Zanzibar & Tanzania Trip Report December 2024
From Zanzibar to the Central Serengeti - 14 nights in Tanzania
Words Gill Flaherty | Images by Gill Flaherty and Tim Yeo
Touching down in Zanzibar, I had no idea what to expect of the Tanzanian vacation island. Famous for its long, sandy beaches and cabana-style ocean-front resorts, Zanzibar is, at first glance, a honeymooner’s paradise, perhaps best suited to those looking to escape the rat-race in secluded luxury. However, I was here on a recce mission with two of my Bluewater colleagues, not to sit on the beach for 4 nights, but to discover what Zanzibar offers below its turquoise waters.
Day 1
Landing at 7am, I met up with Tim Yeo, Bluewater’s General Manager, and we rented a car and arranged local sim cards. Both processes were fairly straight forward, although I would suggest buying a sim once you leave the airport so as not to pay a premium. We then drove slowly north to the northeast tip of Zanzibar opposite the private island of Mnemba. Our resort for the next two nights would be Sunshine Marine Resort, a gorgeous ocean-front property set in lush gardens and with stunning sea views. After touring the resort and checking out the dive center, we had dinner in the open-air restaurant as the sun went down and waited for Bluewater’s Marketing Manager, Jacqui Allen, to arrive.
Day 2
On site dive center, Dive Point Zanzibar, were waiting for us at 8.20am the next morning, and after a quick breakfast of eggs and avocado, met our dive guide and changed into wetsuits. We carried out equipment to a waiting truck with drove us 5 minutes down the coast to a beach where we could easily board the dive boat.
Diving in Zanzibar is very dependent on the tides which have a huge range. As such, guests need to have some flexibility about whether they will board the boat from a jetty, or from the beach. Once onboard the spacious wooden boat we set up our gear and then headed for the southern side of Mnemba Island, 20-minutes away.
After a thorough briefing from our guide, we kitted up and rolled straight into the water, excited to discover what subsurface Zanzibar had to offer. The first dive site was a fairly shallow sloping reef with patches of rock and coral leading to sand at around 18m. There was a good amount of small and medium-sized fish life, but what was most impressive was the macro life. Almost immediately, our guide spotted a ghost pipefish, quickly followed by a leaf fish. During the dive we saw several mantis shrimps, more leaf fish, an octopus, several nudibranchs, and a small white-tipped reef shark hiding in a crevice.
We spent the surface interval on the boat and were served pastries, fruit, and water before kitting up for our second hour underwater. This time the reef was shallower but there was no shortage of fish life. Towards the end of the dive, our guide spotted a huge orange frogfish perched on a rock. By then, the current had picked up which made for a fun drift around the point watching feeding schools of snapper.
We arrived back at the resort in time for a quick turn-around so that we could head out for some lunch and a site visit of a neighbouring resort. We had been recommended a local restaurant in the nearby village, and so thought we’d give it a try. The seafood platter was delicious, locally caught, freshly cooked, and very welcome after our long morning.
The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up on work, before an early dinner and bed.
Day 3
Our second day of diving with Dive Point Zanzibar, and we ventured to the very northwestern tip of the island with the promise of some excellent macro. The road transfer took just under an hour, followed by a 40-minute boat ride, however, the diving was worth it!
The first dive started with poor visibility and a strong current, however, we stayed close in to the reef and fairly shallow which gave enough light to spot some nice fish and corals in good condition. We moved slightly north for the second dive which gave us the best dive of the trip. Starting in close to the reef, we spotted ribbon eels, glass fish, and leaf fish before moving further out into the sand for what turned into a proper muck dive. Our guides found 3 or 4 frogfish, an unusual species of eel, numerous mantis shrimps, nudibranchs, flatworms, and other tiny shrimps. What a great dive!
We arrived back at Sunshine Marine Lodge close to 3pm, packed, checked out and headed south to our next destination, Pemba.
Day 4
The previous evening we arrived late at Pemba Beach Hotel & Apartments and checked in to our large poolside rooms. We were just in time to enjoy a Swahili-themed dinner and entertainment in the open air restaurant.
The next morning we were expecting to dive with the on-site dive center, Buccaneer Divers, however, the dive center manager explained that, due to the tidal range, diving times change daily on a two week cycle. As such, we would be departing for our 2-tank dive at 2pm.
At the allotted time we assembled at the dive center already in our wetsuits and were briefed on the dives. We then carried our equipment (minus tanks) down the beach and out to one of the shop’s 4 dive boats. Twenty minutes later we were outside the reef and moored up in a medium swell, ready to dive. Our group of four followed our guide down to 18m for a pleasantly gentle drift through healthy corals reminiscent of many Caribbean dives.
After a surface interval on the boat, the second dive followed a similar theme with a good variety of small and medium-sized fish species and a few smaller macro spots. As soon as we return to shore it was time for a delicious seafood dinner to round off another great day of diving.
Day 5
Today our Zanzibar trip came to an end, so we checked out after breakfast and took a quick wander around a neighbouring resort. The drive north to the main city took almost 2 hours, and we had had time for a very quick walk around the markets of Stone Town before heading to the airport for our respective flights. Luckily for me, I was heading to Tanzania’s safari capital, Arusha, to meet a group of Bluewater customers that I would lead on safari for the next 10 days.
The hour-long flight from Zanzibar to Arusha was uneventful, and was met at the small airfield by a driver from our tour company. Ten minutes later I was checking in at the stunning Kahawa House, a gorgeous colonial-style property with lovely grounds, and the starting-off point for our trip.
I met the rest of my group before dinner for introductions, a chat through the plan for the following day, and of course, happy hour cocktails. We got to know each other over a delicious dinner and then headed to bed in anticipation of our upcoming safari.
Day 6
The following morning we met our guide for the next 10 days, Godfrey. After packing our 6-seater jeep, he gave us a briefing for the trip and explained our intended route. We then departed Arusha for the 2-hour drive to Tarangire National Park, arriving late morning in time for a short pre-lunch game drive. Being a Sunday, the roads around the entrance to the park were very busy with other jeeps and so it felt quite crowded as we worked our way towards our accommodation. However, we still enjoyed watching the impala and warthogs and even spotted a monitor lizard.
Our accommodation for the next 2 nights would be Tarangire Safari Lodge, and we arrived for check-in at lunchtime. The lodge is a semi-permanent camp consisting of a traditional game lodge-style reception and public area with tented accommodation. The tents are spacious ‘glamping’ tents with fully functional toilets and hot showers - nicer than some hotel rooms I’ve stayed in!
After enjoying a hot picnic lunch with the stunning view from the lodge terrace, it was back into the jeep for an afternoon game drive. This time we were lucky enough to encounter some of the park’s famous elephant herds, as well as a family of dwarf mongoose. Dinner was buffet-style at the lodge restaurant before we all retired for an early night. Early starts and early nights would become the standard for the trip!
Day 7
We were up and out of camp by 6am to catch the sunrise and hopefully find some lions. Despite being the only vehicle out on the roads, the lions were not co-operating, however, we did have some amazing elephant encounters when two different groups walk right across the road in front of our jeep. It was an awe inspiring experience!
After stopping for a boxed breakfast at 8.30am, we continued our search, this time for a leopard. We were finally rewarded just before lunchtime when our eagle-eyed guide spotted one in a distant tree. Even with binoculars it was a challenge to make out the big cat’s facial features, however, I was pretty confident that it was indeed a leopard. Success!
Lunch was at a picnic site overlooking the Tarangire marshlands. During the dry season the area is full of game herds, however, as we were visiting in the wet season there was not a creature to be seen. We meandered back towards camp throughout the afternoon and enjoyed more elephant sightings, watched a group of black-faced monkeys with young, and a pair of Cape buffalo cooling off in the river. Just before arriving at the lodge we had our first lion encounter of the trip when we cam across a pack of 8 lions relaxing in the scrubland. After watching them laze around for 20 minutes it was time for an early dinner before our night game drive!
Wow, what an action-packed couple of hours. We were incredibly lucky with our night drive and saw far more than would normally be expected. Almost straight out of camp our guide spotted a small and very rare species of owl perched on a branch. And then we suddenly saw something small springing around in the undergrowth. This turned out to be a bush baby which bounced all the way over to the side of our jeep and stared at us for a few seconds before leaping up into a nearby tree. Such a comical creature! Next up was a bat-eared fox and then a genet, a cat-like nocturnal creature with beautiful markings. We also spotted some spring hares and a white-tailed mongoose in the middle of the road.
Suddenly, we spotted hundreds of pair of eyes up ahead of the jeep and realised a herd of buffalo was crossing the road. They were being escorted by one of the lions we had seen earlier that afternoon. Soon, the rest of the lion pack appeared from behind the herd of buffalo, obviously harassing them but without making a kill. The lions passed very close by the side of us before disappearing into the undergrowth. We were still recovering from this encounter when our guide’s torch picked up a leopard by the side of the road! We were incredibly close and watched it for a good 10 minutes as it wandered in and around our jeep and then rolled around on the grass before heading into the bush. Before we knew it our 2 hour drive was over, and we headed back to camp feeling very pleased with ourselves.
Day 8
This morning we followed the same format as the previous day - a 6am start for a sunrise game drive. Almost straight away we spotted our lion pack by the side of the road, and soon after had our first up close giraffe encounter before coming across a pair of jackals sunning themselves. We had breakfast back at the lodge before checking out and starting our drive north to Ngorongoro Farm House. On the way we stopped at a traditional Swahili wood carving workshop and then ate lunch at a Tanzanite store.
We arrived at the farm house mid-afternoon, in plenty of time to relax and enjoy the beautiful grounds and a free coffee tour before sundown cocktails. Dinner was served on the outdoor terrace and consisted of vegetables and meat cooked to order as well as delicious soup and a choice of yummy desserts. Ngorongoro Farm House has beautiful large and private rooms spread around its grounds and is an incredibly unique hotel. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed anywhere quite like it!
Day 9
Sadly, we only had one night at Ngorongoro Farm House and checked out at 7.30am the following morning, heading for the famous Ngorongoro Crater. This unique habitat is well worth a visit during any season, not least for the exciting drive through the thick jungle vegetation up to the rim of the crater and then down the other side into the base. We spent the morning exploring the roads around the edges, watching small herds of zebra, wildebeest, various species of antelope, and different types of birds. Mid-morning, our guide received a call on the radio to say a rhino had been spotted, and sure enough, we soon spotted a small black dot far off in the distance. As the dot slowly worked its way towards us, it turned into a rhino and we could soon discern its body shape and eventually its horns. Unfortunately, there were a lot of jeeps following the rhino, and as it came close to the vehicles it spooked and ran back out to an inaccessible area. However, we were all happy that we had spotted out first, and only, rhino of the trip.
The heavens opened around lunchtime, and we took a break for our boxed lunch by the edge of a hippo pool while being watched by Maribou storks. It was then time to head on northwards towards the Serengeti and our accommodation for the next 3 nights, Ndutu Kati Kati Migration Camp. Arriving at dusk, we were pleasantly surprised at the facilities in this temporary camp, and especially the service and food. We sat around a campfire and enjoyed a view of the sun setting over Ndutu Lake. A perfect way to end the day.
Day 10
Today was our first day exploring the Southern Serengeti area, and we set off at 6.30am after a hearty breakfast of eggs cooked to order. The first thing we noticed on our drive was how muddy the tracks were. December is the start of the wet season in Tanzania, and daily showers were making off-road driving a bit of a challenge. However, our guide managed the jeep with expertise and kept us moving forward, despite the challenging conditions.
The seasonal migration of wildebeest and zebra across the Serengeti is reasonably predictable, and at this time of year huge herds congregate in the south, following the rain which brings fresh vegetation growth. We were blown away by the sheer number of animals, slow-moving lines of plodding beasts stretching from one side of the horizon to the other. We spent the morning enjoying this amazing sight and spotted some hyenas and a pack of 5 male lions.
After lunch at the camp, we headed back out in search of a cheetah but to no avail. However, towards the end of the day we found a large family of lions with at least 8 young cubs enjoying a recently caught wildebeest. The cubs had gorged themselves so much that they all had pot-bellies and could barely move! We spent almost an hour enjoying their antics before heading back to camp for another lovely sunset.
Day 11
Our third day in the Southern Serengeti started in the heavy fog and the drive was quite
eerie until the sun burned through. Almost immediately, we found a group of 18 hyenas squabbling over their share of a zebra kill. It was fascinating to watch them disappear off into the fog with their share of the spoils.
Not long after this we spotted our first cheetah, a handsome male wandering up a track and enjoying the morning sunshine. After lunch we found out second cheetah of the day, this time lounging in the long grass. Both sightings were quite short, but it was great to know there were cheetahs around. On our way back to camp we also spotted some bat-eared foxes with young peering out from their den.
Our last evening at Kati Kati Ndutu was just as magical as the previous two. An excellent dinner in the open sided meal tent, enjoying a view over the lake as the sun set. This evening a family of giraffes wandered very close to camp enjoying their dinner alongside us.
Day 12
We planned a slightly later departure this morning, checking out at 7am and departing for our final destination, the Central Serengeti. We started the day by driving 40 minutes east to a cheetah reserve. The landscape was quite different here, the plains dotted by large rocky outcrops called kopje which create oases of vegetation growth in the otherwise featureless landscape.
Once again we were the only vehicle in sight which made a for some lovely encounters during the morning. First up we found a solo male cheetah, however, he was fairly inactive so we moved on after a few minutes watching him. It wasn’t long before we came across a mother cheetah and her young cub. The cub was very curious about our jeep, exploring in and around the base and tyres and even trying to jump up onto the bonnet at one point. Mum was quite relaxed as she watched her youngster’s antics, and we spent quite a long time enjoying this unique encounter.
We spent the rest of the morning driving around the kopje outcrops and found some lions lounging amongst the rocks enjoying the shade. Later in the day we came across a second mother cheetah with 2 older cubs who played between themselves and with mum for a time. After a really lovely day we drove west towards the Central Serengeti and arrived at Kati Kati M? Migration Camp just before sunset. Almost identical to the previous camp, again we enjoyed accommodation in large tents and comfortable beds, with a flushing toilet and bucket shower. We ended the day with drinks and sunset around the fire while watching buffalo and zebra on the rolling hills behind camp.
Day 13
Another early start today, and we were out of camp by 6.30am for a morning drive around the Central Serengeti. Straight out of camp we came across a large family of lions with many young cubs frolicking in the morning sun. It was lovely to watch them running up and down the road, seemingly oblivious to their human audience. As the family moved slowly away from the road and into the long grass we moved further along the track and met two more lions and then another family group. Our guide said they all belonged to the same pride - almost 30 lions in total!
There is more rain in this area and so the grass is longer, making it harder to spot wildlife. None-the-less, we didn’t do too badly, spotting larger animals like giraffe, elephants, and lots of hippos wallowing in a muddy pool. Late morning, our guide spotted a leopard hidden away in a baobab tree. However, it was difficult to see anything other than a few spots between the leaves.
We stayed out later today to catch the lion family at dusk. This time, we spotted older lion cubs wrestling around a pool. It was such fun to watch them stalking and pouncing on each other as the adults tried to stay out of the way.
Day 14
Today was our final day on safari, and while 3 guests took an early morning hot air balloon ride, the rest of us went on a leopard hunt. As expected, we found the same leopard as the day before, still in his tree. However, this morning he was lounging on a lower branch and so we had a much better view. We then meandered to pick up the other guests and on the way spotted some giraffes involved in a very slow motion ‘neck-banging’ session, some baboons arguing over a female, and a very cute group of black-faced monkeys with young.
After lunch at the camp, we set of at 3.30pm for our final game drive and watched the leopard for a while more. Then it was back to camp to celebrate one of our guests’s birthday with a cake and African singing from the camp staff. What a lovely finale to the trip!
Day 15
All good things must come to an end, and so it was today that we packed up, departed the Serengeti, and flew on a bush plane from the small airstrip in Seronera back to our start point in Arusha. After lunch at a local lodge we were transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport for our homeward flights.
Chatting with everyone as they were preparing to depart, it was so difficult to pinpoint the highlight of the trip. We did so much and had so many wonderful experiences that to choose just one was impossible. But one thing’s for sure, our guests will return home with some awesome memories from the trip of a lifetime!
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