BeachEasy

Zanzibar Spice Island & Beach Escape

Zanzibar, Tanzania

4.7(284)

Duration

7 Days

Group Size

2-16

Difficulty

Easy

Best Time to Visit

June–October and November–March are both excellent. November–March adds the whale shark experience. June–October brings the famous Zanzibar trade winds and is the best period for kitesurfing at Paje.

Visa & Entry

Tanzania e-visa (USD 50) — apply online before travel. This visa is valid for mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Zanzibar is semi-autonomous but uses the same Tanzanian visa.

Fitness Level

Easy — this is a relaxed beach and cultural itinerary. Snorkeling requires basic swimming ability. All walking tours are leisurely paced.

About This Tour

Zanzibar — the 'Spice Island' — is a world apart. Just 40km off the Tanzanian coast in the Indian Ocean, this coral island has been shaped by centuries of Arab, Persian, Indian, and Portuguese influence into something entirely unique: carved wooden doors and coral-stone palaces in a UNESCO World Heritage medina, spice plantations that supply the world's cloves, vanilla and cardamom, and beaches that genuinely compete with the Maldives for the title of most beautiful on Earth. The northern and eastern shores offer turquoise lagoons perfect for snorkeling over vibrant coral reefs; the southwestern tip of the island reveals the extraordinary phenomenon of the tidal sandbars and the famous kitesurfing winds of Paje. This 7-day itinerary balances cultural exploration — Stone Town's extraordinary history as the once-centre of the East African slave trade — with the unashamed pleasure of lying on a perfect beach watching dhows sail past on the Indian Ocean.