Zanzibar — the Swahili island archipelago 35 km off Tanzania’s coast — is East Africa’s most popular beach destination and a natural complement to the Northern Circuit safari. After the dust of the Serengeti and the cold nights on the Ngorongoro rim, the turquoise waters, warm sea breeze, and fresh seafood of Zanzibar provide a sensory counterpoint that makes the safari experience feel complete. The combination of wildlife safari on the mainland followed by 3-5 days on Zanzibar is so popular that the package is marketed by Tanzania tour operators as the “Classic East Africa Experience.” This guide covers how to add Zanzibar to your Northern Circuit self-drive, what to see and do on the island, and the practical logistics.
Getting to Zanzibar from the Northern Circuit
Fly from Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport
The most direct connection from the Northern Circuit to Zanzibar is a flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) to Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ). Precision Air and Coastal Aviation operate direct scheduled services on this route. Flight time: approximately 50 minutes from JRO, 40 minutes from ARK. Fare: USD $80-150 one-way depending on booking lead time and season. Return the vehicle to the rental company in Arusha before your flight — most Arusha rental companies have offices adjacent to the airport or in town with airport drop procedures.
Via Dar es Salaam
A longer connection goes via Dar es Salaam (630 km drive or 1-hour flight from Kilimanjaro), then the fast ferry to Zanzibar (1.5 hours, USD $35-50 one-way, Azam Marine or Sea Express). This option makes sense if you want to add a Dar es Salaam overnight or visit a specific attraction in the city. For most Northern Circuit visitors completing at Arusha, the direct Arusha-Zanzibar flight is faster and simpler.
Stone Town: UNESCO World Heritage Swahili City
Stone Town is Zanzibar’s ancient capital — a dense labyrinth of narrow streets, coral-stone buildings, carved wooden doors, and mosques that has been continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years as a hub of Swahili civilisation and Indian Ocean trade. The town received UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2000. Walking Stone Town is a full day’s activity — the streets have no logical grid and getting lost is part of the experience. Key sites:
- Forodhani Gardens Night Market: The waterfront garden that transforms into a street food market each evening. Grilled seafood, Zanzibar pizza (a unique folded pastry stuffed with meat, egg, and vegetables), fresh sugar cane juice, and mkate wa ufumba (a traditional coconut rice snack). Prices are extremely reasonable — a full seafood dinner costs USD $5-10. This is the best introduction to Zanzibari food and street culture.
- House of Wonders (Beit al Ajaib): The former palace of Sultan Barghash (built 1883), once the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa and the first building in East Africa with electric lights and an elevator. Now a museum of Swahili cultural history. Currently under restoration (check current opening status on arrival).
- Old Fort (Arab Fort): Built by Omani Arabs in the 1690s on the site of a Portuguese chapel, the fort is now an open cultural centre with performances, craft markets, and an outdoor restaurant. The stone walls and bastions are intact. Free entry to the grounds.
- Slave Market Memorial: Zanzibar was one of East Africa’s primary slave trade hubs — at its peak in the 1860s, 50,000 slaves per year passed through Zanzibar’s market. The former slave market site now houses the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral (built 1873 by the freed slaves themselves) and a poignant underground chamber that served as a slave holding pen. Entry to the chambers: USD $3. One of the most important historical sites in East Africa for understanding the region’s history.
Beaches: The North and East Coasts
Nungwi (North Coast)
Nungwi is Zanzibar’s most developed beach resort — a large fishing village at the island’s northern tip with 3 km of white sand beach, calm turquoise water (no seaweed, unlike some east coast beaches at low tide), and a full range of accommodation from budget guesthouses (USD $20-30/night) to boutique hotels (USD $200-350/night). The beach sunset from the northwest-facing section of Nungwi is spectacular — a wide western horizon with dhow silhouettes in the late light. Turtle conservation project (Mnarani Marine Turtles Conservation Pond) is a free visit attraction near the village.
Matemwe and Mnemba Atoll (Northeast)
The northeast coast around Matemwe is quieter than Nungwi and fronts the Mnemba Atoll Marine Conservation Area — one of East Africa’s finest snorkelling and diving sites. The Mnemba Atoll (a small island with a private resort) is surrounded by a protected reef with dolphin, turtle, and abundant coral fish. Day trips to Mnemba for snorkelling cost USD $40-60 per person departing from Matemwe beach. &Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge is the ultimate luxury option (USD $1,500+/night), accessible only by speedboat from Matemwe.
The Spice Tour: Zanzibar’s Original Tourism Activity
Zanzibar was historically known as the “Spice Island” — the world’s largest producer of cloves for much of the 19th century, and a significant producer of nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and pepper. Spice farm tours (approximately USD $20-25 per person, 3 hours, available through any Stone Town tour operator) visit working spice farms in the island’s interior, where guide-farmers identify and explain the cultivation of 15-20 different spices and tropical fruits. The tour includes tasting sessions — freshly grated nutmeg, star anise pods, cinnamon bark, vanilla orchid flowers, jackfruit, and lemongrass in their natural forms. It is sensory, educational, and genuinely unlike anything available in the national park circuit. The farms are accessible by local dala-dala minibus from Stone Town (30 minutes, USD $1) or by pre-arranged vehicle from your hotel.
Recommended Zanzibar Length and Combined Itinerary
Three nights minimum allows: 1 day Stone Town (arrival and full town exploration), 1 day spice tour and beach (move to north coast hotel), 1 day beach and snorkelling. Five nights is better: adds a second full beach day, the Mnemba Atoll snorkelling trip, a sunset dhow cruise (USD $30/person, operators available at most north coast hotels), and more thorough Stone Town exploration. The optimal combined Tanzania itinerary: 7 days Northern Circuit (Tarangire-Manyara-Ngorongoro-Serengeti) + 3-5 days Zanzibar = a 10-12 day Tanzania experience that covers everything from elephant under Kilimanjaro to Swahili food on the Indian Ocean coast.
