Luxury
Luxury Honeymoon
- Private vehicle & guide throughout
- Champagne sundowners
- Arusha
- 2 days Tarangire
- 2 days Central Serengeti
- Northern Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Zanzibar
Zanzibar holiday
Plan a Custom Safari- Home
- Zanzibar holiday
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These are sample itineraries. Every trip is private and tailor-made — we change parks, nights, beaches and hotels to suit your wishes, interests and travel style.
Combo
Safari & Zanzibar
- Three nights inside the Serengeti
- Crater descent
- Arusha
- Tarangire
- Lake Manyara
- 2 days Central Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater
- 3 days Zanzibar
Bush & beach
Safari & Zanzibar Escape
- Tarangire, Serengeti and the Crater
- Fly straight from the safari to Zanzibar
- Arusha
- Tarangire
- 2 days Central Serengeti
- Ngorongoro
- 5 days Zanzibar
Bush & beach
Northern Parks & Zanzibar Holiday
- Four national parks with one private guide
- Three nights in the central Serengeti
- Arusha
- Tarangire
- Lake Manyara
- 3 days Central Serengeti
- Ngorongoro
- Stone Town
- 4 days Zanzibar beach
Grand journey
Grand Tanzania: Bush, Culture & Beach
- Nine safari days with one private guide
- Morning with the Hadzabe and Datoga at Lake Eyasi
- Arusha
- 2 days Tarangire
- Lake Manyara
- Lake Eyasi
- 3 days Central Serengeti
- Ngorongoro
- Stone Town
- 4 days Zanzibar beach
Zanzibar: where safari meets the beach
Zanzibar is one of the best beach and honeymoon destinations in the world — powder-white sand, warm coral reefs, comfortable hotels and sea so clear and blue it looks unreal.
And it sits only about 40 km off the Tanzanian coast. That means you can spend your first days on a private safari in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, then fly straight from the parks to the island and swap the dust for the Indian Ocean. Our team in Arusha books the flight, meets you on arrival and looks after every connection.
Safari and beach in one trip — is this your dream holiday?
Where to stay on Zanzibar
Every coast of the island has its own character. We match you to the right beach and a hotel that suits your style and budget — from small family-run guesthouses to luxury beachfront resorts.
- North coastNungwi & Kendwa
North-east coastMatemwe & Mnemba
South-east coastPaje & Jambiani
West coastStone Town
Zanzibar vacation
Zanzibar — properly the Zanzibar Archipelago — is a string of coral islands about 40 km off the Tanzanian mainland. The two visited islands are Unguja (the one everyone calls 'Zanzibar') and Pemba further north.
Travellers come here for two distinct things, and most do both: Stone Town's UNESCO-listed old quarter (a Swahili-Arab-Indian-European trading port frozen since the 19th century) and the white-sand east-coast and northern beaches. Most safari guests fly direct from the Serengeti, drop their dust at the door of a beachfront hotel, and don't lift a finger for four days.
Zanzibar is Muslim-majority and culturally distinct from the mainland. Outside resort grounds, women travellers should cover shoulders and knees — at the beach itself, anything goes.
- Getting there
- Arusha → Zanzibar (ZNZ): ~1.5 hr scheduled flight via ARK. From Serengeti: ~3 hrs via Arusha.
- Best time
- Jun–Oct and Dec–Feb (dry, sunny). Avoid the long rains Apr–May.
- How long to stay
- Minimum 3 nights to feel the islands. 4–5 nights is the sweet spot: one in Stone Town, three on the beach. Add a 6th if you're a diver.
Zanzibar beaches
Zanzibar has some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere — soft white sand, coral reefs and the clear water of the Indian Ocean, with fishing villages all along the coast. But which coast should you choose? Here is how our team describes each one.
North — Nungwi and Kendwa
The north tip of the island is the easiest place to swim at any time of day, because the tide here goes out only a little. Nungwi and Kendwa have soft white sand, sunsets over the ocean and plenty of restaurants, beach bars and hotels in every price range. It is lively rather than quiet — perfect if you want a bit of buzz after the silence of the bush.
North-east — Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe
Long, peaceful beaches facing the reef, with fishing villages between the hotels. Matemwe is the closest beach to Mnemba Atoll, the best snorkelling spot on Zanzibar, so it is a favourite for couples and anyone who loves the water. The tide here is strong: at low tide the sea pulls back over the coral flats, and at high tide it returns right up to the sand.
South-east — Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu and Michamvi
Wide, pale-turquoise lagoons, steady winds and a relaxed village feel. Paje is one of the best kite-surfing spots in East Africa, while Jambiani and Bwejuu are quieter, with seaweed farms in the shallows and friendly, small-scale guesthouses. Michamvi, on the peninsula, is one of the few east-coast spots where you can watch the sun set over the water.
South and west — Kizimkazi, Fumba and Stone Town
The south and west are quieter, with fewer hotels and gentler beaches. Kizimkazi is known for early-morning dolphin trips, and Fumba is the starting point for dhow trips into the Menai Bay Conservation Area. On the west coast sits Stone Town, the historic heart of Zanzibar — best enjoyed for one or two nights before you head to the beach.
Tip from our guides
East coast (Paje, Jambiani, Matemwe) has the best beaches but tidal — at low tide you walk 500 m to swim. Northern beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa) are swimmable at any tide but busier. Pick by priority.
Excursions during your Zanzibar holiday
Zanzibar is much more than a beach. The island has a rich Swahili culture, a long trading history and a wealth of reefs, forests and small islands to explore. These are the excursions our guests love most — we can book any of them for you.
Stone Town walking tour
Explore the UNESCO-listed old town with a local guide: carved wooden doors, the old spice and fish markets, the former slave market and Anglican cathedral, the House of Wonders and the Forodhani night food market on the waterfront.
Spice tour
Visit a working spice farm and see how cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, black pepper and lemongrass grow — then taste fresh tropical fruit and learn how spices are used in Swahili cooking and traditional medicine.
Mnemba Atoll snorkelling
A boat trip from the north-east coast to the reef around Mnemba, Zanzibar's best snorkelling. Green turtles, reef fish and, on many mornings, dolphins along the way.
Safari Blue
A full day on a traditional wooden dhow in Menai Bay: swim and snorkel off sandbanks, visit a mangrove lagoon and enjoy a seafood lunch on a small island.
Prison Island
A short boat ride from Stone Town to Changuu Island, home to old prison ruins, a quiet beach and a colony of giant Aldabra tortoises, some well over 100 years old.
Jozani Forest
Walk through the island's last large forest and its mangrove boardwalk to see the rare Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found nowhere else on Earth.
Dhow sunset cruise
Sail out on a traditional dhow from Stone Town or the north coast as the sun goes down — one of the simplest and most beautiful ways to spend an evening on Zanzibar.
Kite surfing
Paje and the south-east coast have steady winds and shallow lagoons for much of the year, making them ideal for lessons or experienced riders.
Chumbe Island
A protected coral-reef sanctuary off the west coast, with a small eco-lodge, forest trails and some of the healthiest coral on the island. Day visits are limited, so book ahead.
The Rock restaurant
A small restaurant built on a rock in the sea at Michamvi. Walk out at low tide or take a boat at high tide — and book well in advance.
Best time to visit Zanzibar
Zanzibar is warm all year, with sea temperatures around 26–29 °C. The most popular months are the dry seasons, but the island works well for most of the year.
- Jun–Oct: dry, cool nights, calm seas. The classic safari-extension window.
- Dec–Feb: hot, sunny, perfect for the beach. Christmas/New Year books out 9 months in advance.
- Apr–May: long rains, many small hotels close. We don't book Zanzibar in May.
- Nov: short rains, mostly brief afternoon showers. Quiet and excellent value.
Zanzibar hotels
Zanzibar has everything from simple beach bungalows to ultra-luxury resorts. We know the island well and choose hotels for their beach, their staff and their location — not just their star rating. Many guests love the small boutique hotels, where the team gets to know you by name and you can walk along the sand to other restaurants and bars in the evening. Tell us what matters to you and we will suggest the right places.
Good to know
- Zanzibar is mostly Muslim. On the beach and at your hotel anything goes, but in villages and in Stone Town cover shoulders and knees.
- During Ramadan, restaurants in towns and villages may close by day; hotels keep serving guests as normal.
- Many east-coast beaches are tidal. At low tide you may walk a long way to swim — pick the north if swimming at any hour matters most to you.
- Flights from Arusha and the northern parks to Zanzibar take about 1.5–2 hours. We arrange the flight and your airport transfers.
Have a question about a Zanzibar holiday? Contact us — we are happy to help.
Talk to a local guide
Our team in Arusha is here to help — English · Swahili · French (on request).