Diving & safari in Tanzania – Discover Mafia Island and the Big Five
The colorful underwater world of Mafia Island and a safari in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. This trip is especially for travelers who want the best of both worlds.
Travel period
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2 weeks Tanzania: diving & safari - the best of both worlds
During this unique 14-day journey you will combine two of the most beautiful experiences Tanzania has to offer: the tranquil, tropical marine life of Mafia Island and the rugged, unspoiled nature of mainland Africa. A journey full of contrasts and highlights.
Your adventure begins on idyllic Mafia Island, one of the Indian Ocean’s best-kept secrets. For five days you will explore the protected marine reserve filled with colorful coral, tropical fish, turtles and – with a little luck – even whale sharks. Whether diving or snorkeling, the warm, clear waters and serene atmosphere make every underwater excursion a magical moment. Out of the water, you’ll enjoy deserted sandbars, mangrove islands and local villages where time seems to stand still.
You will then fly to the mainland for an impressive private safari tour through three of Tanzania’s most beautiful game parks – Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. In jeeps you will search for elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes and other wildlife. Your guide knows the area like the back of his hand and will show you the famous highlights as well as the more hidden places. You will spend the night in atmospheric lodges in the middle of nature, where you can relax by the campfire or in the swimming pool after a day full of impressions.
This trip is perfect for adventurous travelers who want the best of both worlds: underwater and on land. Tranquility, nature, action and wonder – this is Tanzania at its very best.
Best travel time for a diving vacation to Tanzania and Mafia Island
Average Temperatures
Wetsuit advice for diving on Mafia Island
The water averages around 29 degrees Celsius, making a 3mm wetsuit sufficient. Keep in mind that the current does make the water colder. So you can also opt for a 5mm.
What will you experience on this diving vacation?
View itinerary here
Day 1 + 2 | Trip to Mafia Island
Today begins your journey to Tanzania, with your final destination being Mafia Island. You will often depart on a flight at the end of the day, arriving in Dar es Salaam in the morning. A direct flight takes about 10 hours.
In Dar es Salaam, you will transfer to a domestic flight that will take you to Mafia Island in 30 minutes. There a transfer will be waiting for you to take you to the lodge. This is a 20-minute drive.
And don’t worry: Mafia Island has nothing to do with the Mafia. The name “Mafia” is derived from the Arabic morfiyeh, meaning “group” or “archipelago,” or from the Swahili mahali pa afya, meaning “a healthy dwelling place.”
Day 3 to 7 | Diving with Mafia Island Diving
For the next 5 days you will be diving with Mafia Island Diving. It is important to know that diving at Mafia is tide dependent, which means that departure times, available types of dives, visibility and other conditions vary from week to week. You will do 2 dives each day, a possible third dive is possible in the afternoon or as a night dive.
A diving day looks like this:
After breakfast at the lodge, hop on your bike to go to the dive center. It is a ride of about 10 minutes and on 1 straight road, so getting lost is not possible. Upon arrival the crew of Mafia Island Diving will already have your diving equipment ready for you. Depending on the season you will head towards one of the following spots for your dives:
- Diving from the shore: muck diving
The home of the strange and the wonderful. You can see seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs, shrimp, crabs and more small stuff that you will probably look up in a fish id book after the dive. In short, it’s all about muck diving, which means keeping your nose to the ground to find the most incredible critters. These dive sites are available year-round, and a night dive here is also fantastic. - Diving in Chole Bay
Chole Bay is the heart of the marine park and undoubtedly has the best coral and fish diversity in the archipelago. The hard coral formations here are unmatched in any other area of Mafia’s underwater world and the sheer number and variety of fish is breathtaking. Each reef is unique and home to creatures large and small; you’ll see turtles, stingrays and barracudas, among others. These dive sites are available year-round. - Diving Outside Chole Bay
Diving outside Chole Bay is challenging: the dives are deep and there can be strong currents. There are beautiful walls, reefs and some channels you can drift through. You’ll see the bigger stuff here: green turtles, groupers, reef rays and you can spot pelagic species. These dive sites are only available during the Kaskazi wind season – usually from October to March.
At the end of the dive day, the crew makes sure your equipment is rinsed and stored. You can bike back to the lodge, where the pool is or stay at the dive center where you have access to the beach and sea. Dinner will be waiting for you at the lodge that evening: enjoy a three-course menu of local dishes and flavors.
Day 8 | Free day on Mafia Island
You won’t be diving today because you have a flight scheduled for tomorrow morning. But no worries: there is plenty to do on Mafia Island. You can of course relax by the pool or the beach, but you can also explore the island further. Our suggestions are:
- To Chole Island: Chole Island is one of the smallest islands in the Mafia archipelago and is located directly across the channel. About one kilometer long and half a kilometer wide, the island is packed with nature. Mangrove forests, baobabs and palm trees are just a few examples of the flora you can find on this enchanting island.
- Marimbani Sandbank: a crescent-shaped sandbank that slowly emerges as soon as the tide begins to recede. She only shows herself for a few hours before the Indian Ocean slowly returns and swallows her whole again.
- Fisherman island: a beautiful, small island tucked away on the northeast side of Chole Bay.
And did you know that really special animals can be seen seasonally at Mafia?
- Turtle hatching: between June and September, hundreds of eggs hatch and you can spot baby turtles on the beach.
- Whale watching: in August and September the humpback migration takes place in the south of Mafia. The diving school organizes boat tours.
- Whale sharks: from November through the end of March, whale sharks come to Mafia to feed on plankton. The diving school organizes snorkeling tours.
All excursions can be easily arranged with the diving school, so you can do exactly what you feel like doing that day.
Day 9 | Transit to national parks of Tanzania
Today you will leave the island life behind and travel on to mainland Tanzania. Early in the morning you will be picked up and taken to the airport. You will fly to Kilimanjaro via Dar es Salaam – a total journey of about 3.5 hours.
Upon arrival at the airport, a transfer will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel in Arusha. Located in the heart of the northern safari circuit, this lively town is the perfect starting point for your upcoming safari adventures. The drive to the hotel takes about an hour.
Do you still have some energy left after arriving? Then take a refreshing dip in the pool, work out in the gym or relax in the spa. In the evening, head to the hotel restaurant for a delicious meal or dine at a restaurant in Arusha.
Day 10 | Safari in Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, your guide for the next few days will pick you up at the hotel and you will begin your first day of safari, or game drive as it is also called in Tanzania. This is often around 8 am. You will receive an extensive briefing about the day, the schedule and what to expect. The drive to Tarangire National Park takes about 2 hours. Along the way you can enjoy views of local villages and Masai herds.
If you’ve never been to Tarangire (and even if you have), something special awaits you. Tarangire is the land of giants – throughout the park you’ll see majestic baobab trees and elephants, lots of elephants. But that’s just the beginning. Of the big cats, you are likely to see lions, and with any luck a cheetah or leopard. Furthermore, it is impossible to miss the wildebeests, giraffes, hippos, buffalo and zebras. The guide will take you off the beaten path, telling stories about the park and its animals along the way. He explains what you see and helps you understand more about the nature around you. Got a camera with you and want to stay longer somewhere to get the perfect photo? No problem. The advantage of the private safari is that you can stay still for as long as you want.
Around lunchtime, you drive to a beautiful picnic spot. As you enjoy your lunch, you might just see elephants roaming in the distance. The singing of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind create a serene and soothing atmosphere.
In the afternoon you will say goodbye to Tarangire and leave this impressive landscape behind you, heading to Heart and Soul Lodge where you will stay tonight. The lodge has a pool in which you can cool off, a beautiful garden full of flowers and dinner is waiting for you.
Day 11 | Trip to Serengeti + afternoon safari
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, arriving around lunchtime. The Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife destinations in the world. With your guide, you will explore the vast savannas in search of the Big Five and other animals such as cheetahs, hyenas and zebras. The scenery is also unforgettable: think iconic acacia trees, golden yellow grasslands and impressive rock formations, also known as kopjes.
As the sun slowly sets over the African savannah, we return to the lodge after an exhilarating day of safari adventures. But the experience isn’t over yet – the drive back to the lodge can be at least as exciting as the game drives themselves. As the jeep makes its way through the park, you may spot animals that become active just at night, such as hyenas or nocturnal bird species. The changing colors of the sky and the warm light of the setting sun make the moment extra special.
This night you will sleep at Serengeti Wildebeest Camp or similar accommodation. Dinner is included, so that is also taken care of for you today!
Day 12 | Sunrise safari in Serengeti + transit to Ngorongoro
Today the alarm goes off early, but for a good reason: a sunrise game drive is scheduled. There is something magical about the African wilderness in the early morning light – and a sunrise safari is the way to experience it. Many animals are active in the early hours, and chances are you’ll see predators like lions, leopards and hyenas. The cool temperature and soft light create ideal conditions for exploring the park’s vast savannahs and grasslands.
During this morning safari you will slowly head towards the park exit, arriving around lunchtime.
In the afternoon you will depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, one of Tanzania’s most impressive and unique nature parks. The drive there is an adventure in itself, with winding roads through breathtaking scenery.
You will sleep here at the Ngorongoro game camp. Again, dinner is waiting for you at the camp.
Day 13 | Morning safari in Ngorongoro + to airport
Day 14 | Homecoming
After a journey full of unforgettable impressions, today you set foot back on familiar ground. You are an experience richer, stories wiser and have perhaps hundreds of photos to show. Welcome home!
Highlights of this trip
What can you expect from the underwater world in Mafia Island?
Turtle hatching
Okay, it may not be underwater, but this is a spectacle you don’t want to miss. Between June and September on Juani Island, hundreds of baby sea turtles crawl out of the sand and rush to the ocean – an instinctive race for survival. You reach the beach via a traditional dhow boat ride and a walk through nature. There you watch the little ones make their first meters toward the sea. It’s a magical moment you won’t soon forget.
Muck diving
Mafia Island is a true paradise for lovers of small and unusual marine life. In the shallow waters along the coast, you’ll discover a wealth of rare creatures among sand flats and seagrass beds: from seahorses and frogfish to colorful nudibranchs and pipefish. Although the bottom is not always mud, the diversity of macro life is similar to famous muck diving destinations such as Lembeh.
Snorkeling with whale sharks
Between October and March, you can snorkel with the impressive whale shark – the largest fish in the world – at Mafia Island. These mysterious giants migrate to the west coast of the island to feed on the plankton in the warm Indian Ocean. On a snorkel tour, you will take to the water early in the morning by boat in search of these extraordinary animals. With a little luck you will swim right next to a whale shark – a magical experience.
The accommodations
The stay and surroundings
Kivulini Lodge, Mafia Island
Kivulini lodge, Mafia Island
The charming Kivulini Lodge is a small-scale residence in a unique location within the marine reserve of Mafia Island. And by small-scale, we mean really small-scale: there are only 4 rooms, so the maximum occupancy is 8 people. The lodge is tucked among ancient trees – not for nothing does kivulini mean “in the shade” in Swahili. The rooms are clean and comfortable, equipped with fans and air conditioning. Outside you have your own sitting area where you can enjoy the peace and sounds of nature and there is a swimming pool. Wi-Fi is also available throughout.
You will stay here on a full board basis. Breakfast includes fresh fruit, muffins, pancakes and more, while dinner offers a daily changing three-course menu with tropical flavors and fresh seafood. The drinking water comes from its own well and is crisp and fresh, a detail that adds to the sustainable nature of the lodge.
Extras such as free bicycles (or transportation to the diving school at an additional charge) make your stay extra comfortable.
Green Mountain hotel
Green Mountain hotel
During your overnight stay in Arusha, you will stay at the Green Mountain Hotel, a comfortable and welcoming hotel just outside the busy city center. The hotel is ideally located for a relaxing stopover at the beginning or end of your safari adventure.
The rooms are simply but nicely decorated and equipped with all basic amenities such as a private bathroom, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV. A small refrigerator and kettle are also provided.
After a long trip, you can completely unwind in the spa or expend some energy in the gym.
In the morning a tasty breakfast is waiting for you, included in your stay. For dinner, you don’t have to leave the house: the restaurant serves both local and international dishes.
Heart and Soul Lodge
Heart and Soul Lodge
During your 1-night stay at Heart and Soul Lodge, you will experience the perfect combination of comfort and nature. You will stay in a spacious room with private bathroom, a refrigerator and a balcony with beautiful views of the pool or the surrounding mountains. After an active day you can relax in the outdoor pool or enjoy the tranquility of the green garden and spacious terrace.
The lodge has a cozy bar where you can have a drink in the evening. The restaurant offers a tasty mix of African and international dishes. You can use the Wi-Fi for free.
Serengeti Wildebeest Camp
Serengeti Wildebeest Camp
Serengeti Wildebeest Camps offer a truly unique and authentic safari experience, right in the heart of Tanzania’s world-famous Serengeti National Park. Surrounded by breathtaking nature, you will stay here in comfortable and cozy accommodations that will completely immerse you in the African wilderness.
After a day full of safari adventures, you unwind by the campfire, where you can swap stories with fellow travelers while the stars twinkle in the night sky. And as you fall asleep surrounded by the sounds of African nature, you realize: this is one of the most special and unforgettable safari experiences around.
You will stay here for 1 night in a double/twin room and breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
You may be staying in another camp due to availability, but this is almost identical.
Wild camp Ngorongoro
Wild camp Ngorongoro
In the southern part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, just outside the hustle and bustle of the crater rim, lies Ngorongoro Wild Camp. The camp has a wonderful, secluded atmosphere yet is within a short drive of places where you can spot lots of wildlife. The camp consists of safari tents and cottages, and is occasionally visited by giraffes. There is a bar, a restaurant and a swimming pool.
You will stay in a double/twin room and breakfast, lunch and dinner is included.
The dive center
The diving school and facilities
Mafia Island Diving
Mafia Island Diving is a multi-award winning PADI 5 star and SSI Diamont dive center that has been operating for over 10 years. The team is 95% Tanzanian, with the majority coming from Mafia Island itself. Many have risen from snorkeling guide to divemaster, and have a huge passion for the underwater world. The team speaks English, French and Swahili.
You always dive in small groups, with a maximum of 4 divers per divemaster. And haven’t dived in a while? No problem. The diving school offers a free refresher where you practice 4 skills and can start your diving days confident again.
Diving is done from traditional dhows – wooden sailboats that have been exploring the coastline for centuries.
And you can totally relax: Mafia Island Diving offers a “valet service,” where they want divers to do as little as possible. They will prepare, load, unload, rinse and store your equipment. Unless, of course, you prefer to do this yourself!
Travel costs
What is included
This diving vacation to Tanzania is available from US$ 4.058 per person based on two people in one room. The diving trip can be expanded as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Instead of Mafia Island, would you prefer to go to Zanzibar or Pemba? That too is possible! Feel free to ask about the possibilities.
Want to know more about this diving vacation to Tanzania and Mafia Island? Get in touch with us!
Included in this diving trip, from US$ 4.058 p.p.
- 7 nights at Kavulini Lodge on half board basis
- 10 dives with Mafia Island Diving
- 1 night at Green Mountain Hotel based on full board
- 1 night at Heart and Soul Lodge on full board basis
- 2 game drive in Tarangire National Park
- 1 night at Serengeti Wildebeest camp based on full board
- 2 game drive in Serengeti
- 1 night at Wild camp Ngorongoro on full board basis
- 1 game drive in Ngorongoro crater
- Return transfers
- VZR & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Mafia Island from US$ 1.163 p.p.
- Domestic flights from US$ 465 p.p.
- Marine Park Fee US$ 27 USD p.p.p.d.
- Dive & Travel Insurance
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe. However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide. Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
- Diving equipment ($25 per day)
- Daily transfer to diving school instead of biking
Email this diving holiday
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Frequently Asked Questions
Diving general
Diving here depends on the tides and the season. Depending on these two factors, and mainly drift dives are done near coral reefs, but also muck dives from the shore.
Chole bay: 30 minutes by boat
Outside Chole bay: 60 to 90 minutes by boat
Beach: directly at the dive center or 2 minutes by boat
Yes, it is possible to make a night dive. This can be done from the beach in the form of shore diving, or by boat in Chole Bay
No, there is no house reef.
Yes, Mafia Island Diving is a PADI 5 star and SSI Diamond dive center and offers all recreational courses.
The diving school is about 10 minutes away from the accommodation. You can use bicycles for free to cycle yourself to the diving school.
Diving equipment
The tanks are DIN.
Two 15L tanks are available and can be used at no additional cost.
Yes, you can. If you bring your own equipment it’s no problem at all.
No, nitrox is not available on Mafia Island.
Yes, renting a full set costs $25 per day. A computer is not included.
Mafia Island Diving offers a service where they wash and store your equipment every day in a secure equipment room. The next day they prepare everything for you. Do bring your mask, computer and camera every day. These cannot stay.
Safari
On your first safari day, the guide will pick you up at your hotel. On the way he will tell you more about the program and what to expect. You drive directly to the park where the game drive begins. You will explore different parts of the park, see various animals and landscapes and enjoy the African nature. Around lunchtime you will take a break at a picnic site for a tasty lunch. In the afternoon you will continue your game drive. This part of the day is also suitable for a walking safari or nature walk.
In the late afternoon you will return to camp or lodge to relax for a while. This is a good time for a refreshing swim or to relax on the veranda of your room or tent, with the sounds of nature in the background.
In the evening you will enjoy dinner with delicious food and drinks in the restaurant. Afterwards, you can sit around the campfire and share stories with other guests and the staff.
The next morning you will depart for your next safari destination or, if you are already staying in the park, begin with an early sunrise game drive.
You go in a Toyota Landcruiser jeep with a pop up roof.
No, it’s a private safari. So you are alone with your own travel sketchbook.
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