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Places of Africa Safaris

PAS-04 · Tanzania

Bush & Beach

Safari first, ocean second — the combination almost every guest asks for.

See the packages
Serengeti
Ngorongoro
Zanzibar
Beach lodges
Serengeti
10–14Duration days
4Packages combinations
6Group max per vehicle
$3,850From per person

What a Bush & Beach is

The northern circuit followed by the Indian Ocean, connected by a single direct flight from a Serengeti airstrip to Zanzibar. No backtracking to Arusha, no long road day at the end.

It works because the two halves are genuinely different holidays. Six to eight days of early starts and long drives, then four or five with nothing scheduled at all.

It is also the shape that suits families and honeymooners best — the safari does the memory-making and the beach absorbs the tiredness afterwards.

Bush & Beach

Why both halves

Why this is the shape most people should book

Why this is the most-booked shape we sell.

One flight, no backtracking
01

One flight, no backtracking

A direct Serengeti–Zanzibar hop means you never return to Arusha. It saves a full day.

Two different holidays
02

Two different holidays

Early starts and long drives, then five days with nothing scheduled. Neither half tires of itself.

The coast that suits you
03

The coast that suits you

North for swimmable water at any tide, east for kitesurfing, Pemba for diving and near-total quiet.

It absorbs the tiredness
04

It absorbs the tiredness

Families and honeymooners in particular arrive home rested rather than needing another week.

Four combinations, two halves

Discover our Bush & Beach packages

Bush & Beach, Short
ArushaNgorongoroSerengeti × 2fly Zanzibar × 4
SHORT COMBINATION

Bush & Beach, Short10 days / 9 nights · PAS-04A

ArushaTanzania
ZanzibarTanzania
9 Nights
SAFARI FARE
  • Crater descent included
  • Two nights in the Serengeti
  • Direct Serengeti–Zanzibar flight
  • Four nights on the north coast

Per guest, from:

$3,850

$427 per night

Details
Bush & Beach Signature
ArushaTarangireNgorongoroSerengeti × 3Zanzibar × 4
THE SIGNATURE

Bush & Beach Signature12 days / 11 nights · PAS-04B

ArushaTanzania
ZanzibarTanzania
11 Nights
EARLY BOOKING
  • The full northern circuit
  • Two full Serengeti days
  • Stone Town guided afternoon
  • Four nights, north coast beach hotel

Per guest, from:

$4,480 $5,100

$407 per night

Details
Bush & Beach, Unhurried
ArushaTarangireManyaraNgorongoro × 2Serengeti × 4Zanzibar × 5
UNHURRIED

Bush & Beach, Unhurried14 days / 13 nights · PAS-04C

ArushaTanzania
ZanzibarTanzania
13 Nights
BALLOON INCLUDED
  • Two nights in every park
  • Balloon over the Serengeti
  • Five nights on the coast
  • Spice plantation and dhow sunset

Per guest, from:

$5,700 $6,400

$438 per night

Details
Bush & Pemba
ArushaNgorongoroSerengeti × 3fly Pemba × 4
PEMBA, NOT ZANZIBAR

Bush & Pemba12 days / 11 nights · PAS-04D

ArushaTanzania
PembaTanzania
11 Nights
DIVING
  • The quieter island by a wide margin
  • World-class wall diving
  • Clove plantation walk
  • Four nights, boat-access lodge

Per guest, from:

$5,240

$476 per night

Details
Serengeti
Ngorongoro
Zanzibar
Beach lodges
Safari

Northern circuit · direct flight · Zanzibar or Pemba

Two halves, in four passages

Arushaarrive Tarangire2 nights Ngorongoro2 nights Serengeti3 nights Zanzibarfly, 4 nights Departhome

Into the baobab country

Days 1–2 · 2 nights

Two hours south-west from Arusha onto the Maasai steppe. In the dry months the elephant herds on the Tarangire River run to several hundred — the easiest big-game day of the whole trip.

Into the baobab country

Four tiers, bush and beach

Where you’ll stay

Two halves, two kinds of bed. We match the beach to how you actually want to spend the days.

Essential
Essential

Tented camps, simple beach lodges

Honest canvas on safari, a friendly beachfront bungalow after it.

$480–630 pp / day
Classic
Classic

Serena/Sopa, boutique beach hotels

Comfortable rooms, pools, full board on safari and half board at the coast.

$560–700 pp / day
Luxury
Luxury

Small camps, north-coast resorts

Twelve tents or fewer, then a resort with a proper spa and dive centre.

$1,450–1,680 pp / day
Ultra luxury
Ultra luxury

Private camps, private beach villas

Sole-use camp, then a villa with a chef and a dhow on call.

On request

Which coast matters more than which hotel — tell us whether you want to swim at any hour, kitesurf, or dive, and we will place you accordingly.

24%  CONSERVATION FEES

On a combined trip roughly a quarter of your price is fixed government fees, because the beach half carries none. The internal flight is the other line most people underestimate.

Park & conservation fees  24%Accommodation & meals  34%Guide & vehicle  18%Transfers & flights  15%Operations & our fee  9%

Honest fit

Who it’s for

The most universally suitable itinerary we sell — but not for everyone.

  • Honeymooners
  • Families
  • First safari
  • Long-haul travellers
  • Divers
  • Second safari
  • Under ten days total
  • Travelling March to May

Choose Bush & Beach if

  • You want the famous parks and then somewhere to do nothing
  • You are on a honeymoon or a milestone trip
  • You are travelling with children who will tire of the vehicle
  • You have flown a long way and want two weeks to justify it
  • You would rather finish relaxed than see one more park

Choose something else if

  • You have fewer than ten days — both halves get compressed
  • You are travelling mid-March to May, when the long rains hit both
  • You want maximum wildlife time for the money — take the Classic
  • You dislike beach holidays and would rather add Ruaha
  • You want river crossings on fixed dates — see the Migration Safari

All seven, side by side

How it compares

Rates are indicative, per person per day sharing, and include park fees. Every one of these is a real page — read the one that fits you rather than the one we happen to be showing.

Safari type
Length
Where
Vehicle
Per person, per day
Best for
7–9 days
Northern circuit
Max 6 / vehicle
$250–450
First safari, best value
8–12 days
Northern + fly-in
Max 4 / vehicle
$700–1,500
Comfort and small camps
7–10 days
Serengeti, seasonal
Max 6 / vehicle
$400–1,200
Herds and river crossings
Bush & Beach you are here
10–14 days
Circuit + Zanzibar
Max 6 / vehicle
$350–900
Safari then the Indian Ocean
Any length
Anywhere
Your party only
$600–2,000
Total control of the day
8–10 days
Circuit + beach
Private vehicle
$400–1,100
Travelling with children
5–8 days
Northern circuit
Up to 7 shared
$180–260
Lowest cost, fixed dates

Private · any date on request

Upcoming departures

10 Jun 2027
Dry season opens
from $3,850
Open
14 Aug 2027
Crossings likely · unhurried
from $5,700
2 places
05 Sep 2027
Peak dry · best beach weather
from $4,480
3 places
03 Oct 2027
Pemba diving at its best
from $5,240
Open
08 Feb 2028
Calving season + hot, clear coast
from $4,200
Open
06 Apr 2028
Green season · lowest rates
from $3,400
On request

Good to know

Your questions, answered

How many days do I need for bush and beach?+
Ten as an absolute minimum, twelve to fourteen is the comfortable shape. Under ten and you end up with two nights in the Serengeti and three on the beach, which shortchanges both. Six to eight days on safari then four or five on the coast is the ratio that works.
Can we fly directly from the Serengeti to Zanzibar?+
Yes. Daily light aircraft connect the Serengeti airstrips to Zanzibar, usually with a brief stop in Arusha, taking two to three hours in total. It removes the long road day back to Arusha entirely and is included in every package here.
Zanzibar or Pemba?+
Zanzibar has Stone Town, more choice of hotels and easier access. Pemba is greener, far quieter and has significantly better diving. If you want variety and history choose Zanzibar; if you want seclusion and reef, choose Pemba. Some guests do a few nights on each.
Which part of Zanzibar should we stay on?+
The north — Nungwi and Kendwa — has the widest beaches and minimal tidal variation, so you can swim at any hour. The east coast has dramatic tides and is the kitesurfing centre. The south-east is quietest. We match the coast to how you want to spend the days rather than to a hotel brand.
Should the safari or the beach come first?+
Safari first, almost always. The early starts and long drives are easier at the beginning, and the beach is far better as recovery than as preparation. It also means any safari delays do not eat into your beach nights.
Is it good for families?+
It is the shape we recommend most often for families. Children tire of the vehicle after six or seven days, and the beach half gives them a pool, a sea and no schedule. Most beach hotels have family rooms; on safari a private vehicle is the thing that makes it work.
What is the weather like on both halves?+
June to October is dry and reliable on safari and dry, breezy and hot on the coast — the ideal window. December to February is hot and clear at the beach with excellent visibility for diving. Mid-March to May is the long rains and affects both halves; we would move your dates if we can.
Do we need separate luggage for the beach?+
No, but pack for the flight limit rather than the hotel. Light aircraft cap you at 15kg in a soft-sided bag, and hard cases are refused. Every camp and hotel does laundry, so pack for three or four days and add swimwear.

Safari first. Then nothing at all.

Give us your dates and we will balance the two halves properly, and book the flight that connects them.

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"Every journey we craft is as unique as the traveller who takes it." — Places of Africa Safaris

Plan Your Safari

Design Your Bush & Beach Safari

Tell us your dream — we'll craft it into reality, step by step.

1Safari Type
2Destinations
3Dates & Group
4Budget
5Contact

What kind of safari are you dreaming of?

Which destinations excite you most?

Select all that apply — we'll build a perfect circuit.

When are you planning to travel?

days

Who is travelling with you?

What is your approximate budget?

Per person, excluding international flights. This helps us match the right camps.

Almost there — how do we reach you?

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