AFTER THE SAFARI · ZANZIBAR · TANZANIA
The Safari Ends.
The Island Begins.
Most of our travelers don't come to Tanzania for Zanzibar alone — they come for the safari, and discover that a few days on the island is the perfect way to close the journey. We book everything together as part of your itinerary.
15+ years operating | Tanzanian Owned & Led | TALA Licensed | 27+ countries represented
This is an extension, not a separate trip. If you’re interested in a Zanzibar beach holiday, we can book transfers, accommodation, and activities as part of the same itinerary. As tour operators, we can often access better rates than booking directly.
[ OVERVIEW ]
A Different Pace, After the Plains
After days of early starts, dust, and game drives, Zanzibar offers something the savanna doesn't: stillness. White sand, warm water, the slow rhythm of Stone Town's alleys, and the option to do absolutely nothing for a while.
Our Misele Team are frequenters of the island and know it well. What we do is make the transition from safari to beach seamless. We book your transfers, select and confirm accommodation at rates we can often negotiate as tour operators, and arrange any activities you want done in advance. One itinerary, one point of contact, no second booking process to manage when you get home from the bush.
Save three or more nights for Zanzibar, if you can — long enough to properly unwind.
[ WHAT WE BOOK ]
Three things, Taken Care Of
These are the key pieces that matter for your Zanzibar holiday, and the ones we’ve arranged for travelers many times before. All of our selections on the island are personally curated by our Misele Team, so you know it is quality you are getting.
Transfers & Logistics
A domestic flight from Arusha to Zanzibar, a vehicle waiting at the airport to transport you to your beach vacation. If you want to move between the areas of the island mid-stay, we arrange that too — all coordinated to connect smoothly with the end of your safari.
Hotel Bookings
We curate a short list matched to your style and budget — whether that's a boutique Stone Town riad, a quiet beachfront lodge on the east coast, or a livelier resort up north. As local tour operators we frequently secure better rates than guests booking directly, and you're dealing with properties we know and trust rather than something selected from a search engine.
Activity Bookings
If you want activities pre-arranged rather than worked out on arrival, we book them as part of your itinerary — a Stone Town walking tour, a spice farm visit, a snorkeling trip, a sunset dhow cruise. Nothing is mandatory; we take your lead on how much or how little you want planned.
[ WHAT TO DO ]
Interesting options around the island — none of these are obligatory. Some travelers want a full program, others want nothing booked at all. We arrange whichever suits you, and let the rest take care of itself.
Zanzibar Activities
CULTURE
Stone Town walking tour
A guided walk through the old city's medina-like streets — past the former slave market, the House of Wonders, and the spice merchants of Darajani Market. Two to three hours with a knowledgeable local guide gives the place its full depth.
CULTURE
Spice farm visit
Zanzibar was once the world's largest clove producer, and the interior of the island still carries the fragrance of it. A spice farm tour takes you through growing vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper — usually combined with a farm lunch. Unhurried and genuinely interesting.
EVENING
Sunset dhow cruise
A traditional wooden dhow, cold drinks, and the Indian Ocean turning gold around you. Departs from Stone Town's waterfront in the late afternoon. Simple, unhurried, and one of the better ways to end a day on the island.
OCEAN
Mnemba Atoll snorkeling
A small coral atoll off the northeast coast and one of the finest snorkeling and diving sites in the Indian Ocean. Boats depart from Matemwe. The reef hosts hawksbill turtles, spinner dolphins, and exceptional coral formations. Worth arranging in advance, particularly in peak season.
OCEAN
Sandbank trip
A dhow out to a shifting sandbank in the middle of the channel — usually combined with snorkeling, a grilled seafood lunch, and a swim in open water. One of the most distinctly Zanzibari experiences available, and one that disappears with the tide.
NATURE
Jozani Forest
The island's only national park and home to the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey — found nowhere else on Earth. A short walk through the forest's mahogany and fig trees brings you within a few meters of troops habituated to visitors. Often combined with a mangrove boardwalk trail nearby.
[ AREAS OF THE ISLAND ]
Zanzibar is not one place
The island has distinct personalities depending on where you stay. Knowing the difference helps us match you to the right base — and the right hotel within it.
HISTORIC CENTRE
Stone Town
The island's UNESCO-listed old city — a dense labyrinth of carved doorways, Arab-influenced architecture, spice markets, and rooftop restaurants. Not a beach destination, but an extraordinary place to spend a night or two, particularly at the start of your stay while the contrast with the bush is still fresh.
CULTURE · HISTORY · DINING
NORTHWEST COAST
Nungwi & Kendwa
The most developed stretch of Zanzibar's coastline — long white beaches, calm turquoise water, and a lively atmosphere with restaurants and beach bars. The north doesn't experience the tidal extremes that affect the east coast, so swimming is good at most hours. Best suited to travelers who want activity and social energy alongside the beach.
SUNSETS · NIGHTLIFE · SWIMMING · LIVELY
SOUTHEAST COAST
Jambiani & Paje
The southeast coast is Zanzibar's kitesurfing heartland — consistent trade winds make Paje one of the most popular kitesurfing destinations in Africa. Jambiani, just north, is calmer and more village-like. Both offer an unhurried atmosphere and good access to the Jozani Forest, home to the endemic red colobus monkey.
KITESURFING · JOZANI FOREST · DOLPHINS
EAST COAST
Matemwe & Kiwengwa
The quieter, more dramatic side of the island — long stretches of beach with far fewer people, shallow turquoise flats at low tide, and a more contemplative pace. The east coast is the right choice for travelers who want genuine quiet after an intense safari. Matemwe is also the departure point for Mnemba Atoll snorkeling and diving, one of the best in the Indian Ocean.
QUIET · LONG BEACHES · SNORKELING
Interested in more than one location? Let us know — we can recommend how long in each place and help to arrange the island transfer.
[ PLANNING GUIDANCE ]
How long, and when to go
TYPICAL DURATION
3-4 Nights
Long enough to settle into the slower pace and properly unwind after your safari, without feeling like a second trip bolted onto the first. Travelers on longer safaris (8+ days) sometimes extend to 5–6 nights. We're happy to plan around whatever works for your schedule and budget.
GETTING THERE
Direct from Arusha, Kilimanjaro, or even the Serengeti
The most common approach: fly directly to Zanzibar at the end of your safari, so the whole trip flows as one journey. Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, and Flightlink operate scheduled domestic flights. During peak seasons, some carriers will service the Serengeti Seronera Airstrip to Zanzibar.
Zanzibar's weather is generally warm year-round, though the long rains (March–May) bring humid, overcast conditions most travelers prefer to avoid. If you're already planning safari dates with us, we'll flag the Zanzibar weather picture at the same time — no separate research needed.
[ HOW IT WORKS ]
One Conversation, One Itinerary
Adding Zanzibar doesn’t meant a separate booking process. It happens as part of the same planning conversation as your safari.
01
Mention it when you inquire
When we're designing your safari, let us know you'd like to add time in Zanzibar afterward — even a rough idea of how many days and what kind of stay you're after is enough to start.
02
We suggest and book
Based on your travel style and budget, we recommend a small number of hotels across the relevant area of the island, confirm your preferred option, and arrange any activities you want pre-booked — often at rates better than booking direct.
03
It’s part of your itinerary
Flights or ferry, transfers, accommodation, and activities are all confirmed alongside your safari arrangements — one itinerary document, one trip, start to finish.
Add Zanzibar to Your Safari
Tell us about your safari plans and how many nights on the island you're thinking — you'll hear back from a real person from our Misele Team who knows Tanzania safaris and Zanzibar extensively.
Your details are never shared. We respond personally, usually within a few hours.