Turquoise waters, white-sand beaches and the historic Stone Town.
Zanzibar is a tropical archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, known for its white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and the historic Stone Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's the perfect complement to a safari.
Zanzibar's Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of carved doors, coral-stone houses and markets that tell the story of the Swahili coast and its trade routes.
Beaches differ by coast: the north (Nungwi, Kendwa) has less tidal variation for swimming; the east coast (Paje, Matemwe) has wide tidal flats, kite-surfing and reef lagoons.
June – October
Dry & breezy
Pleasant temperatures; pairs perfectly with a dry-season safari.
December – February
Hot & dry
Calm seas and warm water.
March – May
Long rains
Some hotels close; good value.
Typical patterns. Wildlife movements follow the rains and vary from year to year.
Dhow Palace HotelMid-range
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Restored merchant house in the Stone Town lanes with courtyard rooms and Zanzibari furniture.
Emerson SpiceLuxury
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Characterful boutique hotel in a restored Swahili mansion, famous for its rooftop tea house.
Park Hyatt ZanzibarPremium Luxury
Stone Town seafront, Zanzibar
Seafront hotel on the Stone Town waterfront combining historic architecture with modern luxury.
Breezes Beach Club & SpaMid-range
Bwejuu, east coast Zanzibar
Relaxed east-coast beach resort with a long white-sand beach, spa and dive centre.
Meliá ZanzibarLuxury
Kiwengwa, northeast coast Zanzibar
Large beachfront resort with a private jetty, multiple pools and villas — well suited to families and honeymooners.
Zuri ZanzibarLuxury
Kendwa, northwest coast Zanzibar
Design-led resort on Kendwa beach with spice garden, west-facing sunsets and swimmable tides.
andBeyond Mnemba IslandPremium Luxury
Mnemba Island, off northeast Zanzibar
Private-island barefoot luxury with bandas on the beach and some of the best snorkelling in East Africa.
8 daysFour safari days, Stone Town and the north coast
A compact safari-and-beach trip: Tarangire, crater and Serengeti, then Stone Town and two beach nights.
10 daysPopular choiceFive days on safari, four nights on the beach
Luxury lodges in the parks and four nights on Zanzibar's east coast to finish.
11 daysPopular choiceSix safari days and four beach nights
A mid-range safari-and-beach holiday with two nights in the southern Serengeti and four on Zanzibar.
11 daysPopular choiceSix safari days, Stone Town and Jambiani
Western and southern Serengeti with walks, then Stone Town and three nights at Jambiani.
11 daysThree Serengeti nights, Eyasi and the north coast
Three nights in the central Serengeti, a crater-rim camp, Lake Eyasi and three beach nights at Nungwi.
14 daysPopular choiceThe full northern loop plus three beach nights
Lake Natron, Loliondo, the western Serengeti, Ndutu, the crater, Manyara and Tarangire, then the beach.
Four to five nights is ideal: one in Stone Town and the rest on the beach.
A Wild Host specialist in Arusha replies with a written itinerary and quotation.
