Zanzibar Archipelago

Back to Tanzania

Every great Tanzania safari deserves a final act, and Zanzibar is ours of choice: an Indian Ocean archipelago of powder-white beaches, turquoise reefs and a thousand years of Swahili, Arab, Indian and Portuguese history written into the carved doorways of Stone Town.

Highlights

The beaches of the east coast — Matemwe, Pongwe, Paje — are the postcard: white sand, kitesurf breezes and barefoot lodges under the palms. UNESCO-listed Stone Town rewards a guided morning among spice markets and merchant palaces, while the reefs off Mnemba Atoll offer the archipelago’s best snorkelling and diving, with dolphins most mornings and green turtles nesting in season.

Best Time to Visit

June to October is dry, breezy perfection, dovetailing exactly with the safari high season. December to February brings hotter, stiller days ideal for diving. We avoid only the long rains of April and May, when many lodges close.

Where to Stay

From private-island exclusivity to barefoot-chic beach houses, we match the lodge to the mood of your journey — honeymoon seclusion, family ease or dive-focused adventure.

The classic pairing is a week on safari and four nights on the sand: see our Serengeti & Zanzibar Honeymoon, or explore all our Tanzania journeys.