Zanzibar Tours: Stone Town, Spice Tours and Indian Ocean Beaches
Zanzibar is Tanzania's island jewel — a place where centuries of Swahili, Arab, Persian and Indian trading history meet some of the finest beaches on the East African coast. Most visitors arrive as an extension after a Serengeti or Ngorongoro safari, but Zanzibar rewards a proper stay in its own right: three or four days is the minimum to see Stone Town, tour a spice plantation and still have real beach time left over.
Stone Town
Stone Town, Zanzibar's UNESCO World Heritage old quarter, is a dense maze of narrow alleys, ornately carved wooden doors and centuries-old coral stone buildings that once formed the centre of the East African slave and spice trade. A half-day walking tour covers the old fort, the House of Wonders, the former slave market and the bustling Darajani food market, and is best paired with dinner at the Forodhani Gardens night food market on the waterfront.
Spice Tours
Zanzibar earned its old nickname, the Spice Island, from the clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla plantations that once dominated its economy, and a spice tour remains one of the island's most popular half-day excursions — walking through working plantations, tasting and smelling spices straight from the plant, and learning how each one is grown, harvested and traded.
Best Beaches
Nungwi and Kendwa, on the island's northern tip, offer the calmest, most swimmable water year-round since they sit outside the tidal zone that affects much of the east coast, and both have a lively selection of beach bars and sunset spots. Paje and Jambiani, on the southeast coast, are the pick for kitesurfing and a quieter, more laid-back atmosphere, with dramatic low-tide reef walks when the water pulls back. See our best beach resorts in Zanzibar guide for a full breakdown by area, and our Zanzibar vs Maldives comparison if you're weighing it against another Indian Ocean option.
Combining Zanzibar with a Safari
Zanzibar's airport connects directly to Arusha, the gateway to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, making it the natural finishing point for a northern Tanzania safari circuit. Our 10-day Serengeti and Zanzibar migration safari is the standard version of this trip, and the island also works well tacked onto a Kilimanjaro climb — see our Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar guide for that pairing.
Best Time to Visit
June to October and December to February are Zanzibar's dry seasons, with the best combination of sunshine and manageable humidity. March to May brings the long rains and is generally avoided by beach travellers, though it's also when prices drop furthest for those who don't mind the occasional downpour.
Ready to plan a Zanzibar holiday? Contact our team for a tailor-made itinerary combining the island with a Tanzania safari or as a standalone beach escape.