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🇹🇿 Itinerary · Tanzania · 30 days

1-month Tanzania itinerary 2026: the grand tour

30 days without rushing: northern circuit, Kilimanjaro climb, wild southern parks (Nyerere, Ruaha) then Zanzibar and Mafia. Detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

9 places

Average budget

€7,000-12,000

Total distance

~2,800 km

Profile

Grand trip

Season

Jul-Oct

Arusha 2d · Kilimanjaro 7d · Tarangire 2d · Serengeti 4d · Ngorongoro 2d · Nyerere 3d · Ruaha 3d · Zanzibar 4d · Mafia 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Tanzania 1-month itinerary map: Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Nyerere, Ruaha, Zanzibar, Mafia

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

9 days, day by day

1

~€120/pers

Arusha · D1 to D2 · Acclimatization

  • D1 Arrival at Kilimanjaro, check-in Arusha, trek and safari briefing.
  • D2 Acclimatization hike on the slopes of Mount Meru, trek gear check.
🛌 🛌 Arusha · e.g. Mount Meru Hotel (2 nights)·🚙 Private transfer·Tanzania guide →
2

~€2,000

Kilimanjaro · D3 to D9 · Lemosho route

  • D3-D7 Ascent via the Lemosho route (7 days, high success rate): forest, Shira plateau, Barranco Wall.
  • D8 Summit at 5,895 m (Uhuru Peak) at sunrise, then descent.
  • D9 End of descent, back to Arusha, well-earned rest.
🛌 🏕️ High-altitude camps (6 nights) then Arusha (1 night)·🥾 Guided trek, porters and guide
3

~€250

Tarangire · D10 to D11 · Safari start

  • D10 Drive to Tarangire (120 km, 2h30). Elephants and baobabs.
  • D11 Game-drive day along the river.
🛌 🛌 Tarangire · e.g. Tarangire Safari Lodge (2 nights)·🚙 4x4 with open roof
4

~€280/day

Serengeti · D12 to D15 · The great plains

  • D12 Drive to the Serengeti via Ngorongoro (230 km of track).
  • D13-D14 Morning and evening game drives, tracking the migration and predators.
  • D15 Sunrise balloon (option, ~€550).
🛌 🛌 Central Serengeti · e.g. Serengeti Sopa Lodge (4 nights)·🚙 4x4
5

~€320

Ngorongoro · D16 to D17 · The crater

  • D16 Drive to the rim, stop at Olduvai Gorge.
  • D17 Descent into the caldera right at opening: black rhino, lions, flamingos.
🛌 🛌 Crater rim · e.g. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (2 nights)·🚙 4x4
6

~€300/day

Nyerere (Selous) · D18 to D20 · The wild south

  • D18 Flight Arusha → Nyerere reserve (former Selous), Africa's largest park.
  • D19-D20 Boat safari on the Rufiji River, hippos and crocodiles, game drives with no crowds.
🛌 🛌 Nyerere · e.g. Rufiji River Camp (3 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight + boat safari
7

~€300/day

Ruaha · D21 to D23 · Lions and baobabs

  • D21 Flight to Ruaha, the country's largest park, lightly visited.
  • D22-D23 Game drives among large lion prides and elephants.
🛌 🛌 Ruaha · e.g. Ruaha River Lodge (3 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
8

~€110/day

Zanzibar · D24 to D27 · Ocean rest

  • D24 Flight to Zanzibar, check-in Stone Town (UNESCO).
  • D25 Spice tour and sunset dhow.
  • D26-D27 Transfer to Nungwi, beach and snorkeling at Mnemba.
🛌 🛌 Stone Town (1 night) then Nungwi · e.g. The Z Hotel (3 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
9

~€130/day

Mafia · D28 to D30 · Diving and return

  • D28 Flight to Mafia island, a marine park known for whale sharks.
  • D29 Snorkeling trip with whale sharks (Oct-Mar season), reef diving.
  • D30 Return flight via Dar es Salaam, then Paris via Addis Ababa or Doha.
🛌 🛌 Mafia · e.g. Pole Pole Lodge (2 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€7,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €800
  • 🥾 Group Kilimanjaro trek: €1,800
  • 🚙 Group northern safari: €1,500
  • ✈️ South + islands domestic flights: €700
  • 🏖️ Guesthouses: €50/night
Recommended

Comfort

€9,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €900
  • 🥾 Guided Lemosho trek: €2,200
  • 🚙 Private north + south safari: €3,500
  • ✈️ Domestic flights: €900
  • 🏖️ Lodges and resorts: €150/night

Premium

€16,000

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €2,200
  • 🥾 Private luxury trek: €4,000
  • 🚙 High-end private safari: €6,000
  • ✈️ Private charter flights: €1,500
  • 🏖️ 5★ camps and resorts: €500/night

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Short safari + 2 nights Zanzibar. The essential format.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Full northern safari then the beaches of Zanzibar.

You're here

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: north, Kilimanjaro, wild south and archipelago.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A month mixes trek, 4x4 and domestic flights. The northern circuit is done in a 4x4 with a guide; the southern parks (Nyerere, Ruaha) and the islands are reached only by light aircraft, over 4 domestic flights in total. Count ~€700-900 of domestic flights.

🥾

Kilimanjaro trek (Lemosho)

7 days · guide, porters, camps included

🚙

4x4 with driver-guide (north)

Included in the safari package · open roof

✈️

Flight Arusha → Nyerere → Ruaha

$150-300/flight · Coastal Aviation / Auric Air

✈️

Flight Ruaha → Zanzibar → Mafia

$150-280/flight · light aircraft

🛥️

Rufiji boat safari (Nyerere)

Included at the camp · hippos and birds

Adapt by season

A month to follow the dry season

Over 30 days, the dry season (June to October) stays ideal: clear tracks, concentrated animals, and it's also the best window for the Kilimanjaro climb. The southern parks (Nyerere, Ruaha) are at their best from July to October when rivers shrink to pools. Avoid the long rains of April-May. Keep Zanzibar and Mafia for the end, flat and sunny outside that window.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In August 2022, reaching the Kilimanjaro summit at 6:10am via the Lemosho route, just after sunrise over the sea of clouds: seven days of climbing for that moment, and zero regret about choosing the longer route (better acclimatization).
  • • Adding the southern parks (Nyerere, Ruaha) to the northern circuit: crowd-free safaris, a unique Rufiji boat safari.
  • • Keep 4 nights in the Serengeti to really follow the migration.
  • • End with Mafia rather than staying in Zanzibar: intact reefs and whale sharks in season.
  • • Do Kilimanjaro early in the trip, before travel fatigue sets in.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Choose the Machame route (6 days) if the trek budget is tight, but acclimatization is poorer.
  • • Skip Ruaha for an extra night in Nyerere if flights complicate logistics.
  • • Book the southern domestic flights very early, capacity is limited.
  • • On 30 days in April-May, shift the wild south since many camps close in the long rains.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a month in Tanzania too much? +
No, it's what lets you add Kilimanjaro, the southern parks and real beach time to the northern circuit. It's the format for grand trips, without rushing.
Which route should I choose for Kilimanjaro? +
The Lemosho route (7 days) offers the best success rate thanks to gradual acclimatization. Machame (6 days) is cheaper but more demanding. The trek is mandatory with a guide and porters.
What budget for 30 days? +
Count about €7,000 on a budget basis, €9,500 in comfort and €16,000 in premium, per person, flight from Paris included. The trek and southern safaris make up most of it.
Do I need several domestic flights? +
Yes, at least four: reaching Nyerere, Ruaha, then Zanzibar and Mafia can't be done by road in reasonable time. Count €700-900 of domestic flights over the month.
What's the best period for this grand tour? +
July to October: dry season, the best window for Kilimanjaro and for the southern parks where animals concentrate. Avoid April-May, many camps close.
Can you see whale sharks at Mafia? +
Yes, mostly from October to March around Mafia island, in the marine park. Off-season, reef diving stays excellent year-round except during the long rains.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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