The split at a glance
| Days | Where to sleep | On the programme |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Stone Town | old town, night market, boat trip or spice farm |
| 3 to 4 | Nungwi or Kendwa | beach, Mnemba, turtles |
| 5 to 7 | Paje or Jambiani | Jozani, kitesurfing, The Rock, Kuza Cave |
To choose accommodation in each area precisely, see where to stay in Zanzibar.
Days 1 and 2: Stone Town
On arrival, take a taxi or transfer: allow 10 to 30 minutes between the airport and the old town, see from the airport to your hotel. On the first evening, have dinner at the Forodhani Gardens night market. On the second day, follow the route in Stone Town in one day, or choose among the sites on the Stone Town page: Darajani market, the Palace Museum, Freddie Mercury's house, the old slave market. If you prefer the sea on the second day, head for Prison Island or a spice farm visit.
Days 3 and 4: the north
On the third day, make the trip to Nungwi or Kendwa: allow a little over an hour by road according to guides. The afternoon goes to Nungwi beach or Kendwa beach, where swimming depends less on the tide. On the fourth day, a boat trip to Mnemba atoll lets you swim with fish and dolphins; you can also see the turtles at the Mnarani Natural Aquarium. If your stay falls on a full-moon Saturday, look at the Kendwa Rocks Full Moon Party. For eating and going out, see the Nungwi and Kendwa guide.
Days 5 to 7: the east and south coast
On the fifth day, change coast: allow about an hour by road between the airport and Paje and a little more from the north. On the east coast the sea retreats far at low tide: see Paje beach and Jambiani beach. On the sixth day, visit Jozani forest for the red colobus monkeys, then have lunch at The Rock restaurant, to be booked according to the tide. If you like wind, try kitesurfing in Paje. On the seventh day, stop at Kuza Cave near Jambiani before heading back to the airport, with a large margin, see getting around Zanzibar. For the south, the Safari Blue boat trip is an alternative.
Variations
| If you want | Replace with |
|---|---|
| A safari | Selous (Nyerere) safari or Mikumi in one day |
| More sea | diving in Zanzibar, Nakupenda |
| Fewer transfers | A single base in the north or east |
Budget, season and precautions
Excursion and hotel prices vary widely by season: see Zanzibar travel budget. For scams and safety, read scams and safety in Zanzibar. If rain shows up, Zanzibar when it rains has ideas.
Pour aller plus loin
For a shorter stay, see Zanzibar in 4 days. To go deeper into an area, read the complete Stone Town guide or the Paje and Jambiani guide.
