Stone Town
A UNESCO-listed warren of Swahili, Arab and Indian streets, with carved doors, spice markets and the call to prayer at sunset.
Stay 1 to 2 nightsHeritage, food, slow walking
Spice islands, slowly.
Heritage palaces in Stone Town, then long, barefoot days at private beach villas on the coral coast.
26°C
Avg sea temp
Jun–Oct
Driest months
1 hr
Flight from Arusha
30+
Beach villas curated
About the islands
An archipelago of layered histories and turquoise water.
Zanzibar is two islands and a thousand years of trade. Persian, Omani, Indian, Portuguese, British and African influences have all settled into the carved doors and spice markets of Stone Town, and the long sweep of the coastline holds some of the prettiest beaches in the western Indian Ocean.
Most of our travellers come for a few quiet days after a Tanzania safari. We curate villas and small boutique hotels we genuinely love, on the coast that suits your trip, and we handle every flight, transfer and excursion in between.
Quick facts
- Best monthsJun to Oct, Dec to mid-Mar
- AvoidLong rains, mid-Mar to May
- CurrencyUSD widely accepted
- VisaOn arrival or e-visa
- From$1,650 per person
Choose your coast
Four coasts, four very different holidays
North Coast (Nungwi & Kendwa)
Wide white-sand beaches that don't disappear at low tide. Sunsets, dhow trips and Zanzibar's most lively beach scene.
Stay 4 to 6 nightsCouples, swimmers, year-round beach
East Coast (Matemwe, Pongwe, Paje)
Quiet, photogenic villages with seaweed farms, kite-surfing in Paje and snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll.
Stay 3 to 5 nightsHoneymooners, kitesurfers, slow living
South Coast & Pemba
Remote, undeveloped, deeply rewarding. Pemba is the green sister island for divers, romantics and serious privacy.
Stay 4+ nightsDivers, repeat visitors, total escape
Beyond the beach
What to actually do on Zanzibar
Sunset Dhow Sailing
Traditional sailboats out to a sandbank, fresh fish on coals, the sun sliding into the Indian Ocean.
Spice Tour & Cooking Class
Walk a working spice farm in the highlands, then cook a Swahili lunch with a local family.
Mnemba Atoll Snorkel
Dolphins on the way out, reef sharks and turtles below. The best snorkelling on the island.
Honeymoon Privacy
We choose villas with private decks, private chefs and pools, the romance is in the quiet, not the size.
Suggested itineraries
Our favourite Zanzibar trips
3 Days
From $1,600
3-Day Fly In & Out Zanzibar to Serengeti Premium Safari
Premium 3-day taste of the Serengeti, flying from your beach.
Starts from
View Trip $1,600
Per person
3 Days
From $1,450
3-Day Fly In & Out Migration Crossing from Zanzibar
Witness the Mara River crossings, direct from your Zanzibar beach.
Starts from
View Trip $1,450
Per person
4 Days
From $2,100
4-Day Fly In Zanzibar To Northern Circuit Classic Safari
Beach holiday, then four days across the Northern Circuit.
Starts from
View Trip $2,100
Per person
2 Days
From $1,050
2-Day Zanzibar to Ngorongoro & Tarangire Luxury Safari
The shortest possible safari from your Zanzibar beach.
Starts from
View Trip $1,050
Per person
When to go
Best time to visit Zanzibar
Jun to Oct
Dry, breezy and the most popular window. Perfect for diving, sailing and long beach days.
Dec to mid-Mar
Hot, calm and beautifully clear. Excellent for honeymooners and Christmas escapes.
Avoid Apr to May
Long rains. Many beach hotels close. Plan around this window for the best experience.
From the journal
Read before you go
Pair safari with the perfect beach finish.
We will match the coast, the villa and the season. The handover from bush to beach is direct, no Dar layover.