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Last checked: October 2026

Zanzibar trip planner: day trips and itineraries compared

Wooden outrigger canoe on a sandy beach with palms and bush behind

Day tour

Zanzibar: Jozani Forest & Salaam Cave + Pickup & Entry fees

fromUS$80

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See dates on GetYourGuide

Town days, then sand

Side by side: Stone Town or the beach

Start in town and finish on the sand, so you only make the cross-island drive once. Unguja is one of Zanzibar’s two large islands in the Indian Ocean2, and both bases sit on it.

Stone Town to Nungwi: about 1½ hours by taxi3

Mizingani Road in Stone Town with carved wooden balconies and palms

Stone Town

The historic centre of Zanzibar City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Small inner city, easy to explore on foot
  • Prison Island lies 5.6 km north-west
  • Cheapest budget doubles from TSh 25,000
White sand and turquoise water at Nungwi, with a dhow at anchor

The beach coast

Asilia's itinerary gives the coast five nights

  • Taxi from Stone Town to Nungwi or Kendwa: about 1½ hours
  • Paje: good kitesurfing, about 1 hour by taxi
  • Cheapest beach rooms from TSh 50,000

Which beach depends on what you want from the water:

  • Nungwi: a resort town on the northern tip3 of the island. The full guide to Nungwi covers its beaches and boats.
  • Kendwa Beach: a small fishing village a couple of miles from Nungwi3.
  • Paje: an east-coast village between Bwejuu and Jambiani4, with good conditions for kitesurfing5.
  • Matemwe: One Ocean runs dive schools in Kendwa, Matemwe and Stone Town6, so you can reach the reefs from any of these bases.

The map of Unguja and Stone Town shows how these coasts line up.

Two dhows under sail off the beach below an old Stone Town seafront building
Two dhows under sail off the beach below an old Stone Town seafront building

Day trips from Stone Town and the coast

Day trips from Stone Town are short boat hops; from the coast they’re reef and dolphin days. Prison Island (Changuu) sits 5.6 km north-west of Stone Town7, and Nakupenda is a tidal sandbank, not a permanent island8.

Day trips compared
Day tripWhereWhat you getPriceSource
Prison Island and Nakupenda tour
Off Stone Town
6-hour tour
US$65 per traveller
prisonislandzanzibar.com (operator)
Safari Blue Original Experience
Not listed
Shared boat; snorkel gear, food and drinks included
US$85 adult, US$45 child
Safari Blue (operator)
Kizimkazi dolphin boat
Kizimkazi
Full day, leaves town 8am, back 5pm
From US$40 per boat, snorkel gear included
Wikivoyage
Snorkel boat trip
Not listed
Equipment included
From US$35 per boat
Wikivoyage
Mnemba snorkelling with One Ocean
Offices in Kendwa, Matemwe and Stone Town
Marine conservation fees extra
US$45
One Ocean (dive centre)
Jozani Forest
Jozani
Nature trails and red colobus monkeys
US$8–12 entry (sources differ)
Wikivoyage
The Rock Restaurant
On a rock off Michamvi Pingwe Beach
Grill of lobster, king prawns, octopus and calamari
Grilled lobster US$45
The Rock Restaurant Zanzibar (operator)

prisonislandzanzibar.com (operator); Safari Blue (operator); Wikivoyage; One Ocean (dive centre); The Rock Restaurant Zanzibar (operator)

A few things the table doesn’t tell you:

  • Mnemba Atoll: One Ocean says the atoll has dive sites from shallow reefs to walls and drift dives6.
  • Jozani Forest: the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre is just down the road, open 9AM–5PM3. This Jozani and Salaam Cave tour includes pickup and entry fees.
  • Prison Island: its Aldabra giant tortoises bred quickly, to around 200 by 1955, and no prisoners were ever held there7. The Prison Island day-trip guide has the details.
  • Dhow sunset cruise: Wikivoyage reckons traditional dhows make a wonderful sunset cruise3.
Aldabra giant tortoise walking over coral rock on Changuu Island
Aldabra giant tortoise walking over coral rock on Changuu Island

Before you book

Costs: fees, day trips and package prices

Before any boat trip, budget for two entry costs: a tourist visa (US$50, except for some nationalities10) and Zanzibar’s inbound insurance at US$44 per person11 (checked October 2026).

Inbound insurance: US$44 per person11

What you pay: entry costs and day trips

TicketAdultChild
Tanzania single-entry tourist visa
US$50 (some nationalities differ)
–
Zanzibar inbound travel insurance
US$44 per person
–
Marine conservation areas incl. Mnemba and Menai Bay, per day
US$10
US$5 (ages 5–15)
Mnemba Special Area
US$25
US$10
Jozani Forest entry
US$8–12 (sources differ)
–
Azam Marine ferry, economy, non-resident
US$35
–
Safari Blue Original Experience
US$85 (15+)
US$45 (6–14)
Prison Island and Nakupenda tour
US$65 per traveller
–
One Ocean snorkelling
US$45
–
One Ocean double dive
US$110
–

us.tzembassy.go.tz (official); jp.tzembassy.go.tz (official); The Citizen (news); Wikivoyage; Azam Marine (operator); Safari Blue (operator); prisonislandzanzibar.com (operator); One Ocean (dive centre)

A packaged week and a do-it-yourself trip sit far apart, and the package prices leave out your long-haul flights:

Whole-trip prices compared
OptionPriceWhat to knowSource
Asilia 8-day Stone Town and beach itinerary
From US$1,261 per person sharing
Comfort tier, low season; international flights not included
Asilia Africa (tour company)
TUI 7-night all-inclusive package
From £1,615 per person
New Gatwick flights from 3 November 2027, Wednesdays and Sundays
Travel Weekly (news)
Budget room in Stone Town
From TSh 25,000 a double
Normal budget hotels TSh 45,000–90,000, in low season
Wikivoyage
Cheapest beach room
From TSh 50,000
Beach stays are often more expensive
Wikivoyage

Asilia Africa (tour company); Travel Weekly (news); Wikivoyage

When you go changes the bill as much as where you stay:

  • July: peak season, with high prices and many visitors13
  • December: hotel prices at their highest13
  • February: low season for hotel rates13

Food can be cheap or a treat. Forodhani Gardens is possibly the cheapest food on the island3, while The Rock Special at The Rock Restaurant is listed at US$8614.

For ferries, flights and transfers, there’s more on getting there; for hotels, food and the rest, see what a Zanzibar holiday costs overall.

Pick your style

Which suits whom

Pick your base and your tour style by how you like to spend a day, not by the map.

Stone Town or the beach

Choose Stone Town if you:

  • want history on foot: Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site2, and Wikivoyage says its inner city is small and easy to explore on foot3
  • want short boat trips to Nakupenda, a strip of white sand off Stone Town that surfaces at low tide16
  • are watching the budget, since beach accommodation is often more expensive3

Choose the beach if you:

  • want reef time every day: the island has sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs2
  • want to kitesurf: Paje is known for kiteboarding3
  • want the dolphins: daily boat tours17 go out from Kizimkazi
Low-tide beach with a red boat, kites in the sky and two women walking on the sand
Low-tide beach with a red boat, kites in the sky and two women walking on the sand

Shared boat or private boat

Choose a shared trip if you like company. Safari Blue says its Original Experience suits people who want to make new friends on board and snorkel with a guide, and that everything is included, from snorkelling equipment to food and drinks18.

Choose a private boat if you’d rather keep the day to yourselves. Safari Blue’s Private Dhow Charter is US$550 all-inclusive for 218. Its Bubble Boat costs US$250 per boat plus US$85 per adult18, with a private table at its restaurant on Kwale island.

Guided tour or do it yourself

Choose a guided day tour if you want hotel pickup and one price for the boat, lunch and entry. These two cover the classic Stone Town day and a Mnemba morning from the north.

Vanilla vines climbing support trees on a spice farm at Dole

Day tour · 7 hours · GetYourGuide

Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice tour & Prison Island with Lunch

4.5 (1,341 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

Free cancellation · Pickup included

fromUS$55

See dates on GetYourGuide
Seahorse beside a spiky red and white sea cucumber on the reef at Mnemba Atoll

Snorkelling · 4 hours · GetYourGuide

From Kendwa: Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure

4.7 (1,465 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

Free cancellation · Pickup included

fromUS$55

See dates on GetYourGuide

Go it alone if slower travel doesn’t bother you. A dala dala from Stone Town to Jambiani means a bus to Mwanakwerekwe, then a second dala dala on to Jambiani: 1–1.5 hours, TSh 2,000 in 201819. A taxi to Paje costs from TSh 50,0003.

You can also pick up a dala dala at the stop just outside the Zanzibar Airport gate3.

Malaria is endemic to Tanzania21, so read these safety and etiquette tips for Zanzibar before you pack. For more ideas, browse the things to do around the island.

Questions people ask

What's the best way to get to Zanzibar?

From Dar es Salaam by ferry, catamaran or plane. Azam Marine runs daily services between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Pemba and Tanga; Coastal Aviation lists Zanzibar flights every 30 minutes.

Can you visit Zanzibar as a day trip from Dar es Salaam?

Yes: ferry schedules allow a same-day return trip.

Can you add a safari to a Zanzibar trip?

Yes. Coastal Aviation runs daily flights between Zanzibar and the main national parks.

How far is the airport from Stone Town?

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) is about 5 km south of Zanzibar City, and some Stone Town hotels offer a free airport shuttle.

Do you need a yellow fever certificate for Zanzibar?

GOV.UK says you need one if you arrive from a country with yellow fever transmission risk; the Tanzanian Embassy in France says the vaccination is needed for Zanzibar.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits

Checked against 30 sources · last checked October 2026
  1. Asilia Africa (tour company) · checked October 2026
  2. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  3. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  4. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  5. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  6. One Ocean (dive centre) · checked October 2026
  7. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  8. see-adventures.com (tour company) · checked October 2026
  9. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  10. us.tzembassy.go.tz (official) · checked October 2026
  11. jp.tzembassy.go.tz (official) · checked October 2026
  12. GOV.UK (official) · checked October 2026
  13. The Africa Specialists (booking agent) · checked October 2026
  14. The Rock Restaurant Zanzibar (operator) · checked October 2026
  15. One Ocean (dive centre) · checked October 2026
  16. Holidays To Zanzibar (travel guide) · checked October 2026
  17. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  18. Safari Blue (operator) · checked October 2026
  19. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  20. GOV.UK (official) · checked October 2026
  21. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  22. prisonislandzanzibar.com (operator) · checked October 2026
  23. The Citizen (news) · checked October 2026
  24. Azam Marine (operator) · checked October 2026
  25. Travel Weekly (news) · checked October 2026
  26. atta.travel (news) · checked October 2026
  27. Azam Marine (operator) · checked October 2026
  28. Coastal Aviation (operator) · checked October 2026
  29. Coastal Aviation (operator) · checked October 2026
  30. fr.tzembassy.go.tz (official) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 21 October 2026