An Awesome 2-3 Weeks Road Trip in Tanzania (Itinerary, Map)

An Awesome 2-3 Weeks Road Trip in Tanzania (Itinerary, Map). If you’re looking for an epic Road Trip to Tanzania itinerary, then you’ve come to the right place. I LOVE Tanzania.

Tanzania is a fantastic vacation destination because it offers incredible safaris, breathtaking landscapes, stunning beaches, rich cultural experiences, delicious cuisine, exciting nightlife, and so much more. Tanzania is the most exciting place in Africa, and a safari there should be on everyone’s list of things to do at least once.

A Road trip to Tanzania would be perfect for me if it began in the northern region around Arusha or Moshi and ended on the southern coast of Zanzibar. You could also do it backwards, however I think finishing on the beaches would make more sense.

It would take at least two to three weeks to see all of the ‘highlights’ on the itinerary below. It would take you three weeks or more to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Tanzania Road Trip

This is by no means an all-inclusive list, and Tanzania is large enough that you could spend four to six weeks there (a Tanzania visa normally lasts for 90 days) and still not see everything there is to see, but it is a fantastic starting point for making the most of your time there.

Road Trip Tanzania 2-Week Itinerary

• Arusha: 1 – 2 Days
• Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater: 2 – 3 Days
• Mto wa Mbu & Lake Manyara: 1 – 2 Days
• Moshi: 1 – 2 Days
• Lushoto: 2 Days
• Bagamoyo: 1 Day
• Zanzibar: 3 – 7 Days

Other Places to Consider

• Lake Natron: 3 Days
• Mwanza & Lake Victoria: 3 – 4 Days
• Tarangire: 1 – 2 Days
• Lake Chala: 1 – 2 Days
• Lake Eyasi: 2 – 3 Days
• Usambara Mountains: 2 -3 Days (or more)
• Pangani: 2 – 3 Days
• Saadani National Park: 2 – 3 Days
• Dar es Salaam: 1 – 2 Days
• Ruaha National Park: 2 – 3 Days
• Mahale Mount Mountains National Park: 3 Days

There are so many unique places to visit and things to do in Tanzania! You’re going to love it!

Road Trip Tanzania Itinerary Map

When to Visit Tanzania

The months of June through October, when it’s dry, are prime time for a trip to Tanzania. If you’re not a fan of wet weather, you should probably avoid the months of March through May. January and February can be pleasant as well, while temperatures might soar in some regions. In late October to December, we experience the brief rains. But the rains are getting harder to forecast. The above photo was captured on a particularly wet February day.

Seeing the Great Migration in the Serengeti is not certain, although the animals tend to stick to a routine:

If you’re on a tight schedule or a tight budget, the greatest time to observe the Migration is from December to March, when the herds are concentrated in the Serengeti’s southern and central regions. There are also many infants in the environment because calving season occurs in January and February.

The wildebeest migration occurs between April and June, when they go north through the Western Corridor near the Grumeti River. As the herds begin to congregate, working up the nerve to cross the river, you may get some good sightings; you may even witness a crossing. Given its distant location, I recommend spending at least a couple days there.

The best time to see the migration is from July through September or October, when the herds are in northern Kenya near the Mara River. You’ll either need to fly in or plan to spend at least three nights in the Serengeti if you’re driving there, as this is a particularly isolated area of the park. Now is a fantastic time to witness the river crossings.

The herds return to the Serengeti in November and December, heading south toward the Ngorongoro Crater and the Southern Serengeti.

How Long to Spend in Tanzania

You might spend months exploring all that Tanzania has to offer. However, with careful preparation, you can still pack a lot into a 1-, 2-, or 3-week trip.

A trip to Tanzania should include some time on the beach, some time on safari, and some time in the cultural centers of the country (Mto wa Mbu, Arusha, Moshi, Bagamoyo, and Stone Town are all great options).

I have included the minimal amount of time I think you should spend at each of the places I’ve mentioned below.

Combining Kenya And Tanzania

Kenya or Tanzania? is a question I’m frequently asked. You can easily combine the two trips into one, but keep in mind that both countries are quite large and that you won’t be able to visit everything in just two weeks.

If you want to see the best of Kenya and Tanzania but don’t want to plan the trip yourself, my Kenya and Tanzania Adventure tour is the way to go.

Check out my itineraries for Kenya and Tanzania for more planning inspiration.