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Your Zanzibar travel guide

From entry to sundowner. Everything you need to know for a trip to Zanzibar.

Weather & season

When is the best time?

Around 27 °C on average. Two rainy seasons decide when you get the most sun.

Jan28°
Feb29°
Mar30°
Apr28°
May26°
Jun25°
Jul25°
Aug26°
Sep27°
Oct28°
Nov28°
Dec28°
Dry seasonRainy seasonTransitionTypical daily high in °C

June – September

Best time to go. Long dry season at 25 to 27 °C, ideal for beach and excursions. High season, book early.

December – February

Very good. Short dry season at 28 to 29 °C. Christmas and New Year book out fast.

October – November

Short rains (Vuli). Mostly brief afternoon showers with plenty of sun in between. A good time for travellers looking for quiet and lower prices.

March – May

Long rains (Masika). Heavy rain, but the lowest prices and few visitors.

Coast & sea

The most beautiful beaches

Every beach has its own character, from lively to wild and romantic.

NungwiNorth coast, lively. Popular for sunsets, beach bars and diving.
KendwaNorth-west, relaxed. Wide beach, good for swimming, even at low tide.
PajeEast coast, kitesurfing. Africa's well-known kitesurf spot with schools for all levels.
MatemweNorth-east, romantic. Quiet beach, starting point for Mnemba Atoll.
JambianiSouth-east, authentic. Village feel, seaweed farms and calm.
FumbaSouth-west, calm. Beach club and lagoon at Fumba Town, close to the airport.
Typical Zanzibar beach with blue sea
UNESCO World Heritage

Stone Town, the heart of the island

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Winding alleys, carved doors, mosques and markets tell of centuries of trade between Arabia, India and East Africa.

  • Forodhani Night Market: seafood, Zanzibar pizza and fresh juices by the water
  • The old doors: Arabic and Indian carving as a landmark
  • House of Wonders: former sultan's palace
  • Spice Farm Tour: cloves, cinnamon and vanilla on the plantations nearby
Historic building in Stone Town
Experiences

What you can experience

Turtles in the sea
Snorkelling & diving: Mnemba Atoll
Beach with wooden boat
Kitesurfing in Paje
Sailing boat at sea
Dhow trips & sundowners
Restaurant on the rock in the sea
Restaurant on the rock
Boat and Maasai on the beach
Culture & encounters

Dolphin tours

From Kizimkazi. Swim with wild dolphins, good for families.

Caves & mangroves

Kuza Cave with fresh water or kayaking through the mangroves.

Mainland safari

Mikumi or Selous combine well with a beach holiday.

Entry & insurance

Visa and mandatory insurance without stress

Filling in the tourist visa (eVisa): tips
  • You can apply online before the trip or on arrival at the airport. Online often saves 20 to 45 minutes at the counter in high season. Cost: 50 USD, valid up to 90 days.
  • Enter name, date of birth and passport number exactly as in the passport. The passport must be valid for at least six more months.
  • For the address of your accommodation the name of the accommodation or "Fumba Town" is enough. State your profession honestly, "self-employed" is fine.
  • Have a passport photo and a scan of the passport page ready. Print the confirmation or save it offline on your phone, the network at the airport is not always stable.
  • A photo is also taken at the counter. Forms change, in case of doubt what the official portal shows applies.

visa.immigration.go.tz

Taking out the mandatory insurance (ZIC): tips
  • Since 1 October 2024 the insurance is required for visitors to Zanzibar, about 44 USD per person, with family discounts. Takes a few minutes online.
  • The mandatory policy does not replace travel health insurance. Add a private policy with repatriation.
  • Have the confirmation ready on arrival, best printed.

visitzanzibar.go.tz

Health, money, SIM
  • No mandatory vaccinations. Recommended: hepatitis A and B, tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid. Yellow fever only when arriving from endemic areas.
  • Mosquito protection, bottled water only, sunscreen SPF 30 or higher, avoid the midday heat from 12 to 3 pm.
  • The currency is the Tanzanian shilling, US dollars are accepted in tourist areas. About 2,700 to 2,900 TZS per euro, the airport rate is often worse. ATMs in Stone Town and Fumba Town.
  • Local SIM (Vodacom, Airtel, Zantel) for about 25 USD including data, best bought right after baggage claim.
  • Culture: in towns cover shoulders and knees, ask before photographing people. "Mambo" and "Habari" are the standard greetings.
Getting around

Rental car, taxi and transfers

Traffic drives on the left. For a rental car you also need a temporary Tanzanian driving licence, which the rental company usually arranges for around 10 USD.

✓ Checked

Kibabu Cars

Our pick for a rental car. Travellers report that a car can often be arranged at short notice by email, with hand-over at the airport or port. Have vehicle, price and extra costs confirmed in writing beforehand.

Rule of thumb: One travel report mentions about 35 USD per day for an SUV plus about 10 USD for the temporary Tanzanian driving licence. Indicative only, please ask for current prices.

  • 📍 Zanzibar Airport / Stone Town

Editorially checked by FumbaTown-Team · Source: FumbaTown Agency, Reisebericht · Updated: Oct 2026

Unchecked

Karibu Kwetu Zanzibar Tours & Transfers

Provider of rental cars and transfers, well rated on comparison portals.

  • 📍 Stone Town

Not yet checked by us · Source: Public source · Updated: Oct 2026

Unchecked

Taxi from the airport

Always agree the price before the ride. Indicative: Fumba Town 15 to 25 USD, Stone Town 10 to 15 USD, Nungwi or Paje 50 to 80 USD. Every driver knows Fumba Town.

Do you know a reliable driver? Send us the number.

  • 📍 Flughafen Zanzibar (ZNZ)

Not yet checked by us · Source: FumbaTown Agency · Updated: Oct 2026

More providers and experiences are in the directory. Your recommendation missing? Send us a tip.
Emergency & health

When it gets serious

Unchecked

Emergency 112 · Police 999

112 is the general emergency number, 999 the police. Ambulance services are not reliable everywhere, so have travel insurance with repatriation and know a clinic near your accommodation.

  • 📍 Ganz Tansania

Not yet checked by us · Source: Public source · Updated: Oct 2026

Unchecked

Mnazi Mmoja Hospital

The island's main public hospital in Stone Town, since 1923. For serious treatment many go to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi. Ambulance according to listing: 0773 204740. Numbers may change.

Not yet checked by us · Source: Public source · Updated: Oct 2026

Unchecked

Urban Care Clinic

Clinic at the Pavilion in Fumba Town offering medical services around the clock, plus physiotherapy. Information from The Fumba Times.

Not yet checked by us · Source: The Fumba Times, Ausgabe 26 · Updated: Oct 2026

Numbers change. Before the trip save the address and number of your accommodation and the hotline of your travel health insurance offline.
Stays & getaways

Wake up somewhere else

To extend your holiday, for a weekend, or when you live in Fumba Town and want to visit another beautiful place on the island.

Partner

The Soul Zanzibar Beach Hotel and Spa

Our tip for a holiday or an extension, and also for anyone living in Fumba Town or elsewhere on the island who wants to visit a different, beautiful place. Your contact is Jola, the hotel's manager. Call or WhatsApp.

Business relationship with the initiators · Source: FumbaTown Agency · Updated: Oct 2026

Getting here

How to get to the island

Condor flies nonstop from Frankfurt to Zanzibar, three to four times a week, in about 10.5 hours. From Munich, Vienna or Zurich it is one change, for example via Dubai, Istanbul, Doha, Addis Ababa or Nairobi.

Frankfurt

Nonstop with Condor, approx. 10.5 h

Munich

via Istanbul, approx. 11 h

Vienna

via Doha, approx. 12 h

Zurich

with a change, approx. 10 to 13 h

Flight schedules change with the season. Updated: Oct 2026.

To Fumba Town

15 to 25 min, taxi approx. 15 to 25 USD.

To Stone Town

10 to 15 min, taxi approx. 10 to 15 USD.

To Nungwi / Paje

45 to 90 min, taxi approx. 50 to 80 USD, rental car recommended.

Join in

You know Zanzibar? Help others.

The best knowledge sits with the people on the island. Recommend the good lawyer, the fair driver, the café with real espresso. We review tips editorially and mark what has been checked.

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How it works

  • You send a tip or a correction.
  • We check details and contact.
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Staying longer than two weeks?

Many arrive as travellers and stay. What you need to know about residence, costs and daily life is on the Living in Zanzibar page.

Living in Zanzibar