7 Days Zanzibar Beach Holiday
Zanzibar
Duration
7 days / 6 nights
Starts
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ)
Ends
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ)
Safari style
Mid-range
Group
Private — your own vehicle and guide
Best time
June to October and December to February. April is genuinely poor.
Safari overview
Not every trip to Tanzania needs a game drive in it. Zanzibar stands on its own, and a week is exactly enough to see the part of it that is not a beach before settling onto one.
Two nights in Stone Town first, which is the right order — the old Omani and Swahili trading port deserves a proper guide and a couple of evenings, and it is a difficult place to appreciate after five days of doing nothing. The former slave market site is a necessary hour and not a comfortable one.
Then five nights on the coast. Which coast depends on what you want a beach day to look like, and we will ask before booking: the north swims at any tide, the east has a dramatic tidal range and the kitesurfing, the south-east is quietest.
- Stone Town — 8 km, 20 minutes
- North-east coast — 60 km, 1 hour 30 with stops
- North-east coast
- Zanzibar International Airport — 55 km, 1 hour
Safari highlights
Day by day
Every day below can be moved, lengthened or dropped. This is how we would run it.
Met at the airport and into the old town, which is a warren of coral-rag alleys you will get lost in on the first evening and enjoy getting lost in.
A guided walk covers the carved doors, the Darajani market, the old Omani fort and the site of the former slave market — an hour that is difficult and necessary. The rest is yours: rooftop dinners, the Forodhani night food market, and the sunset from a dhow if you want one.
- Guided Stone Town walking tour
- Darajani market
- Former slave market site and Anglican cathedral
- Sunset dhow cruise
- Forodhani Gardens night market
- Drive
- 8 km
- Travel time
- 20 minutes
- Overnight
- Stone Town
- Meals
- Breakfast
Tonight · Hotel · Luxury
Or a similar camp of the same standard, such as The Z Hotel Zanzibar, depending on availability.
Out of town with two stops on the way. A spice farm, which is more interesting than it sounds — cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla growing where you can smell them. Then Jozani Forest, the last stand of the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey that exists nowhere else on earth.
On the coast by mid-afternoon.
- Spice farm tour
- Jozani Forest and the red colobus
- Transfer to the coast
- Drive
- 60 km
- Travel time
- 1 hour 30 with stops
- Overnight
- North-east coast
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Tonight · Beach resort · Luxury
Or a similar camp of the same standard, such as Matemwe Lodge, depending on availability.
Four days with nothing in them unless you want something in them.
Mnemba atoll is a short boat ride and the best reef on the island — turtles are close to reliable and the visibility in the dry months is excellent. Otherwise: swim, read, eat too much seafood, and watch the dhows come back in the afternoon.
- Snorkelling or diving at Mnemba atoll
- Kitesurfing lesson in season
- Sunset dhow cruise
- Seafood dinner on the beach
- Fishing trip with local boats
- Overnight
- North-east coast
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Tonight · Beach resort · Luxury
Or a similar camp of the same standard, such as Matemwe Lodge, depending on availability.
A last swim, then the transfer across the island. A day room if your flight is in the evening.
- Transfer to the airport
- Day room for a late flight
- Drive
- 55 km
- Travel time
- 1 hour
- Overnight
- Zanzibar International Airport
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
These are the camps we would book. If any are full on your dates we substitute something of the same standard — and we tell you what changed and why.
Emerson on Hurumzi
A restored merchant house in the middle of Stone Town, with a rooftop that is worth the stay on its own.
Melia Zanzibar
A large resort on the north-east coast at Kiwengwa, with deep gardens running down to the beach.
Prices
| Season | Solo | 2–3 guests | 4–5 guests | 6+ guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 01 April – 31 May The long rains. Lowest prices, greenest landscape, some camps closed. | US$1,985 | US$1,595 | US$1,370 | US$1,256 |
| Shoulder season 01 March – 31 March Also 01 November – 19 December. | US$2,165 | US$1,740 | US$1,490 | US$1,370 |
| High season 01 June – 30 June Also 01 January – 28 February and the month of October. | US$2,360 | US$1,900 | US$1,630 | US$1,495 |
| Peak season 01 July – 30 September Also 20 December – 02 January. Book nine to twelve months ahead. | US$2,540 | US$2,040 | US$1,750 | US$1,610 |
All prices are per person sharing, in USD.
Supplements & child rates
| Single supplement For guests travelling alone or wanting a room to themselves. | US$425 per stay |
|---|---|
| Child sharing with two adults Children under 3 travel free of our costs; park fees may still apply. Ages 3–11 | US$905 per person |
| Room upgrade — luxury tier Upgrade the safari camps to the next comfort level throughout. | US$530 per person |
What is and is not included
Included
- All accommodation as listed
- Breakfast daily, and dinner on the coast
- All island transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Guided Stone Town walking tour
- Airport meet-and-greet on arrival and departure
- 24-hour contact with our office
Not included
- International flights to and from Tanzania
- Tanzanian visa — currently obtained on arrival or online in advance
- Travel and medical insurance, which we require you to hold
- Tips for your guide and camp staff
- Alcoholic and soft drinks unless stated
- Laundry, telephone and other personal expenses
- Optional activities such as balloon flights and cultural visits
- Anything not specifically listed under what is included
- Lunches
- Water sports and diving unless stated
Questions we get asked
North (Nungwi, Kendwa) for deep water at every tide and the liveliest scene. East (Paje, Jambiani) for a huge tidal range, wide sand flats and kitesurfing. South-east for quiet. It changes the holiday more than the hotel does, so we ask first.
Yes. The long rains are heaviest then, visibility for diving collapses and a good number of properties close entirely. If April is your only window we would suggest the mainland instead.
Of course — that is what most people do. Three or four nights on the northern circuit from Zanzibar is a two-hour flight each way. Ask and we will price the combination.
Request this safari
Tell us your travel dates and group size. We will adjust the itinerary and send you an exact quote.
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