What You Need to Know: A solo safari from Zanzibar to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater costs from US$2,585 for 3 days in a small group, or US$3,475 on a private safari, at mid-range level; the 4-day version adds a night at Ndutu for the calving herds, from US$3,390 in a small group or US$4,455 privately. Every price is for one traveler with your own room and private bathroom, so there is no separate single supplement, and it includes the flights from Zanzibar and back, park and crater fees, meals, lodges, transfers and taxes. Our small-group departures are guaranteed on your dates: they run even if nobody else joins.
Who Is This Solo Safari from Zanzibar For?
It is written for one traveler on a Zanzibar holiday who wants as much wildlife as possible in three or four days: lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and the Big Five, with the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater both included. You choose between a private safari, with the vehicle and guide to yourself, and a small group that shares the vehicle and costs less, with your own room either way.
| This safari suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You're traveling alone and want clear prices with your own room | You're traveling as a couple: our 3-day safari from Zanzibar, priced for two |
| You're on Zanzibar in January or February and want the calving herds | You have 5 days and want two nights at Ndutu: the 5-day calving season safari |
| Wildlife viewing matters more than lodge time | You'd rather keep costs low with other travelers: the budget calving group safari |
Your Four Options at a Glance: Private or Small Group, 3 or 4 Days
All four use the same flights, lodges and route; the 3-day version leaves out the Ndutu night. Prices are per person for one traveler with a single room, including flights from Zanzibar and back.
| Length | Style | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days / 2 nights | Private | US$3,475 | US$4,430 |
| 4 days / 3 nights | Private | US$4,455 | US$5,685 |
| 3 days / 2 nights | Small group, own room | US$2,585 | US$3,545 |
| 4 days / 3 nights | Small group, own room | US$3,390 | US$4,620 |
| Private safari | Small-group safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle and guide | Your own Land Cruiser and English-speaking driver-guide | Shared Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, one guide |
| Group size | Just you | Planned for 4 travelers, never more than 6 |
| Seat | Any seat you like | A guaranteed window seat, with room for a camera |
| Departure | Guaranteed | Guaranteed on your dates, even if nobody else joins |
| Your room | Single room, private bathroom | Single room, private bathroom; no room sharing |
| Pace and stops | You decide when to stop and for how long | Agreed with the group; early starts, no shopping stops |
The small-group price is set for four travelers sharing the vehicle, and we hold it even if fewer join. Neither option includes shopping or curio stops: the time goes on game drives.
4-Day Solo Safari from Zanzibar, Day by Day
This is the full 4-day plan, with the time actually spent game driving each day. The flights and game-drive hours depend on the airline's schedule for your date, which we confirm before you pay.
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Day 1: Fly from Zanzibar to the Serengeti and an Afternoon in the Seronera Valley
We collect you from your Zanzibar hotel for the scheduled light-aircraft flight to Seronera airstrip in the central Serengeti; the flight often stops on the way, and we confirm the times when we book. Your driver-guide meets you on the airstrip, and the game drive starts there: the Seronera valley is home all year to lions, leopards in the trees along the rivers, and cheetahs on the open plains. You drive until the park closes in the evening, then go to camp.
Game driving: about 4–5 hours, from the airstrip to sunset
Stay: Serengeti Tortilis Camp (mid-range) or Nyota Luxury Tented Camp (luxury), or similar, central Serengeti.
FlightCentral SerengetiLunch, dinner -
Day 2: Sunrise in the Seronera Valley, Then South Across the Plains to Ndutu
Out at first light, the best hour for big cats on the move. After the morning drive and a picnic, you head south across the short-grass plains towards Ndutu, game driving all the way. In late January the wildebeest and zebra herds are usually spread across these plains, and the camp sits close to where they are.
Game driving: about 9–10 hours, with a picnic lunch in the field
Stay: Ndutu Wildland Camp (mid-range) or Malaika Ndutu Luxury Camp (luxury), or similar, Ndutu.
Sunrise driveSouthern plainsBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 3: A Morning with the Calving Herds at Ndutu, Then Up to the Highlands
The heart of the trip. Your guide follows the herds around the Ndutu and Masek lakes from sunrise, watching for newborn calves taking their first steps and for the lions, cheetahs and hyenas that follow them. After lunch you drive east through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Karatu, in the cool highlands, for the night before the crater.
Game driving: about 6–7 hours, then about 2.5 hours' drive to Karatu
Stay: Pamoja Farm Villas (mid-range) or Marera Valley Lodge (luxury), or similar, Karatu.
Calving seasonNdutuBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater at Opening Time, Then the Flight Back to Zanzibar
An early start to be among the first vehicles down the crater wall, about 1,970 ft (600 m), to the crater floor: the best place in Tanzania for black rhinos, with lions, buffaloes, elephants, hyenas and hippos. A picnic lunch by a hippo pool, then the drive of 4–5 hours to Arusha airport for the evening flight back to Zanzibar, where we take you to your hotel.
Game driving: about 5 hours on the crater floor
Crater game driveNgorongoroBreakfast, picnic lunch
The 3-Day Version: Serengeti and the Crater without Ndutu
With three days, you skip the Ndutu night but still cross the southern plains on the way out of the Serengeti, so you see the herds if they are on your route:
| Day | Plan | Game driving | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fly Zanzibar to Seronera; afternoon game drive in the Seronera valley | About 4–5 hours | Central Serengeti |
| 2 | Sunrise drive, south across the plains past Ndutu, then on to Karatu | About 8–9 hours, then about 2.5 hours to Karatu | Karatu |
| 3 | Ngorongoro Crater game drive, drive to Arusha, fly to Zanzibar | About 5 hours | — |
Where Is the Best Wildlife in Late January?
Late January is calving season. In most years the wildebeest herds are on the short-grass plains around Ndutu from December to March; calving begins in January and peaks in February, and lions, cheetahs and hyenas follow the herds. The timing follows the rain, so we check reports from our guides and the camps before you travel; see where the herds are each month in our Great Migration by month guide. This route puts each of your priorities in the place where it is strongest:
| You want to see | Best place on this route | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | The Seronera valley, Ndutu and the crater | 1 to 4 |
| Leopards | The Seronera valley, in the trees along the rivers | 1 and 2 |
| Cheetahs | The open southern plains around Ndutu | 2 and 3 |
| Elephants | The crater floor and the Serengeti woodland | 1, 2 and 4 |
| Giraffes | The Seronera valley and the woodland around Ndutu | 1 to 3 |
| Black rhinos | The Ngorongoro Crater floor | 4 |
| Wildebeest calving | Ndutu and the southern plains | 2 and 3 |
No sighting can be guaranteed, and leopards and rhinos are the hardest of the Big Five to find, but the central Serengeti and the crater together give you a good chance of all five. More on the herds is on our calving season safari page and in our Big Five guide.
Flights from Zanzibar: Schedules and Baggage
You fly from Zanzibar to Seronera airstrip on a scheduled light aircraft and back to Zanzibar from Arusha, with ZanAir, Auric Air or Coastal Aviation, depending on the schedule for your date. Flights to the Serengeti often stop at other airstrips on the way. We confirm the flight times before you pay, and plan the first and last days around them.
- Baggage: about 15 kg (33 lb) per person in a soft bag, and on Coastal Aviation that includes your hand luggage; overweight bags fly only if the aircraft has space, at extra cost
- A medium-sized bag: a soft duffel is fine if it is within the weight limit; soft bags pack best into the small hold, and Coastal Aviation recommends them
- The rest of your luggage: leave it at your Zanzibar hotel and collect it when you return
- Camera gear: keep it in your hand luggage, within the same weight allowance
More on flying between the coast and the parks is on our safaris from Zanzibar page.
How Much Is a Solo Safari from Zanzibar?
These are final prices per person for one traveler, with your own room. There is no single supplement on top: the cost of your room, and of the vehicle in the private option, is already in the price.
| Option | Mid-range | Luxury | Lodges, or similar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-day private | US$3,475 | US$4,430 | Central Serengeti, Karatu |
| 4-day private | US$4,455 | US$5,685 | Central Serengeti, Ndutu, Karatu |
| 3-day small group | US$2,585 | US$3,545 | Central Serengeti, Karatu |
| 4-day small group | US$3,390 | US$4,620 | Central Serengeti, Ndutu, Karatu |
| Night | Mid-range, or similar | Luxury, or similar |
|---|---|---|
| Central Serengeti | Serengeti Tortilis Camp | Nyota Luxury Tented Camp |
| Ndutu (4-day only) | Ndutu Wildland Camp | Malaika Ndutu Luxury Camp |
| Karatu | Pamoja Farm Villas | Marera Valley Lodge |
If a friend joins you, the price per person falls; see our 3-day safari from Zanzibar for prices for two.
What the Solo Safari Price Includes
- Scheduled flights from Zanzibar to the Serengeti and from Arusha back to Zanzibar
- Transfers between your Zanzibar hotel and the airport, both ways
- Your own room with private bathroom at each lodge or tented camp, with all meals on safari
- A 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and a professional English-speaking driver-guide, private or small group as you choose
- All park fees, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater fees, and government taxes
- Drinking water on safari, and AMREF Flying Doctors evacuation cover
Not included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa and the mandatory inbound travel insurance (US$44 per adult)
- Drinks not listed, tips and personal expenses
- Extra baggage charges on the light aircraft
How to Book Your Solo Safari from Zanzibar
Send us your dates, the option you prefer and the level of lodge through the booking form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com. Our team in Moshi replies with a written quotation that names the lodges and flights for your dates; the small-group departure is confirmed as guaranteed in that quotation. A 30% deposit confirms the booking and the balance is paid on arrival. Book early for January and February: Ndutu camps and the light aircraft fill up in the calving season.
Common Questions About a Solo Safari from Zanzibar
How much is a solo safari from Zanzibar to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro?
From US$2,585 for 3 days in a small group, or US$3,475 for a private 3-day safari, at mid-range level, with your own room, the flights from Zanzibar and back, park and crater fees, meals and transfers.
Is there a single supplement?
No separate one. Every price on this page is for one traveler with a private room, so the single room is already included.
Is the small-group safari guaranteed to depart?
Yes. It runs on your dates even if nobody else joins, at the same price; it is planned for four travelers and never more than six.
Will I have to share a room on the group safari?
No. You have your own room with a private bathroom on every option.
Is late January a good time for Ndutu and the calving season?
Yes. In most years the herds are on the plains around Ndutu from December to March, calving begins in January and peaks in February, and predators follow them. The 4-day option includes a night at Ndutu.
How much baggage can I take on the safari flights?
About 15 kg (33 lb) per person in a soft bag; on Coastal Aviation this includes hand luggage. A soft medium-sized duffel is fine within the weight; leave the rest of your luggage at your Zanzibar hotel.
How many hours of game driving are there?
About 4–5 hours on the first afternoon, 9–10 hours on the full day, 6–7 hours at Ndutu, and about 5 hours in the crater on the last day, depending on the flight times.
Is it safe to go on safari alone?
Yes. You are with your driver-guide throughout, stay at staffed lodges and camps, and our team in Moshi is on WhatsApp for the whole trip.
The Bottom Line
Traveling alone doesn't have to mean a missing park or a hidden single supplement. In three or four days from Zanzibar you see the Serengeti's big cats, the crater's rhinos and, in late January, the calving herds at Ndutu, from US$2,585 in a guaranteed small group or US$3,475 privately, with your own room and the flights included. Send us your dates for a written quotation.