The Serengeti and the granite islands of the Seychelles

Tanzania’s northern circuit in six days, from Tarangire to the Seronera plains and the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater; and five days on the three granite islands of the Seychelles: Mahé, with the Morne Seychellois mountains, Praslin, with the coco de mer forest of the Vallée de Mai, and La Digue, by bike to Anse Source d’Argent.

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Serengeti → Seychelles · 11–12 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

TanzaniaSerengeti
Days
6
When
Jan–Feb · Jun–Oct
Per person/day
Average 388,000 TZSMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
SeychellesSeychelles
Days
5–6
When
Apr · Oct–Nov
Per person/day
Average 3,240 SCRMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For travellers who want the safari and, instead of a single beach, three different islands linked by ferry, on a trip that fits into October.

Not for anyone looking for a cheap or improvised trip: Tanzania’s park fees are charged in dollars, and the Seychelles price hotels, ferries and excursions in euros and require, before you board, a travel authorisation, an accommodation booking and an onward ticket.

The strategy

You arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, about 60 km from Arusha, with a night in town before the safari. That means six days in a 4x4 with a driver-guide: Tarangire, the crossing via Ngorongoro and Olduvai, Seronera, the day that depends on the month, the return to the crater rim and the morning on the crater floor. If you want the Mara River crossings, which from July to October take place in the north of the park, add nights there, ideally flying from Arusha to the Kogatende airstrip, which saves two days on the road; it is also when the crossings draw the most vehicles. For the Seychelles, check routes and connections to Mahé when you book; its airport, on the island’s east coast, is the country’s only international gateway, and the Travel Authorisation is applied for online before you fly. The islands get five days: two on Mahé, one on Praslin and two on La Digue, with a night on the island. The Cat Cocos ferry takes about 1h15 from Mahé to Praslin and 15 minutes from Praslin to La Digue, and the flight home leaves from Mahé. October suits both ends: the end of the dry season in the Serengeti and one of the Seychelles’ transition months, outside the north-west monsoon rains and the strong trade wind.

What you will see

Seronera, Serengeti. The Seronera river valley is the heart of the Serengeti and the best bet for anyone with few days: the valley and the surrounding kopjes keep a resident population of lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo and impalas all year, even when the migration is far away.
Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles. The most photographed beach in the Seychelles lies on the southwest coast of La Digue: white sand, shallow water sheltered by a reef and huge granite boulders, smoothed by time, that divide small coves.