The Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar crossing is one of the most common day-trip or extension questions asked by Tanzania mainland self-drive visitors — and the single most important logistical fact about the Dar to Zanzibar route for hire vehicle visitors is that private vehicles cannot be taken to Zanzibar on the standard passenger ferry. The Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar ferry options (Azam Marine, Sea Bus) carry foot passengers only — a self-drive visitor arrives at the Dar ferry terminal, parks the hire vehicle in a secure Dar es Salaam car park (or leaves it at the hire depot), crosses to Zanzibar as a foot passenger, and returns to the mainland by the same ferry route. This guide covers the full Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar options for 2027/2028 Tanzania self-drive visitors.
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Ferry
Azam Marine (Main Operator)
- Crossing time: Approximately 2 hours (Dar es Salaam Bandari ferry terminal to Zanzibar Stone Town port)
- Price (economy class): USD 35 per person one-way, USD 65 return
- Price (business class): USD 50 per person one-way
- Departures: Multiple daily departures from approximately 7am to 4pm — check Azam Marine schedule in advance as times change seasonally
- Vehicle permitted: Foot passengers only. No hire vehicles can be transported to Zanzibar on the Azam passenger ferry.
- Booking: Tickets available at the Dar es Salaam Bandari terminal ticket window (arrive 45 minutes before departure to queue) or through local travel agents in Dar
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Fly
- Operators: Precision Air, Coastal Aviation, Auric Air — multiple daily flights from Dar Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR, Terminal 2) to Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume Airport (ZNZ)
- Flight time: 20 minutes
- Price: USD 60 to 90 per person one-way depending on airline and booking timing
- Advantage: Avoids ferry seasickness (Indian Ocean swells can be rough during the northeast monsoon November to March and southeast monsoon April to May). Flight timing is more predictable than ferry crossing.
Where to Park the Hire Vehicle in Dar es Salaam
Self-drive visitors taking the Dar to Zanzibar ferry or flight must leave the hire vehicle on the mainland. Options:
- Return vehicle to hire depot: If the Dar es Salaam visit is the end of the mainland self-drive circuit, return the vehicle to the hire company depot before crossing to Zanzibar. Most Dar hire companies are near the Dar CBD or the Posta/Kariakoo area. This is the cleanest solution — no parked vehicle to worry about during the Zanzibar stay.
- Hotel secure parking: If continuing with the hire vehicle after Zanzibar, park at a Dar hotel with secure gated parking (negotiate with the hotel for extended parking fees). The peninsula hotels in Masaki and Oyster Bay have secure parking within 15 minutes of the ferry terminal.
- Bandari terminal paid parking: The ferry terminal area has paid parking — but leaving a hire vehicle unattended for multiple days at port-area parking is not recommended by hire companies due to vehicle security.
Zanzibar Self-Drive: Can You Hire a Vehicle on Zanzibar?
Yes — Zanzibar island has a local hire vehicle industry (scooters, small saloon cars, and some SUVs available from Stone Town hire operators). Zanzibar’s main road to the north (Nungwi) and east coast (Paje, Jambiani) is tarmac and manageable in a small saloon car — Zanzibar does not require a 4WD. For a self-drive visitor arriving from Dar, the standard approach is to hire a Zanzibar-local saloon car for the island portion of the trip (USD 40 to 60/day) and keep the mainland 4×4 at the hire depot until return.
