flightGETTING TO THE SPICE ISLE
✈ BY AIR
Zanzibar's International Airport is called Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ).
Flights are operated by ZanAir, Auric Air, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, Oman Air, and Coastal Aviation.
It is always best to book early to get the flight route you want. You may find it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam first and then make your way to the island, or for convenience, less travel time and maybe even price - try to find a flight that will bring you directly here. Or, if you are planning to be on the mainland as part of your trip (if you are doing a safari before or visiting Dar), then we added some info below on how to get here from Dar.
Here are some flight search engines you can use to compare flight prices.
expedia.com
flighthub.com
skyscanner.net
kayak.com
cheapflights.com
chepoair.com
✈ BY AIR
Zanzibar's International Airport is called Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ).
Flights are operated by ZanAir, Auric Air, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, Oman Air, and Coastal Aviation.
It is always best to book early to get the flight route you want. You may find it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam first and then make your way to the island, or for convenience, less travel time and maybe even price - try to find a flight that will bring you directly here. Or, if you are planning to be on the mainland as part of your trip (if you are doing a safari before or visiting Dar), then we added some info below on how to get here from Dar.
Here are some flight search engines you can use to compare flight prices.
expedia.com
flighthub.com
skyscanner.net
kayak.com
cheapflights.com
chepoair.com
⛴ BY FERRY
The ferry terminal in Dar Es Salaam is about 12km from Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), which can take up to 1 hour by taxi considering traffic there. A taxi will cost approximately $20 US depending on your negotiation skills and the Ferry price ranges between $20 and $50 US depending on the service provider. The 1.5 to 2 hour ferry ride will terminate in Malindi, right at the heart of Stone Town. Always choose the Azam ferry company who run the Kilimanjaro boats and buy your tickets inside their office building at the ferry port.
✈ BY AIR VIA DAR ES SALAAM
From the Dar Es Salaam airport you can take a flight to Zanzibar with Coastal Aviation, Precision Air, Auric Air or Zanair. Flights take approximately 30 minutes and cost between $70 and $100 US. Make sure you leave enough time for collecting your luggage, going through passport control and checking in for the flight to Zanzibar, 2.5 to 3 hours will be sufficient for this. Remember that for the smaller flights domestic flight from DAR - ZNZ the luggage allowance is often much lower than an international flight so be sure to check this first.
ENTRY INTO TANZANIA - BUSINESS/VOLUNTEER VISA
We recommend obtaining your volunteer visa in your country prior to arrival which we will guide you through, however, you can also get your visa upon entry into in Tanzania. If you apply prior, you will save money and time.
HELPFUL THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
ELECTRICITY: 220 - 240 volt AC, TYPE G and TYPE D outlets are used in Zanzibar.
WATER: The tap water in Zanzibar is not safe for consumption, use bottled water for drinking. You can buy water at several shops close to the volunteer accommodation and everywhere in town. If you stay in the volunteer house, there is a water tower/fountain and volunteers contribute towards refilling it - as Zanzibar has a plastic pollution problem please help us cut down on plastic use and bring a water bottle that you can refill.
CURRENCY: Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh or TZS). You cannot get Tanzanian Shillings outside of Tanzania so it is best to travel here with US Dollars. Currency exchange services are available at the airport, in town and at some hotels. Generally the currency exchange shops in town give the most competitive rates, followed by banks; hotels usually offer the least competitive rates.
CREDIT CARDS: Are only accepted at major hotels travel agencies and some restaurants; most shops and markets do not accept card payment.
TIME: East Africa Time (UTC +3). Sunrise is relatively constant around 6:30 AM and sunset around 6:30 PM due to the islands proximity to the equator.
COMMUNICATION: The country code for Tanzania is '+255'. The outgoing country code for the US is '00', for all other countries '000'.
MOBILE & DATA: The majority of restaurants hotels here have wifi which you will be able to use. We recommend getting a local SIM card for everyday network and data usage as well. Zantel and Tigo are the dominant telecommunications companies in Zanzibar, Airtel and Halotel and a few smaller companies make up the rest. Mobile service pricing is competitive between all the networks. You can buy a SIM card here for $1 US and put it in an unlocked phone. You can expect to pay about 25,000 Tsh ($10 US) for 10-15gb of 4G/5G data for up to 30 days. Please wait until your coordinator helps you with getting a local SIM, instead of purchasing bundles at the airport or elsewhere that may not work.
CLIMATE: Zanzibar enjoys a typical equatorial climate. From December to March the weather is hot and humid. January and February are the hottest months. Expect heavy rains from April to the end of May. The cooler period is after the rain season, from June to October, the coldest month is July at 24°C (75°F). More rains arrive in October and November, as the winds change and heat rises. Humidity averages 78 per cent.
CULTURE: Zanzibar is a conservative, Sunni Muslim society with small numbers of Christian and indigenous beliefs. Its history was influenced by the Arabs, Persians, Indians, Portuguese, British and the African mainland.
CLOTHING: Lightweight (but culturally sensitive) clothing can be worn all year round.
TRANSPORTATION: There is no government run public transport in Zanzibar. Dalla-dallas are open sided vehicles that act as public transportation. The dalla-dallas connect all major towns on the island. For most destinations, including the beaches, there are several vehicles daily, with the last ones back to Stone Town departing by about 4:00 PM. None of the routes cost more than 3,000 tsh. As you will likely be staying in Stone Town, you can walk to all restaurants, hotels and beaches. Getting lost through the narrow streets of town is half the fun!
HEALTH: We do recommend that you visit a travel clinic for a consultation before you come to Zanzibar. They will check that you are up to date on routine vaccinations, and advise you on what you may need to consider for travel, including anti-malaria meds such as malarone or doxycycline. Malaria is endemic in Zanzibar, but rates are quite low here. You may also be advised to bring a yellow fever card. It is not required for entry into Tanzania, but if you have a layover in a country that does require it, you may be asked for it here. Always good to carry hand sanitizer, antibacterial and antihistamine topical creams, repellent and sunscreen. Lastly, we recommend you have travel and health insurance. If any issues occur, ZanAid Clinic is our partner in helping volunteers deal with health related problems and their insurance companies.
Click on the link below to search for more health related advice for travel to Tanzania .
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/
ELECTRICITY: 220 - 240 volt AC, TYPE G and TYPE D outlets are used in Zanzibar.
WATER: The tap water in Zanzibar is not safe for consumption, use bottled water for drinking. You can buy water at several shops close to the volunteer accommodation and everywhere in town. If you stay in the volunteer house, there is a water tower/fountain and volunteers contribute towards refilling it - as Zanzibar has a plastic pollution problem please help us cut down on plastic use and bring a water bottle that you can refill.
CURRENCY: Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh or TZS). You cannot get Tanzanian Shillings outside of Tanzania so it is best to travel here with US Dollars. Currency exchange services are available at the airport, in town and at some hotels. Generally the currency exchange shops in town give the most competitive rates, followed by banks; hotels usually offer the least competitive rates.
CREDIT CARDS: Are only accepted at major hotels travel agencies and some restaurants; most shops and markets do not accept card payment.
TIME: East Africa Time (UTC +3). Sunrise is relatively constant around 6:30 AM and sunset around 6:30 PM due to the islands proximity to the equator.
COMMUNICATION: The country code for Tanzania is '+255'. The outgoing country code for the US is '00', for all other countries '000'.
MOBILE & DATA: The majority of restaurants hotels here have wifi which you will be able to use. We recommend getting a local SIM card for everyday network and data usage as well. Zantel and Tigo are the dominant telecommunications companies in Zanzibar, Airtel and Halotel and a few smaller companies make up the rest. Mobile service pricing is competitive between all the networks. You can buy a SIM card here for $1 US and put it in an unlocked phone. You can expect to pay about 25,000 Tsh ($10 US) for 10-15gb of 4G/5G data for up to 30 days. Please wait until your coordinator helps you with getting a local SIM, instead of purchasing bundles at the airport or elsewhere that may not work.
CLIMATE: Zanzibar enjoys a typical equatorial climate. From December to March the weather is hot and humid. January and February are the hottest months. Expect heavy rains from April to the end of May. The cooler period is after the rain season, from June to October, the coldest month is July at 24°C (75°F). More rains arrive in October and November, as the winds change and heat rises. Humidity averages 78 per cent.
CULTURE: Zanzibar is a conservative, Sunni Muslim society with small numbers of Christian and indigenous beliefs. Its history was influenced by the Arabs, Persians, Indians, Portuguese, British and the African mainland.
CLOTHING: Lightweight (but culturally sensitive) clothing can be worn all year round.
TRANSPORTATION: There is no government run public transport in Zanzibar. Dalla-dallas are open sided vehicles that act as public transportation. The dalla-dallas connect all major towns on the island. For most destinations, including the beaches, there are several vehicles daily, with the last ones back to Stone Town departing by about 4:00 PM. None of the routes cost more than 3,000 tsh. As you will likely be staying in Stone Town, you can walk to all restaurants, hotels and beaches. Getting lost through the narrow streets of town is half the fun!
HEALTH: We do recommend that you visit a travel clinic for a consultation before you come to Zanzibar. They will check that you are up to date on routine vaccinations, and advise you on what you may need to consider for travel, including anti-malaria meds such as malarone or doxycycline. Malaria is endemic in Zanzibar, but rates are quite low here. You may also be advised to bring a yellow fever card. It is not required for entry into Tanzania, but if you have a layover in a country that does require it, you may be asked for it here. Always good to carry hand sanitizer, antibacterial and antihistamine topical creams, repellent and sunscreen. Lastly, we recommend you have travel and health insurance. If any issues occur, ZanAid Clinic is our partner in helping volunteers deal with health related problems and their insurance companies.
Click on the link below to search for more health related advice for travel to Tanzania .
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/
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THINGS TO DO IN STONE TOWN Stone Town is unique and beautiful. There is so much culture and history which can be seen in the outstanding architecture of this historic UNESCO site. Since you will most likely be living in town, let us recommend a few things to do and eat! Just walking around town, getting lost and looking at the beautiful stone buildings is nice to do (some are crumbling so look up!). During the day, you can take a local boat out to Prison Island or the sandbank, or book a Stone Town tour and learn about Zanzibar's history. There are several museums and historic sites you can go to in town, browse through the map on the right to see various landmarks. Eat on New Mkunazini Street. This is a busy street with tourists and full of new things to try. Lukmaan and Mashallah are very popular places for local food and for value on this street. You can find local soup (urojo), coffee shops, sugar cane juice, ice cream shops - you name it. From here you can walk to everything, 5 minutes to the local transport to go out of town, 10 to the food market (fruits, vegetables, meats), and no more than 10 to the beach and big hotels and restaurants like 6 Degrees, Africa House, Double Tree by Hilton, and Hyatt. On the way to the beach, stop at Jaws Corner for some local coffee and kashata (coconut/peanut brittle), maybe catch a football match on TV in the middle of Jaws Corner. |
The night market is called Forodhani Gardens. At 6:00 PM the chefs start grilling meats and seafood and other foods like shawarma, soup and Zanzibar pizza. It's lively and full of people. Check out Maru Maru rooftop for sunset and happy hour for great views of Stone Town mosques and churches. Livingstones is also a great place to have a drink or food on the beach at sundown. You can watch fisherman and their dhow boats coming in or leaving, and the local community enjoying exercise and playing football at sunset. For restaurants, try the Abyssinian Maritime, the only traditional Ethiopian restaurant in town, Silk Route is perfect for Indian cuisine, 6 Degrees for variety of foods, La Taverna for pizza and Taperia for tapas. |
A MILLION AND ONE THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND. DISCOVER THEM ON YOUR JOURNEY
Zanzibar features outstanding powder white beaches along its eastern shores, flanked by barrier reefs, and the UNESCO World heritage site of Stone Town on its western edge.
With its location, barrier reef and outstanding beaches Zanzibar can offer all of the attractions that most crave such as scuba diving, stand up paddling, sailing, fresh seafood and much culture and history which can be seen in the outstanding architecture of the historic site.
Zanzibar can offer all of the attractions that most crave such as snorkeling, scuba diving, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and surfing. Explore an amazing natural habitat in Jozani Forest, where you will see indigenous Red Colobus monkeys or book a spice tour for a fascinating glimpse into why this island has become so well-known.
WORLD CLASS DIVING
Zanzibar is known as one of the premiere destinations in the world for diving. At the Northern tip of the island, in Nungwi and Kendwa you'll find some of the best dive sites. Off the western coast of Nungwi and Kendwa and between Tumbatu island you'll be able to see green turtles and spiny seahorses. Along the Northeastern coast and around Mnemba Atoll you'll find bottlenose dolphins, reef sharks and hawksbill and green turtles in their natural habitats. From Kizimkazi, at the south of the island you'll be able to see schools of dolphins.
Zanzibar features outstanding powder white beaches along its eastern shores, flanked by barrier reefs, and the UNESCO World heritage site of Stone Town on its western edge.
With its location, barrier reef and outstanding beaches Zanzibar can offer all of the attractions that most crave such as scuba diving, stand up paddling, sailing, fresh seafood and much culture and history which can be seen in the outstanding architecture of the historic site.
Zanzibar can offer all of the attractions that most crave such as snorkeling, scuba diving, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and surfing. Explore an amazing natural habitat in Jozani Forest, where you will see indigenous Red Colobus monkeys or book a spice tour for a fascinating glimpse into why this island has become so well-known.
WORLD CLASS DIVING
Zanzibar is known as one of the premiere destinations in the world for diving. At the Northern tip of the island, in Nungwi and Kendwa you'll find some of the best dive sites. Off the western coast of Nungwi and Kendwa and between Tumbatu island you'll be able to see green turtles and spiny seahorses. Along the Northeastern coast and around Mnemba Atoll you'll find bottlenose dolphins, reef sharks and hawksbill and green turtles in their natural habitats. From Kizimkazi, at the south of the island you'll be able to see schools of dolphins.
BEACHES FOR DAYS
At the Northern end of Zanzibar looking out to the island of Tumbatu, Kendwa beach is one of white sand dropping off into azure ocean. Nungwi, the party beach is a short 2 km stroll along the beach, these beaches are perfect for little getaway in paradise.
Paje and Jambiani are popular areas on the southeastern side of the island. Along the coast you will find more secluded and laid back beaches, with kite surfers and fisherman with their local ngalawas out almost daily if the winds are in their favor. These beaches are popular among backpackers and volunteers.
Kiwenga and Pongwe on the northeastern coast is home to the fancier resorts and hotels on the island. Here the beaches stretch with no end in sight.
Whether you're looking for the party beach or the secluded beach that you can lounge in the sun without a soul in sight, Zanzibar has the beach for you.
At the Northern end of Zanzibar looking out to the island of Tumbatu, Kendwa beach is one of white sand dropping off into azure ocean. Nungwi, the party beach is a short 2 km stroll along the beach, these beaches are perfect for little getaway in paradise.
Paje and Jambiani are popular areas on the southeastern side of the island. Along the coast you will find more secluded and laid back beaches, with kite surfers and fisherman with their local ngalawas out almost daily if the winds are in their favor. These beaches are popular among backpackers and volunteers.
Kiwenga and Pongwe on the northeastern coast is home to the fancier resorts and hotels on the island. Here the beaches stretch with no end in sight.
Whether you're looking for the party beach or the secluded beach that you can lounge in the sun without a soul in sight, Zanzibar has the beach for you.
We are here to guide you through. If you have any questions please always feel free to contact us at [email protected].