Zanzibar Travel Guide

Best Time To Visit

When to go

As Zanzibar is close to the equator, temperatures range between 20-31°C year round. The long rains fall in April and May; and most beach lodges are closed for these months, reopening in June. The short rains fall in November and sometimes in December, but these tend to be cloudbursts, which can in fact occur at almost any time of year. 

Getting there

Kenya Airways operates daily flights to Nairobi, where you can connect with a 75-minute flight to Zanzibar. In addition to a number of options via Europe and the Middle East into Dar es Salaam and or Zanzibar. From there it is a 20-minute flight to Zanzibar. There are connecting light aircraft flights between, Northern Tanzania, Western Tanzania and Southern Tanzania.

Time Zone

GMT +3 hours

Visas

All British passport holders need a tourist or business visa to enter Tanzania. Tanzania has introduced an ‘e-visas’ system through which applications can be submitted and approved online in advance of travel. It is no longer possible to get a visa from the Tanzanian High Commission in London. 

Zanzibar Infrastructure Tax (July 2023 update)

Please be advised that the Zanzibar Revenue Authority has announced the increase of infrastructure tax for all guests travelling to Zanzibar.

It will now be US$5.00 per person per night, effective 01st July 2023. This tax is payable directly at the property in cash upon check-out

Health

Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required if you have visited Kenya or certain other countries which are regarded as yellow fever zones. Zanzibar is a malarial area and precautions should be taken. Always consult your doctor at least six weeks before travel and refer to this useful NHS website for details of recommended vaccinations for your destination.

Things To Do

• Discover Stone Town’s hidden corners on foot - we recommend a guided tour
• Visit the Spice plantations and smell the drying cloves by the roadsides
• Read a novel on the soft white sandy beaches
• Visit the Jozani Forest (Jozani Chakwa Bay National Park) home of the endangered Zanzibar Red colobus monkey
• Eat delicious fresh locally caught seafood
• Visit Prison Island and the giant tortoises
   

The Zanzibar Archipelago
‘Zanzibar’ has always had an exotic ring. These tiny islands have captivated the world’s imagination and exercised a significant influence on both sides of the Indian Ocean, from Mozambique to Oman and from India to the Persian Gulf. The Zanzibar Archipelago consists of two main islands, Unguja (popularly known as Zanzibar) and Pemba, plus about 50 smaller ones, mostly tiny. Mafia Island is further to the south and, with five smaller islands, forms its own archipelago.