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Summary

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Tanzania Classic Meets A Grand Ocean Crossing

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Duration

18 Days

Starts In

Arusha

Route

Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Zanzibar Island, Mahe Island

Few journeys manage to hold both a volcanic caldera teeming with 30,000 mammals and an atoll sheltering the world's largest population of giant tortoises — but this one does, with a proper island pause in between. It opens with three unforgettable days on Tanzania's Northern Circuit: baobab-studded Tarangire, then the near-2,000-foot descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, widely regarded as the finest single day of wildlife viewing on the continent. From there, two nights on Zanzibar's white sand shores offer a genuine breather — Stone Town's alleyways, spice-scented air, and simple beach time — before the adventure shifts entirely to water, boarding Aqua Lares for an eleven-day sail through the Seychelles' most remote outer islands. Whale sharks off Mafia Island, the underwater canyon of the Astove Wall, and Aldabra's tortoise-covered shores round out a journey that asks a lot of a single itinerary and delivers on every count — savannah, spice, and open ocean, threaded into one continuous arc.

SAFARI & CRUISE ITINERARY - 18 Days / 17 Nights featuring a Tanzania Safari followed Luxury 10 Night Cruise aboard the Aqua Lares from Zanzibar to the Seychelles. Includes 4 Nights in Luxury Safari Lodges, 2 Nights in Zanzibar and 10 nights cruising; Safari portion of the itinerary includes all arrival & departure transfers, daily safari ranger - guided excursions, and wildlife encounters as indicated in the itinerary. Cruise includes luxury cabin accommodations, all onboard meals, soft drinks, all visits and daily excursions with bilingual Naturalist guide, onboard cruise director and snorkeling, Kayaking and paddleboarding equipment.

Includes

Accommodations as per itinerary
Meals as per itinerary; breakfast (B), lunch (L), dinner (D)
Shore excursions as per itinerary
Keytours 24-hour emergency assistance
Cruise Cabin accommodation: at category shown in the itinerary
Private arrival and departure transfers as per itinerary
National Park Entrance Fees
Game Drives: As Per Itinerary

Excludes

Items of a personal nature
All other items not mentioned as included
International flights
Travel insurance; please inquire with your Keytours travel consultant
Gratuities for drivers, guides, and escorts

Itinerary

Day
1

Day 1: Kilimanjaro Arrival — First Night in Arusha

Touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a company representative is waiting just past the arrivals hall to handle the details and see you safely to your hotel. Settle into an executive suite at a stylish city property beneath Mount Meru's silhouette, complete with a spa, pool, and fine dining to ease the transition from long-haul flight to safari mindset. There's nothing on the agenda tonight beyond rest — tomorrow, the real journey begins.

Day
2

Day 2: Out of the City — Into Tarangire

A relaxed morning gives way to a safari briefing and lunch before the drive south begins in earnest. Arusha's rooftops thin out into open plains dotted with thatched homesteads, where children tend cattle along the roadside and the Great Rift Valley's escarpment looms larger with every mile. By late afternoon, arrive at a canvas-walled lodge on Tarangire's doorstep — a park famous for elephant herds gathering at the life-giving river, ancient baobabs standing sentinel over the plains, and a bird count that tops 500 species. Dinner and a night under thatch close out the day.

Day
3

Day 3: Bushland Roads to Karatu

One more game drive through Tarangire's dry-season landscape rewards early risers before lunch back at the lodge. The onward route threads through Maasai settlements and farmland on tracks that turn to smooth pavement near Makuyuni, climbing through green hills toward Karatu — a market town buzzing with roadside stalls and positioned right at the gateway to Ngorongoro. The rest of the afternoon is unstructured; a welcome pause before tomorrow's descent into the crater.

Day
4

Day 4: Down into the Caldera

Leave the lodge before sunrise for the drive up and over the crater's outer wall, descending nearly 2,000 feet onto the floor of what many consider Africa's single greatest wildlife arena. Just 102 square miles hold more than 30,000 resident mammals — lion, elephant, black rhino, and vast herds of zebra and wildebeest among them — giving this single day some of the best Big Five odds on the continent. Lunch is a packed picnic enjoyed streamside on the crater floor, before the climb back to the rim and a second night at the same highland lodge.

Day
5

Day 5: Return to Arusha — Onward to Zanzibar

Breakfast precedes the drive back toward Arusha, arriving in good time for lunch. From there, transfer to the airport for a short flight east to Zanzibar — trading dust and grassland for salt air and white sand as the safari portion of the journey comes to a close. On arrival, a private transfer whisks you away from the airport to your beachfront hotel, where the rest of the day is yours to unwind: settle into your room, sink into a lounger by the Indian Ocean, or simply let the sea breeze and the sound of the tide mark the shift from savannah to shoreline.

Day
6

Day 6: First Day on the Island

Check into a beachfront property and let the shift in pace sink in. There's no itinerary today beyond the shoreline itself — swim, nap, wander a nearby village, or simply watch the dhows drift past on the horizon. Dinner tonight carries the first real taste of Swahili coastal cooking.

Day
7

Day 7: Zanzibar at Leisure

A second full day belongs entirely to relaxation, with optional add-ons available for those who want them — a walk through Stone Town's tangled historic lanes, or a spice plantation tour further inland where cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon still grow much as they did centuries ago. Tomorrow, the journey shifts from land to sea.

Day
8

Day 8: Boarding Aqua Lares

Transfer to the Azam Marine terminal and step aboard Aqua Lares, where the Cruise Director and Naturalist Guides greet new arrivals and show you to your design suite. As the ship eases away from Stone Town's historic waterfront, the sundeck offers one last look at Zanzibar's skyline before the vessel turns toward open water — the start of an eleven-day passage linking two nations and two very different marine worlds.

Day
9

Day 9: Whale Sharks at Kilindoni Bay

Mafia Island is the only reliable spot in Tanzania to swim alongside whale sharks, and this morning delivers exactly that in the calm shallows of Kilindoni Bay. A shipboard dive or snorkel fills the afternoon before a short sail to Mange, a sandbar barely breaking the surface, where sundowners on the Outdoor Lounge cap the day.

Day
10

Day 10: Chole Bay's Reef and Village

Morning brings a snorkel or dive through Chole Bay's lagoon, thick with coral and darting reef fish. After lunch, step ashore for a walking visit to a local village, where centuries of Swahili tradition and grassroots conservation work offer a grounded contrast to the morning's underwater scenery.

Day
11

Day 11: A Day Given to the Sea

With Assumption Island still a day's sail away, there's little to do but enjoy the ship — the spa, the jacuzzi, or simply watching red-footed boobies dive-bomb the waves for flying fish. Naturalist talks fill the gaps between meals, tracing the ecological thread connecting Tanzania's coast to the Seychelles' remote outer islands, before stargazing from the Sun Deck closes the night.

Day
12

Day 12: Assumption's Quiet Shores

Assumption Island asks nothing of its visitors but presence — a remote, barely touched atoll where the day unfolds at whatever pace feels right. Watch the horizon from the deck, retreat to your suite, or scan for passing seabirds and the occasional flash of movement beneath the waves. Tomorrow, Aldabra awaits.

Day
13

Day 13: Aldabra's Ancient Residents

More than 100,000 giant tortoises call Aldabra home, spread across its four islands in the largest such population on Earth. Morning includes a visit to the atoll's research station and old settlement, followed by a snorkel or dive off the western shore. An afternoon drift dive turns up reef fish, sharks, and turtles in abundance, with the occasional manta ray gliding past for good measure.

Day
14

Day 14: The Wall at Astove

Astove's calling card is the Astove Wall — a four-mile stretch of soft coral plunging into the depths, visibility running to 40 meters on a clear day. Often likened to an underwater canyon, it's one of the standout dive sites anywhere in the Indian Ocean, drawing serious divers and curious snorkelers alike.

Day
15

Day 15: Providence's Untouched Reefs

Providence Atoll's lagoon glows in impossible shades of blue, its surrounding reef largely unexplored by recreational divers. Guests here get a genuine shot at coral formations that few outsiders have ever laid eyes on, with red-footed boobies circling the low-slung cays above.

Day
16

Day 16: Mangroves at Saint-Francois

Tenders carry the group into Saint-François Atoll come morning, where mangrove channels hide juvenile sharks, scuttling crabs, and wading crab plovers. Snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and paddleboarding are all on offer across the barrier reef. Lunch precedes further exploration of the wider Alphonse group, its coconut forest giving way to hard coral gardens just off the beach.

Day
17

Day 17: D'Arros and Turtle Town

D'Arros closes out the outer-island run in style — a protected coral cay in the Amirantes Group under the care of the Save Our Seas Foundation, where years of conservation work have paid off in exceptionally healthy waters. Morning brings a dive or snorkel at St Joseph Channel among rays and reef sharks, with the afternoon reserved for Turtle Town, where hawksbill and green turtles drift unhurried through the shallows. A final dinner on board toasts a journey that began on Tanzania's savannah and is closing among some of the most protected reefs on the planet.

Day
18

Day 18: Back to Mahé

A last breakfast at sea offers time to take stock of everything covered — from Ngorongoro's crater floor to Aldabra's tortoise-covered shores. Aqua Lares docks at L'Escale Marina on Mahé, bringing an eighteen-day arc through savannah, spice island, and open ocean to its close.

Frequently Asked Questions

What destinations are included in the Tanzania Classic Meets a Grand Ocean Crossing package?

The Tanzania Classic Meets a Grand Ocean Crossing package includes several stunning destinations: Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Zanzibar Island, and Mahe Island. This itinerary offers a diverse experience, combining wildlife safaris in Tanzania with a luxurious cruise through the Seychelles.

How many days and nights does this tour last, and what is the accommodation like?

This tour lasts for 18 days and 17 nights. It features a mix of luxury accommodations, including 4 nights in safari lodges during the Tanzania portion and 10 nights in luxury cabins aboard the Aqua Lares cruise ship. The accommodations are designed to provide comfort and enhance your overall travel experience.

Are all meals included during the Tanzania Classic Meets a Grand Ocean Crossing tour?

Yes, this package includes meals as per the itinerary. You can expect breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your stay at the safari lodges and onboard the Aqua Lares. However, items of a personal nature and meals not specifically mentioned are not included.

How do travelers move between destinations in this itinerary?

Travelers will be transported between destinations via private transfers and domestic flights. The itinerary includes all arrival and departure transfers, as well as a short flight from Arusha to Zanzibar, ensuring a seamless travel experience throughout the journey.

Can I customize the Tanzania Classic Meets a Grand Ocean Crossing itinerary?

Yes, this itinerary can be customized to suit your preferences. Keytours Vacations can assist you with accommodation choices, optional excursions, and additional destinations or nights. Speak with a Keytours travel consultant to explore your customization options.

What types of activities and excursions are included in this tour?

This itinerary includes a variety of activities and excursions, such as guided wildlife safaris in Tarangire and Ngorongoro, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddleboarding during the cruise. Additionally, shore excursions with a bilingual Naturalist guide are provided to enhance your experience in the Seychelles.

What is not included in the price of the Tanzania Classic Meets a Grand Ocean Crossing package?

Exclusions for this package include international flights, travel insurance, personal expenses, and gratuities for drivers, guides, and escorts. It's important to review the details of what is included and excluded to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your travel costs.

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Include Flights?

Yes

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