Beach holidays
A stay on the east or north coast, from simple guesthouses to the sort of place with a butler. We book the room, the transfers and anything you want to do in between.
From, per night$180
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Zanzibar Archipelago
Spice island, saltwater and shade
The natural second half of a Tanzanian trip. Come down off the mountain or in from the plains and do very little for a week — we will handle the flights, transfers and everything you feel like doing.
Why Zanzibar
Ninety minutes from the Serengeti, and a different country entirely
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago with its own culture, architecture and pace — Swahili, Omani and Indian influences layered over a thousand years of Indian Ocean trade.
Practically, it is the easiest add-on in East Africa. Short flights run daily from Arusha and the Serengeti's airstrips, so you can be on a beach the same afternoon you leave the plains. Most people give it four to seven nights.
90 minFlight from Arusha
26°CAverage sea temperature
Jun–OctDriest, clearest months
What we arrange
Beaches, and everything else
Prices below are indicative starting points. Accommodation swings enormously with the season and the property — send us your dates and we will come back with real options at three price levels.
Stone Town tours
A walking tour of the old city with a Zanzibari guide — the Old Fort, the House of Wonders, the former slave market and the spice bazaars, ending at the Forodhani night market.
From, per person$45
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Spice farm tours
Zanzibar earned the name Spice Island honestly. Half a day on a working farm tasting cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla straight off the plant.
From, per person$50
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Snorkelling & diving
Mnemba Atoll, Chumbe Island and the reefs off Nungwi. Day trips for snorkellers, PADI courses and guided dives for certified divers.
From, per person$55
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Dolphin tours
An early boat out of Kizimkazi to find the resident bottlenose and humpback dolphins. We use operators who keep a respectful distance rather than chase.
From, per person$40
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Honeymoon packages
Private transfers, a sea-view room, a sunset dhow cruise and dinner on the sand. Tell us the budget and we will make it feel like more than it was.
From, per night$350
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Zanzibar itineraries are built individually around your dates, accommodation preference and length of stay. Contact us for a tailored quotation.
Stone Town
A UNESCO city you can walk across in an hour
The old quarter is a maze of coral-stone alleys too narrow for cars, famous for its carved wooden doors — brass-studded Indian doors, rectangular Omani ones, each carrying the status and trade of the family behind it.
It is also a place with a heavy history. Zanzibar was one of East Africa's principal slave markets until 1873, and the Anglican cathedral built on the site does not soften it. We think it is worth the couple of hours.
- The Old Fort and the House of Wonders on the seafront
- Darajani market at its busiest, first thing in the morning
- The former slave market site and memorial
- Forodhani Gardens night market — go hungry, skip the "Zanzibar pizza" pushers
- Freddie Mercury's birthplace, if you are that way inclined
Practical
Worth knowing before you book
When to go
June to October is dry, clear and busy. December to February is hot and excellent. Avoid the long rains in April and May — many beach places close entirely.
Tides matter
On the east coast the tide goes out a long way, and at low water swimming is not really an option. If that matters to you, we will put you on the north coast at Nungwi or Kendwa.
Dress and custom
Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim. Beachwear is fine on the beach; shoulders and knees covered away from it, especially in Stone Town and during Ramadan.
Start planning
Kilimanjaro, safari, then the sea
The classic three-week Tanzania trip — a climb, a week on the plains and a week doing nothing at all. Tell us how long you have and we will put the shape of it together.
Enquiries are read Mon–Sat 8am–6pm and Sun 9am–4pm (EAT).