What You Need to Know: This 9-day family holiday costs from US$3,515 per adult for two adults at mid-range hotels, with SGR train tickets added at the official fare. Children aged 5 and under travel free, children from 6 to 15 get 30% off, and every family booking gets an 8% family discount. You spend five nights on Zanzibar, with guided days in Stone Town, Prison Island and the Baraka natural aquarium, two nights on the beach at Kiwengwa, and two nights at Mikumi National Park, reached by fast ferry and the SGR electric train, with a Maasai boma visit and a full day of game drives. June to October is the best time, when both Zanzibar and Mikumi are dry.
Who Is This Holiday For?
This trip comes from a request we received from a family of eight, two parents and six children aged 5 to 15, who wanted a summer holiday on Zanzibar with a taste of safari, at a sensible cost for a big family. Flying everyone to the northern parks would have doubled the budget, so we used the ferry and the new SGR electric train instead: the journey itself became part of the adventure, and Mikumi gave the children elephants, giraffes and lions on open plains.
| A good fit if… | Look elsewhere if… |
|---|---|
| Zanzibar is the main holiday and you want a safari added | The safari matters most: see the 9-day family safari and Zanzibar |
| You are a large family keeping costs and flights down | You want the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater |
| Your children enjoy boats, trains and beaches as much as animals | You only have a few days on Zanzibar: see the 2-day Mikumi safari from Zanzibar |
9-Day Zanzibar and Mikumi Itinerary
Hotels are mid-range, "or similar", and confirmed for your dates; for families we ask for family rooms or rooms next to each other.
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Day 1: Arrival on Zanzibar
Your driver meets the family at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, even on a late-night arrival, and takes you to your hotel in Stone Town, 30 to 45 minutes away.
Stay: Maru Maru Hotel or The Neela Boutique Hotel, Stone Town, or similar.
Airport pickupStone TownMeals on your own -
Day 2: Prison Island and Stone Town
A 30-minute boat ride out to Changuu, or Prison Island, where children can meet the Aldabra giant tortoises, see the old quarantine buildings and swim off the beach. Back in town, a local guide leads you through Stone Town's lanes: the Old Fort, the carved doors, Darajani market and Forodhani Gardens on the seafront.
Giant tortoisesPrison Island, Stone TownBreakfast -
Day 3: Baraka natural aquarium and the north
A drive up to the northern tip of the island to the Baraka natural aquarium near Nungwi, a natural lagoon that is home to sea turtles, with time to see Nungwi's dhow builders and the beach.
Sea turtlesNungwiBreakfast -
Day 4: To the beach at Kiwengwa
A transfer across the island to the east coast and two lazy days by the sea. The east coast is tidal, so swim at high tide and walk the sand flats when the water is out.
Stay: Tembo Kiwengwa Beach Resort, or similar, for two nights.
BeachKiwengwaBreakfast -
Day 5: A free beach day
No plans and no driving. Rest up before the mainland adventure tomorrow.
Free dayKiwengwaBreakfast -
Day 6: Ferry, train and a Maasai boma
An early pickup for the fast ferry to Dar es Salaam, about two hours across the channel, then a short transfer to the SGR station for the electric train to Morogoro, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Your Mikumi guide meets you at Morogoro station for the drive of about 2 hours to the park. In the afternoon you visit a Maasai boma near the park, where the families show you their homes and cattle and invite you to join their singing and dancing. The ferry and train timetables are confirmed when you book; if they don't connect on your date, we add a night in Dar es Salaam.
Stay: Double G Camp and Lodge, Mikumi, or similar, for two nights with full board.
Boat and trainDar es Salaam, Morogoro, MikumiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 7: A full day of game drives in Mikumi
From early morning to late afternoon across the Mkata floodplain, the open heart of Mikumi, looking for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest and lions, with a stop at the Hippo Pools and a packed lunch on the way.
Full-day safariMikumi National ParkBreakfast, packed lunch, dinner -
Day 8: Train and ferry back to Zanzibar
The return journey in reverse: by road to Morogoro, the train to Dar es Salaam and the ferry to Zanzibar, arriving around the middle of the afternoon, depending on the timetables. Your driver meets you at the port for a last night in Stone Town.
Stay: Maru Maru Hotel or The Neela Boutique Hotel, Stone Town, or similar.
Train and boatMikumi to ZanzibarBreakfast, lunch -
Day 9: Departure
Time for a last walk along the Stone Town seafront before the transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Airport transferStone TownBreakfast
How Much Does the Zanzibar and Mikumi Family Holiday Cost?
From US$3,515 per adult for two adults sharing at mid-range hotels. That covers the eight nights, the two guided Zanzibar days, the ferry both ways, every transfer on Zanzibar and in Dar es Salaam, and the Mikumi safari with its park fees, game drives, full board and Maasai boma visit. The SGR train tickets are bought at the official fare and added to your quotation; we book them for you.
Because the mainland part is by ferry and train rather than by air, this is one of the most affordable ways for a large family to add a safari to Zanzibar. Budget and luxury hotels on Zanzibar can be quoted on request; at Mikumi we use Double G Camp or a similar lodge.
| Mikumi fee | 2026 rate (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Mikumi National Park, adults | About US$35.40 per adult per 24 hours |
| Mikumi National Park, children 5 to 15 | About US$11.80 per child per 24 hours |
Both are included. The 2027 and 2028 rates are confirmed in your quotation.
What Children Pay
| Traveler | Price at mid-range, 2 adults |
|---|---|
| Child 5 and under | Free |
| Child 6 to 15 | About US$2,460 (30% off the adult price) |
| Family discount | 8% off the whole booking |
For example, two adults and a 10-year-old pay US$7,030 plus about US$2,460, roughly US$9,490 in all, or about US$8,730 after the 8% family discount. For a large family, we price the rooms to suit you, such as connecting rooms or a family room, and show every traveler's price in the quotation. Our family rules are on the family safaris page.
What the Holiday Includes
- Airport pickup and drop-off on Zanzibar, and every transfer between the hotels, the port and the SGR stations
- Eight nights: four in Stone Town and two at Kiwengwa with breakfast, and two at Mikumi with full board
- The guided Prison Island and Stone Town day, and the Baraka natural aquarium day
- Fast ferry tickets between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, both ways
- Game drives in Mikumi in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with an open roof and a professional driver-guide
- Mikumi park fees and the Maasai boma visit
- Drinking water on the safari
Not included
- SGR train tickets, at the official fare (we book them for you)
- International flights and visas (US$100 for US citizens)
- Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance (US$44 per adult), which covers Zanzibar and the mainland, and your own travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners on Zanzibar, extra excursions, drinks, tips and personal items
Ferry and Train: How the Mainland Days Work
The fast ferry between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam takes about two hours, and you need your passports for the Zanzibar immigration check on the way back. In Dar es Salaam our driver takes you between the port and the SGR station. The electric train to Morogoro takes about 1 hour 40 minutes, and the drive to Mikumi about 2 hours more, so the family reaches the park in time for lunch on a good connection.
Families sometimes ask whether flying would be easier. There are no scheduled flights to Mikumi; a charter flight is possible, as on our 1-day fly-in safari from Zanzibar, but for a family of six or eight the ferry and train cost far less, and children usually enjoy the boat and the train. The full train trip is described on our 3-day Mikumi safari by SGR train page, and the park on our Mikumi National Park guide.
When to Go
June to October is the best time: dry on Zanzibar and in Mikumi, when the grass is short and animals gather near water, and it covers the US summer vacation. January and February are also good, hot and mostly dry. In April and May the long rains make the beach days wet and some Mikumi tracks muddy, so we don't recommend them for this holiday.
How to Book the Zanzibar and Mikumi Family Holiday
Send us your dates, your arrival time on Zanzibar, the number of adults, each child's age and how you'd like the rooms arranged, through the form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com. We check the ferry and train timetables for your dates and send a written quotation with every adult and child price and the family discount. A 30% deposit confirms the trip, the balance is paid on arrival, and refunds follow our booking terms.
Common Questions About the Zanzibar and Mikumi Family Holiday
Can you do a safari from Zanzibar without flying?
Yes. Mikumi National Park can be reached by fast ferry to Dar es Salaam and the SGR electric train to Morogoro, then a short drive; this holiday uses that route both ways.
How much do children pay?
Children aged 5 and under travel free, children from 6 to 15 pay 30% less than an adult, about US$2,460 at mid-range for two adults, and every family gets 8% off the total.
Is Mikumi good for children?
Yes. The open floodplain makes animals easy to see, the park is quiet, and children get elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos and often lions without very long drives inside the park.
Are the train tickets included?
We book them for you, but they are paid at the official fare on top of the package price, as the fare depends on the class and date.
Can a large family book this holiday?
Yes; it was first planned for a family of eight. We arrange family or connecting rooms and enough vehicles for everyone.
Can we swap the Mikumi days for the Serengeti?
Yes, by flying from Zanzibar to the Serengeti instead, which costs more; see our 3-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari from Zanzibar.
The Bottom Line
For families who want Zanzibar first and a safari as a bonus, this is the simplest and most affordable way to do both: Stone Town, the tortoises and the turtles, two beach days, then the ferry and the train to Mikumi's elephants and a Maasai boma. It costs from US$3,515 per adult at mid-range, children aged 5 and under travel free and older children up to 15 get 30% off.