Nungwi and Kendwa
More hotels, restaurants and activity. The north is often the simplest choice when easy swimming and a bit of life outside the hotel matter.
Tanzania safari and Zanzibar
Zanzibar after safari
After the early starts and dust of safari, Zanzibar is a very good place to stop. We plan the flight from the bush, the transfer and a hotel on the right part of the island—not simply the first beach that appears in a brochure.
Add Zanzibar to my safari
See the 10-day bush and beach safari
3–5 nightsWorks well after safari
Stone TownUsually one night
Four coastsDifferent tides and atmosphere
Private transfersAirport, town and beach
Your datesHotel checked before we quote
Choosing Zanzibar
Zanzibar is not one beach
The north, northeast and southeast feel different. The tides, swimming, restaurant choice and travel time all matter. A hotel can be excellent and still be wrong for the way you want to spend the last few days of your trip.
Some guests want to swim whenever they feel like it. Others would rather be somewhere quieter, close to a dive operation or in a village where they can walk out for dinner. Families, honeymooners and keen divers rarely need the same hotel.
We start with those practical questions, then check current availability. Zanzibar changes quickly, so we prefer to recommend places we would choose for the particular trip rather than publish a fixed list that is soon out of date.
Matemwe and the northeast
A quieter stretch and a useful base for boat trips and diving around Mnemba. Tides are part of the rhythm here.
Paje and Jambiani
Long beaches, villages, kitesurfing and marked tidal changes. A good fit when you want more than a resort, but not for everyone.
Stone Town
For food, history and the old trading city. We normally treat it as a town stay rather than the beach part of the holiday.
A sensible five-night plan
Enough time to see the island and stop moving
This is a starting point, not a fixed package. If the flight arrives late, or if all you want is the beach, we will change it.
Day 1
Fly from safari to Zanzibar
We arrange the connection that makes sense for the final safari camp, then meet you at Zanzibar Airport.
Day 2
Stone Town and spices
Walk the old city with a local guide and, if it interests you, visit a working spice farm before heading to the coast.
Days 3–5
Beach time on the right coast
Swim, dive, sail, read or do very little. Activities are arranged around the tide and weather rather than squeezed into every day.
Departure
Private transfer to the airport
Timing is planned around your onward flight, with the final night moved if an early departure makes that more sensible.
Beyond the hotel
Sea, spices and the old trading coast
What is worth doing
Choose two or three things, not all of them
Zanzibar has plenty to do, but it is usually the last part of a longer trip. We leave room for the beach and only add the experiences that suit you.
How Zanzibar fits a Tanzania safari
Most Eastco trips combine Zanzibar with Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Depending on the final camp and flight schedule, we may fly from the bush or connect through Arusha or Kilimanjaro.
Start with our private Tanzania safari options, or see the complete 10-day Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar route.
Weather and timing
When to add Zanzibar
Zanzibar can be visited through most of the year, but weather, wind and sea conditions affect what the coast feels like. We plan it alongside the safari month rather than treating the island separately.
June to October
Commonly drier and less humid. This combines neatly with the main northern Tanzania safari season.
January and February
Often hot and sunny, with good beach time after a calving-season or green-season safari.
March to May
The wetter period. Some hotels close for part of it, and we check operating dates before recommending a stay.
Practical details
A few things worth knowing before you book
Tides change the beach
On much of the east coast, the sea can move a long way out at low tide. That is not a bad beach, but it is a different beach. Tell us whether swimming at any time of day matters.
Dress beyond the resort
Zanzibar is culturally conservative. Swimwear belongs at the beach; shoulders and knees should be covered in towns and villages.
Current entry insurance
Foreign visitors currently need Zanzibar’s mandatory inbound insurance, even when they already have international cover. Requirements can change, so check the official Zanzibar portal before travel.
We coordinate the join
Domestic flights, luggage limits and transfer times are checked as part of the whole route. Our pre-departure information and safari packing list cover the wider trip.
Zanzibar questions
What guests normally ask us
How many nights do we need in Zanzibar?
Three nights gives you a short beach finish. Four or five is better if you also want Stone Town or a day on the water. Keen divers and guests who simply want a longer rest may prefer six or seven.
Should we stay in Stone Town or go straight to the beach?
For a first visit, one night in Stone Town usually adds something worthwhile. If the safari has already been long, or your flight reaches Zanzibar late, going straight to the coast can be the better decision.
Which Zanzibar coast is best for swimming?
The north around Nungwi and Kendwa generally offers easier swimming through more of the day. The east coast has stronger tidal changes, which some guests enjoy and others do not.
Can Eastco book the Zanzibar hotel and flights?
Yes. We arrange the domestic connection, private transfers and hotel as part of the safari proposal. That keeps the timing and luggage arrangements in one plan.
Is Zanzibar good for families?
Yes, with the right hotel and coast. We look at room layout, swimming conditions, transfer time, meal arrangements and the age of the children before making a recommendation.
Do we need the Zanzibar travel insurance?
At present, foreign visitors excluding residents must buy Zanzibar’s official inbound policy. This is separate from normal international travel insurance. Check the official portal before departure because entry rules can change.
Safari, then sea
Tell us what you want the Zanzibar part to feel like
How many nights, whether Stone Town interests you, how important swimming is and the hotel level you prefer. We will join it to the safari and check what is actually available.