Zanzibar

Tanzania

A 10-day trip to Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a spice island of stone town and white sand — Swahili doors, dhows, and the turquoise Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago off Tanzania — a Swahili-Arab world of a carved-door Stone Town, spice plantations, and some of the Indian Ocean's best beaches.

The split is Stone Town for culture (carved doors, the slave-trade history, the night market) and the east and north coasts for beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa, Paje). Combine the two: a couple of days in Stone Town and a beach week on the coast.

It's the perfect end to an East African safari — but it stands alone too. Go in the dry seasons (June–October, December–February); the long rains hit March–May. It's Muslim — dress modestly in Stone Town and villages.

Trip length

10 days

Best time to go

June–October and December–February

What your 10-day plan includes

  • A day-by-day itinerary with neighborhoods clustered so you spend less time in transit.
  • Real budget awareness — a target, an estimate, and a status you can dial up or down.
  • Recommendations shaped by your pace, food priorities, group, and must-dos.
  • Swap anything, improve any day, refine in any direction without starting over.

How to plan 10 days in Zanzibar

  • Split the trip: 2 days Stone Town + a beach stay on the north or east coast.
  • Swim on the north coast — the east tide goes out far, so you can't always swim.
  • Dress modestly in Stone Town and villages; the beaches are more relaxed.
  • End an East African safari here — it's the classic combination.
  • Carry USD cash in small bills for tips, taxis, and markets.

Build your 10-day Zanzibar trip

Tell us who you're with and how you travel. We'll build the days around you — not a template.

Build my Zanzibar trip

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