 2-day safari from Zanzibar cost?
$1,875 per person, with park fees, the return flights to Seronera, a private guide and one lodge night included. Landing fees, the visa, insurance, nightly levies and tips are extra, as listed in What the Price Actually Covers.
Are the flights really included?
Yes, the listing includes domestic flights from Zanzibar to Seronera and back, though international flights are excluded. Seats are limited and the date may move, which is one reason to read Who This Trip Rules Out first.
Where do I sleep on this trip?
One night at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, a safari comfort lodge about a 5-minute drive from the Serengeti gate, on a full board meal plan. The route is laid out in The Route Day by Day.
Can I cancel if my plans change?
Yes, free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now pay later is offered. The booking card at the top of this page carries the current terms.
Is 2 days enough for the Serengeti?
It gives you one full game drive day and a short morning drive, which is a taste rather than a full visit. If you want more, the Serengeti Fly-In Safari adds the Ngorongoro Crater over 3 days, or browse Serengeti safari packages for longer road trips.
Can I add a balloon flight to this safari?
Not through this listing, the balloon is a separate product. The Serengeti Balloon Safari runs from Seronera at dawn for $599 per person, with park admission paid separately.
What paperwork do I need to bring?
The listing asks you to bring a passport or ID card, and you will need a Tanzanian visa plus Zanzibar's mandatory government travel insurance, none of which are included. The entry rules are summarized in Season, Fees and Paperwork.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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