Weather by month, where to stay, things to do, three ways to add a mainland safari and what it actually costs, everything you need to plan a trip to Tanzania's spice island.
Zanzibar is the one I reach for when a client wants a proper Indian Ocean beach, white sand, warm turquoise water and swaying palms, but also fancies something with a bit more story to it than a sunbed. You have Stone Town's winding alleys and spice markets a short drive from the resort strips, giant tortoises on Prison Island, red colobus monkeys you will not find natively anywhere else on earth, and the whole of mainland Tanzania's safari country within reach if you want to build it in. TUI is the operator I use for Zanzibar, packaging hotel and flights together, and it is the only one of the three operators I sell, TUI, Jet2holidays and easyJet holidays, that currently goes this far.
There is a genuinely exciting change coming too. Right now the flight from the UK still routes via a connection, usually through Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Gulf hub, but TUI has confirmed it is launching its own nonstop charter from London Gatwick twice a week from 3 November 2027, which will make it the only UK package holiday provider flying direct to the island. Sales for that programme opened back on 2 July 2026, so it is already bookable even though the first flight has not left yet.
I always tell clients honestly where we are with the flights. You can book Zanzibar with TUI right now for travel before November 2027 on an indirect routing, or book ahead for the new direct service once it starts. Neither is wrong, it just depends how soon you want to go and how much a shorter total journey time matters to you.
Seven to ten nights is the sweet spot for a pure beach stay, long enough to make the journey worthwhile without feeling like too much time on one island. If you want to add a mainland safari, I'd budget ten to fourteen nights in total so neither half of the trip feels rushed. It suits couples and honeymooners drawn to the quieter northeast coast and the adults only hotels around Nungwi, families who want a straightforward all inclusive base with a kids' club, and divers and snorkellers keen on the reefs and Mnemba Atoll. It is less suited to anyone who needs the shortest possible flight today, since the only nonstop UK service is still just over a year away, or anyone who wants every hotel and excursion already polished for a mass market crowd, parts of Zanzibar still feel wonderfully unpolished.
Everyone arrives into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), just outside Zanzibar City. For now, TUI's own travel information quotes a total journey time of around 14 hours 20 minutes from Gatwick, since there is currently no nonstop UK service and the routing goes via a connection, commonly through Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines, Nairobi with Kenya Airways, or a Gulf hub such as Dubai or Doha. That is about to change. TUI has confirmed its own twice weekly direct charter from London Gatwick, flying every Wednesday and Sunday from 3 November 2027 to 22 March 2028, which it says will make it the only UK package holiday provider flying nonstop to Zanzibar. Separately, the scheduled carrier Air Tanzania has said it plans its own nonstop Gatwick to Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro route from July 2027, though that route is still under development and worth checking closer to the time.
If a client's dates fall before November 2027 I book the indirect routing with TUI as normal, it is a long day but a well trodden one. If they are flexible and happy to wait, I flag the new direct flight too, since a shorter total journey time can be worth planning around for a long haul trip like this.
Zanzibar is warm all year, but it runs on a clear rainy season pattern that is worth planning around.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°C | 25°C | Hot and dry, one of the best months for beach weather |
| February | 33°C | 24°C | The hottest month of the year, still dry |
| March | 32°C | 24°C | The long rains begin, seaweed can reach east coast beaches |
| April | 31°C | 23°C | The wettest month, showers usually come in afternoon bursts with sunnier mornings |
| May | 30°C | 22°C | Long rains tapering off, very quiet and the cheapest time to travel |
| June | 30°C | 21°C | Dry season begins, overlapping with mainland Tanzania's safari season |
| July | 29°C | 19°C | Among the driest months, cooler and pleasant for sightseeing in Stone Town |
| August | 30°C | 19°C | Driest and coolest sea temperature, also the busiest and most expensive month |
| September | 31°C | 19°C | Calm seas, a strong month for diving and fishing |
| October | 31°C | 21°C | Underwater visibility often at its best, a top month for diving |
| November | 32°C | 23°C | The short rains arrive, usually brief morning showers, good value |
| December | 32°C | 24°C | Short rains continue, busy and pricier over Christmas and New Year |
Figures are long-term climate averages for Zanzibar, sourced via climate-zone.com.
The long rains in March, April and May put a lot of clients off, but they are also when prices and crowds are at their lowest, and showers tend to be short, heavy bursts rather than washed out days. I don't rule the shoulder months out automatically, it depends what a client wants from the trip.
January and February are hot, dry and reliable, a great choice if your dates are fixed around that window. June to October is Zanzibar's main dry season and also overlaps with the best safari viewing on the mainland, making it the natural pick for a multi centre trip, though July, August and December are the busiest and most expensive months, with some north coast hotels reaching very high occupancy in August. September and October bring calmer seas and some of the best diving visibility of the year. March to May is the long rains, by far the quietest and cheapest time to go, with the trade off being more frequent showers and some resorts scaling back or closing briefly. November is a good value shoulder month, with the short rains usually limited to brief morning showers rather than ruining the day.
Zanzibar's package hotels cluster along the north and northeast coasts. I split them into two main areas, with Stone Town itself better suited to a night or two of sightseeing than a full beach stay, and the southeast around Jambiani and Paje worth knowing about too for its kitesurfing and more boutique, lower key feel, though it currently has less TUI hotel choice than the north.
Right at the island's northern tip, Nungwi and neighbouring Kendwa have a lively, sociable feel with some of the best sunsets on the island, since the beach faces west. It is where I'd point couples after a bit of nightlife alongside the beach, and where Zanzibar's adults only hotels are concentrated.
A little further round the coast, Kiwengwa and Matemwe are quieter and more spread out, with wide white beaches and the biggest concentration of all inclusive family resorts, including TUI's own hotel brands. This is the area I'd steer families and anyone after a calmer, more resort style stay towards.
Low tide exposes a lot of seaweed and sandbank on some stretches of the east coast, especially Kiwengwa and Matemwe, which catches a few clients out. It doesn't spoil the holiday but I always mention it, and most of the hotels I book have a pool to fall back on either way.
Airport transfers are usually included as part of the TUI package. Zanzibar drives on the left, the same as the UK, but roads vary a lot in quality and almost every client sticks to transfers, taxis and organised day trips rather than self drive. A private driver for the day is easy and inexpensive to arrange through your hotel for trips into Stone Town, Jozani Forest or a spice tour, and is by far the most relaxed way to see the island beyond the resort.
Stone Town, the spice plantations and Zanzibar's marine life give you a genuinely varied list of day trips without ever needing to leave the island.
Four real, bookable picks across Zanzibar's north and northeast coasts. TUI is the operator I use for Zanzibar, so all four of these are booked through TUI.
A simple, sociable hotel directly on Kendwa's beach, with a pool, a spa and an on-site dive centre. A good fit for couples and divers who want a straightforward, lively base without paying for a five star resort. Bookable through TUI.
A 4 star, Fully Inclusive resort set in tropical gardens on Kiwengwa Beach, with family rooms, daily family entertainment, a watersports and dive centre, and excursions such as Stone Town trips and spice tours bookable on site. A dependable, easy going family base. Bookable through TUI.
TUI's own five star brand, right on Muyuni Beach in Matemwe, with several restaurants, a PADI dive centre, a kids' club and suites that stretch up to a deluxe option with a private pool. The one I'd point towards for a client who wants Zanzibar's quieter northeast coast without compromising on polish. Bookable through TUI.
An adults only (18 plus), five star, all inclusive hotel right on Nungwi Beach, with three pools, several restaurants and a spa. A reliable pick for couples and honeymooners who want a polished, grown up base in the liveliest part of the island. Bookable through TUI.
Hotel availability, board basis and pricing change regularly, always confirm the live details with Jake before booking.
A few of the sights worth building into an itinerary beyond the hotel pool.
A UNESCO World Heritage old town of winding coral stone alleys, carved wooden doors, the House of Wonders and Forodhani Gardens' night food market. Usually combined with a spice tour and Prison Island as a full day trip from the beach hotels.
A short boat trip from Stone Town to see Zanzibar's giant Aldabra tortoises, some well over 100 years old, plus decent snorkelling just offshore. An easy, popular half day addition to a Stone Town trip.
Home to the Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found nowhere else on earth natively, plus a mangrove boardwalk through the forest. A genuinely unusual wildlife stop that most clients haven't heard of before I mention it.
A small private island ringed by a coral reef, often nicknamed Zanzibar's answer to the Maldives. Boat trips from Kendwa or Nungwi combine snorkelling here with a good chance of spotting dolphins.
Zanzibar sits a short domestic flight from mainland Tanzania's safari country, and TUI's own Design Your Trip tool sells several real, bookable itineraries that combine beach time on the island with a proper safari. These aren't a generic add-on, each one is a named, priced tour you can book directly. Here are three genuinely different options, from a classic overland circuit to a quicker fly-in version and a lower cost southern alternative.
Three nights on Zanzibar's beaches and in Stone Town, then a domestic flight to Arusha and an overland safari through Lake Natron, the Ngorongoro Crater and Ndutu on the edge of the Serengeti, before flying back for a final three nights on the beach. From £2,241 per person. TUI's "A perfect blend of Zanzibar's beaches and Tanzania's wildlife".
Three nights on Zanzibar, then a short flight straight into the Serengeti for three nights of game drives, a walking safari and a night safari, before flying back for three more nights on the beach. Less time on the road than the classic circuit, for a bit more cost. From £2,396 per person. TUI's "Zanzibar and Fly-in Serengeti".
Zanzibar beach time bookended around a short flight to the Selous (Nyerere) Game Reserve in southern Tanzania, with a shared group game drive, a bush walk and a boat safari on the Rufiji River from a 3 star lodge. The most affordable way to add a genuine safari to a Zanzibar trip. From £1,334 per person. TUI's "Selous Classic Safari 3* and Zanzibar".
Prices shown are TUI's own "from" prices for two adults sharing at time of writing and change regularly with dates and availability. All three are flight-inclusive, ATOL protected tours booked through TUI, separate from the main Zanzibar beach package above.
A safari add-on is the single biggest upgrade I suggest for Zanzibar clients who have the extra few days and budget. The fly-in option suits anyone short on time or who would rather not spend a day on safari roads, while the Selous option is the one I point budget conscious clients towards, since it is noticeably cheaper than the northern circuits without being any less of a real safari.
Zanzibar uses the Tanzanian Shilling. Prices below are shown in pounds sterling with the shilling equivalent alongside, based on a rate of roughly £1 to 2,890 TZS. These are crowd-sourced averages, and prices right on a resort's own doorstep in tourist areas can run a little higher.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Meal for one at an inexpensive restaurant | £4.33 (about TZS 12,500) |
| Meal for two at a mid-range restaurant | £19.90 (about TZS 57,500) |
| Cappuccino | £1.99 (about TZS 5,750) |
| Local draught beer, a pint | £1.73 (about TZS 5,000) |
| Bottled water | £0.29 (about TZS 833) |
| Taxi, start tariff | £3.46 (about TZS 10,000) |
Sources: crowd-sourced averages via Numbeo, checked at time of writing. Shilling to pound sterling conversion is approximate and moves around day to day, so treat these as a guide rather than an exact figure.
The essentials, at a glance.
| Currency | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) |
| Plug type | Type G, the same as the UK. The mains supply is 230V, so no adapter or converter is needed for standard UK appliances |
| Language | Swahili and English are both widely used, with English common across hotels and tourist areas |
| Flight time from the UK | Currently around 14 hours 20 minutes via a connection, typically through Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Gulf hub. TUI's own nonstop charter from Gatwick starts 3 November 2027 |
| Time difference | Zanzibar stays on the same time year round and does not change its clocks, so it is 3 hours ahead of the UK in winter and 2 hours ahead during British Summer Time |
| Entry requirements | UK passport holders need a visa, either an e-visa arranged online before travel or a single-entry visa on arrival, plus mandatory Zanzibar government inbound travel insurance bought online or on arrival, and a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond arrival |
| Driving | Left hand side, the same as the UK |
Photos: Crispin Jones, Camilla Frederiksen, Alferio Njau, Polly Sadler, Anastasiia Derkunskaia, Morgan Nott, Luca Ambrosi, Britt Weckx, Danai Tsoutreli, Matthew Stephenson, Uzuri Safaris Tanzania and Richard Ringel via Unsplash.
I can build a trip around the north coast's nightlife and sunsets, a quieter family base on the northeast coast, add on a mainland safari, or plan somewhere else entirely, around what you're after.
