Serval Wildlife & Tarangire Fly-In Safari
Two days. One short flight. A complete taste of the Tanzania bush. Fly straight out of Zanzibar into an intimate wildlife stay at Serval Wildlife, then a full day chasing elephants and baobabs through Tarangire National Park.
Short on Time. Not on Wilderness.
Not every traveller has a week to spare on the mainland, and this safari was built for exactly that. If you're based on Zanzibar and want a genuine bush experience without giving up half your holiday, the Serval Wildlife & Tarangire Fly-In Safari packs an intimate wildlife stay and a full Tarangire game drive into two tightly planned, unhurried days. A short domestic flight lifts you off the island in the morning and puts you down at Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your driver-guide is waiting to take you straight into the bush.
Your first stop is Serval Wildlife, a private wildlife area close to Arusha known for its relaxed pace, resident wildlife and wide-open photographic light. It's the perfect soft landing after a flight: no long transfer, no rush, just an afternoon to settle in, walk the grounds with your guide and watch the light change over the surrounding bush before dinner.
Day two belongs to Tarangire National Park, Tanzania's baobab country and one of East Africa's most concentrated elephant landscapes. You'll spend the morning and early afternoon on a full game drive through river-fed grassland and ancient baobab woodland, on the lookout for elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and lion, before a bush lunch and the transfer back to Arusha Airport for your onward or return flight.
Two Stops, One Complete Safari
Serval Wildlife The Bush Landing
A private wildlife area close to Arusha, chosen for its easy access from the airport, resident game and beautiful open light for photography.
Serval Wildlife sits within easy reach of Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport, making it the ideal first stop straight off a flight from Zanzibar. There's no long, dusty transfer to endure; within an hour or so of landing, you're already out in the open with your guide, cameras in hand. The area is known for its resident wildlife, wide grassy plains and the kind of soft, low-angle light that photographers chase at dawn and dusk.
With no rigid schedule to keep, the afternoon here is about easing into safari mode: a guided wildlife walk or drive around the property, time to photograph whatever crosses your path, and a quiet dinner and overnight under the stars before an early start into Tarangire the next morning.
Tarangire National Park The Elephant Kingdom
Tanzania's magnificent baobab wilderness, where elephant herds number in the hundreds and ancient trees tell stories older than civilisation.
Tarangire is Tanzania's sixth-largest park and one of its most underrated. This is elephant country above all else: herds gather along the Tarangire River beneath baobab trees that have stood for over a thousand years. Your full-day game drive covers the river circuit and surrounding woodland, where giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and lion are regular sightings, with a bush lunch served in the park before the drive back to Arusha Airport.
Moments That Will Stay With You
Land in Arusha in the morning and be watching wildlife by early afternoon. No wasted days, no long road transfers. Just a short flight between two very different Tanzania landscapes.
Golden light over open grassland, a relaxed wildlife walk or drive, and dinner under the stars. A gentle, uncrowded introduction to the Tanzania bush.
Elephant herds move beneath thousand-year-old baobabs along the Tarangire River. One of Africa's most photogenic and concentrated wildlife scenes, all in a single day.
A relaxed lunch stop inside Tarangire, giraffe and zebra visible in the distance, before the final game drive circuit and the transfer back to the airport.
The Itinerary
1
Zanzibar ? Serval Wildlife Into the Bush
Your safari begins with a short domestic flight from Zanzibar to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport, leaving the island behind and putting you down on the Tanzania mainland within an hour or so. Your driver-guide is waiting at arrivals with a warm "Karibu!" and, after a quick introduction, you head directly out of the airport toward Serval Wildlife. There is no long transfer to sit through. Within a short drive, the tarmac gives way to open bush and the safari has already begun.
The rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy at an easy pace. Settle in, then head out with your guide for a wildlife experience and photography session across the property. Wide grassy plains, scattered acacia and soft late-afternoon light make this a rewarding stop for both first-time visitors and experienced photographers. As the sun drops, you return for a relaxed dinner and an overnight stay at Serval Wildlife, the sounds of the African bush settling in around camp.
2
Serval Wildlife ? Tarangire National Park ? Arusha Airport The Elephant Kingdom
After an early breakfast at Serval Wildlife, you set off for Tarangire National Park for a full day of game viewing. Tarangire is Tanzania's baobab wilderness: ancient trees, some over a thousand years old, rise from golden grassland and line the banks of the Tarangire River, the region's only permanent water source. Elephant herds gather here in numbers that regularly reach into the hundreds, moving between the river and the surrounding woodland throughout the day.
Your guide works the park's river circuit and open plains, watching for giraffe stretching into acacia canopies, zebra and wildebeest grazing in mixed herds, buffalo moving in tight groups and, with a little patience, lion resting in the shade of the riverine forest. Lunch is enjoyed out in the safari, a relaxed picnic stop with the sounds of the bush all around, before the final circuit of the afternoon. As the light softens, you make your way out of the park and transfer to Arusha Airport in time for your onward or return flight, bringing your short, complete safari to a close.
Accommodation Your Safari Home
The one night of this safari is chosen with as much care as the game drive itself. We offer three fully curated tiers at Serval Wildlife. Silver, Gold and Platinum. All properties are personally vetted by Haven Trails and chosen for character, comfort and value.
Comfortable en-suite rooms set among the property's open grassland, with a relaxed lounge and dining area overlooking resident wildlife. An easy, restful stop after the flight in.
Spacious safari tents with private verandas facing the open bush. Evening drinks around the fire pit and a warm, personal welcome after a day of travel.
Accommodation for this safari is fully customisable. If you have a specific property in mind, simply let us know. Contact us at info@haventrails.com or WhatsApp +255 713 334154.
Why Haven Trails Adventures
Every Haven Trails guide holds a Professional Tourist Guide Certification and has completed a minimum of 1,000 guided field hours before leading any client. Even on a short safari, you get the same depth of knowledge as our longer itineraries.
Every safari departs in a custom-fitted 4x4 Land Cruiser with a 360-degree pop-up roof for unobstructed photography, individual USB charging ports, a stocked cooler, binoculars and a first aid kit.
We coordinate your Zanzibar flight, airport pickup and return transfer so the entire trip runs without a hitch. No time wasted, no confusion at arrivals. Just a smooth handover from island to bush and back.
All Haven Trails guides carry satellite communication devices and emergency first aid supplies. Every client is issued emergency contact cards, and our 24/7 Moshi operations centre monitors all active safaris.
This 2-day safari is a framework, not a formula. Flight times, accommodation tier, pace and any additions such as an extra night in Tarangire are adjusted to suit your travel dates and Zanzibar itinerary.
Haven Trails prioritises community-run lodges, Tanzanian-owned suppliers and conservation-conscious accommodation partners. We are proud holders of Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) membership and MNRT licencing.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Airport pickup at Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport
- Tarangire National Park entry & conservation fees
- Full-time expert English-speaking driver-guide
- Custom 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- One night's accommodation at Serval Wildlife (per chosen tier)
- Dinner Day 1, breakfast & lunch Day 2
- Bottled water & soft drinks in vehicle
- Final transfer to Arusha Airport
- Safari certificate of completion
- Domestic flight between Zanzibar and Arusha
- International flights to/from Tanzania
- Tanzania tourist visa ($50 USD most nationalities)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Breakfast & lunch on Day 1 (own arrangement)
- Dinner on Day 2 (post-departure)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide and crew gratuities (discretionary)
- Personal items and souvenirs