Stone Town
Two nights in the old town for history, food and rooftop sunsets.
Indian Ocean coast · Indian Ocean
Zanzibar
Reef, dhows and Stone Town — the natural pause at the end of a safari.
- Best time
- Jun–Oct · Dec–Feb
- Getting there
- 1 hr 20 flight from Arusha
- We suggest
- 4–6 nights
- Known for
- Reef, Stone Town, spices
The island
Spice island
Zanzibar’s old Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a maze of carved wooden doors, coral-stone houses and markets that tell the story of centuries of Swahili, Arab, Indian and European trade.
Around the island lie white beaches and coral reefs. On the east coast the tides go a long way out, revealing sand flats and rock pools; in the north you can swim at any tide.
What you may see in Zanzibar
Wild animals keep their own schedule — these are the species our guides know best here.
When to go
Zanzibar through the year
What happens
Beach weather
Long rains
Kitesurf winds
Where to go
Where to stay
North coast
Nungwi and Kendwa, where you can swim at any tide.
East coast
Long beaches, big tides and quiet villas; the best kitesurfing.
Mnemba
The reef around Mnemba atoll, for snorkelling and diving.
Jozani forest
Home of the Zanzibar red colobus, found nowhere else.
Good to know
Before you go to Zanzibar
- Getting there
- Direct flights from Arusha, the Serengeti and Dar es Salaam.
- Dress
- Zanzibar is largely Muslim; cover shoulders and knees in Stone Town.
- Pairs well with
- Any safari on this site.
Safaris
Journeys that include Zanzibar
14 days · 13 nights Beach
Plains & Indian Ocean
A full safari followed by six nights of reef, dhows and slow mornings on the coast.
9 days · 8 nights Honeymoon
Honeymoon: Plains to Palms
Three nights in an intimate Serengeti camp, a sunrise balloon, then four nights by the Indian Ocean.
Slide 1 of 2
Destinations
Explore more of Tanzania
Serengeti
Plains & kopjesEndless short-grass plains broken by granite kopjes — the stage for big cats, and for the migration as it moves through.
Ngorongoro Crater
Caldera floorA collapsed volcano holding 260 square kilometres of grassland, soda lake and forest, with resident wildlife year round.
Tarangire
Baobabs & elephantGreat elephant herds along a single dry-season river, under some of the oldest baobabs in East Africa.
Lake Manyara
Rift escarpmentGroundwater forest, an alkaline lake and the wall of the Rift Valley within a compact, easily added park.
Ruaha
Southern wildernessTanzania's largest park: baobab hills, sand rivers and exceptional numbers of lion and wild dog, with very few vehicles.
Nyerere / Selous
Rivers & boatingThe Rufiji river system opens up safari by boat and on foot, alongside classic game drives.
Mahale / Katavi
Remote & wildChimpanzee tracking in forested mountains above Lake Tanganyika, paired with the floodplains of Katavi.
Kilimanjaro
Roof of AfricaAfrica's highest peak, climbed over six to nine days on the Lemosho, Machame or Rongai routes.
Arusha & Lake Eyasi
Culture & arrivalWhere journeys begin, and where time with Hadzabe and Datoga communities adds a cultural layer.
Slide 1 of 9
Plan with us
Plan your time in Zanzibar
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel. We will reply with a route and honest pricing within 24 hours.