Plan by where you stay
Zanzibar's roads are slow, so the best trips are often the ones that start near your hotel.
| Base | Easy half-days | Worth the longer drive |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Town | Stone Town walk, Prison Island and Nakupenda, spice farm, sunset dhow | Safari Blue from Fumba |
| North (Nungwi, Kendwa) | Mnemba snorkelling, sunset dhow, quad, jet ski and horses | Stone Town and a spice farm in one day |
| North-east (Matemwe, Kiwengwa) | Mnemba snorkelling, diving | Stone Town, Jozani |
| East and south (Paje, Jambiani, Michamvi) | Jozani, Kuza Cave and The Rock, kite lessons | Kizimkazi dolphins, Safari Blue |
Fly-in safaris leave from the airport near Stone Town, and the airport transfers and Dar ferry page covers getting around.
On the water
Safari Blue is a full day on a dhow in Menai Bay: snorkelling, a sandbank, a swim in a mangrove lagoon and a seafood lunch. Many copies use the same name, so check who runs the trip. Mnemba Atoll is the island's best-known snorkelling spot; half-day boats look for dolphins on the way. Prison Island (Changuu) has giant tortoises and is usually paired with the Nakupenda sandbank. For calm water with no snorkelling, a Blue Lagoon trip or a sunset dhow is simpler. Divers have Mnemba, and Nungwi, Chumbe and Pemba are further out.
On land
Stone Town (Mji Mkongwe) is best on foot with a guide in the morning, before the heat. Cover shoulders and knees in the old town. Spice farms are a short drive inland and often come as a combined day with Stone Town and Prison Island. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is the place for red colobus monkeys, and it is on the way to the south and east coast.
Safaris from the island
The mainland parks are close enough for a day trip by plane. Compare Mikumi and Nyerere on 1-day safari from Zanzibar, or stay a night or two with a 2–3 day safari.