Zanzibar guide
Things to Do in Zanzibar
From the reef at Mnemba to the lanes of Stone Town: 28 trips, grouped by interest, with the price, how long it takes and where it starts. Every tour is private.
Updated 2026-10-28, by the Suntrip Zanzibar team
This list covers everything we run on the island, with our private price, how long each trip takes and which hotel areas get pickup included. Prices are per person unless the line says otherwise. If your hotel is in another area, a return transfer is added per vehicle (up to 6 guests): see transfer prices.
On the water
Zanzibar's reefs, sandbanks and dhows. Many sea trips are timed to the tide, so we confirm the start time when you book.
1. Mnemba Island Snorkeling Trip
Snorkel the reefs of the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area off the north-east coast.
Pickup included from: North-east coast, North coast. The government Mnemba conservation fee for non-East African visitors is $25 per adult and $10 per child (under-5s free). We confirm whether it is in your price when you book.
2. Menai Bay Full-Day Dhow Excursion
A full day by dhow from Fumba: sandbank, snorkelling, a seafood lunch on Kwale Island and a mangrove lagoon.
Pickup included from: West coast. Popular with families. Life jackets on board. The lagoon swim depends on the tide.
3. Prison Island Boat Trip
A short boat ride from Stone Town to meet the Aldabra giant tortoises of Changuu Island, with time to snorkel.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Island and marine fees are $22 per visitor ($12 entry + $10 marine conservation, since 1 Sep 2025). We confirm what is included when you book.
4. Nakupenda Sandbank Excursion
Swim, snorkel and relax on a white sandbank off Stone Town, with an optional seafood lunch.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Good for families who are comfortable on a small boat. Bring sun protection for children, since shade is limited.
5. Blue Lagoon Snorkeling Trip
An easy snorkel in the shallow Blue Lagoon off the Michamvi peninsula, timed to the tide.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. One of the best snorkel trips for children. Life jackets provided.
6. Pungume Island & Sandbank Trip
Sail from Kizimkazi to Pungume sandbank in Menai Bay: snorkelling, a beach BBQ and quiet water.
Pickup included from: South tip. Good for families. Life jackets on board.
7. Zanzibar Sunset Dhow Cruise
Two hours under sail along the Stone Town waterfront as the sun goes down over the channel.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Families are welcome. Life jackets on board.
Stone Town, food and culture
History, spices and the people who keep Zanzibar's traditions going.
8. Stone Town Historical Walking Tour
Carved doors, the Old Fort, Darajani Market and the slave trade memorial with a licensed local guide.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees. Lanes are narrow and uneven: use a baby carrier, not a pushchair.
9. Stone Town Street Food Tour
An evening tasting walk: Zanzibar pizza, urojo, mishkaki skewers and fresh sugarcane juice.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Families welcome. Tell us about any food allergies.
10. Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour
Smell, taste and learn about cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon on a working farm outside Stone Town.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Very good for children. Paths are flat and the tasting keeps them busy.
11. Zanzibar Swahili Cooking Class
Cook a Swahili lunch with a local host: coconut curry, pilau and chapati, with an optional market visit.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport, South-east coast. Children are welcome and enjoy rolling chapati. Knife work is supervised.
12. Village & Seaweed Farming Experience
Walk out at low tide with women seaweed farmers on the south-east coast and see village life.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. Water shoes are essential because of sea urchins.
13. Cultural Village & Dhow-Building Experience
Watch boatbuilders shape wooden dhows by hand on Nungwi beach, then walk the fishing village.
Pickup included from: North coast. Good for curious children. Keep them away from tools and boats on supports.
Wildlife and nature
Monkeys found nowhere else, wild dolphins, sea turtles and mangroves.
14. Jozani Forest Tour
Zanzibar's only national park: red colobus monkeys, forest trails and a mangrove boardwalk.
Starts at Jozani Forest (transfer from every area). Easy walking on flat paths. Children must stay with an adult and must not feed or touch the monkeys.
15. Kizimkazi Dolphin Excursion
Early-morning dolphin watching from Kizimkazi with crews briefed not to chase or crowd the pods.
Pickup included from: South tip. Sightings are likely but never guaranteed. Good crews keep their distance and never chase the dolphins.
16. Salaam Cave Sea Turtle Swim
Swim with sea turtles in a natural cave pool at Kizimkazi, on Zanzibar's southern tip.
Pickup included from: South tip. Popular with children who can swim. A guide stays with the group in the water.
17. Nungwi Sea Turtle Experience
Visit the community-run turtle conservation pond beside Nungwi lighthouse, then walk the village.
Pickup included from: North coast. A good short activity for children. Keep hands out of the water unless a keeper says otherwise.
18. Mangrove Kayaking Tour
Paddle through quiet mangrove channels at high tide with a local guide, in clear or standard kayaks.
Pickup included from: South-east coast, West coast. Children can paddle in a double kayak with an adult.
19. Chumbe Island Excursion
A day at Chumbe Island Coral Park: protected reef snorkelling, a forest trail and lunch.
Pickup included from: Stone Town & airport. Children are welcome. The park sets child rates.
Adventure and caves
For days with more energy, or a cool swim underground.
20. Quad Bike Adventure
Ride village tracks, farmland and coastal paths around Nungwi and Kendwa with a guide on a separate quad.
Pickup included from: North coast, North-east coast. Priced per quad for up to 2 riders. The operator sets the minimum age to drive.
21. Jet Ski Ride
Ride a jet ski with an instructor off Nungwi, Kendwa or Matemwe, with drone photos as an option.
Pickup included from: North coast, North-east coast. Children can ride as passengers with an adult. The operator sets the minimum age to drive.
22. Beach Horse Riding
Ride along the beach and through coastal villages, with a swim with the horse as an option.
Pickup included from: North coast, North-east coast, South-east coast. Riders up to about 85 kg, for the horses' welfare.
23. Beginner Scuba Diving
Try scuba diving for the first time with a certified dive centre: theory, shallow practice and a guided reef dive.
Pickup included from: North-east coast, North coast. Do not plan a flight, including the Mikumi charter, for at least 18 hours after two dives (DAN guideline).
24. Paje Kitesurfing Lessons
Learn to kitesurf in Paje's shallow lagoon with certified instructors, timed around wind and tide.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. Minimum age and weight are set by the kite school. Ask us before booking for anyone under 16.
25. Kuza Cave & Jambiani Tour
Swim in a freshwater cave pool near Jambiani and walk the village with a local guide.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. Swimming is optional. Children should be confident swimmers or stay on the steps with an adult.
26. Maalum Cave Experience
A reserved time slot at Maalum, the privately run natural cave pool near Paje.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. The pool is deep. Children need to be confident swimmers or stay with an adult at the edge.
27. The Rock Restaurant & Michamvi Excursion
Lunch at the restaurant on a tidal rock off Pingwe beach, then the quiet bay side of the Michamvi peninsula.
Pickup included from: South-east coast. At low tide you walk out; at high tide a small boat takes you. Book well ahead: it is busy.
A safari day trip from Zanzibar
28. Mikumi National Park day safari
A charter flight from Zanzibar to Mikumi, a full day of game drives and lunch in the park, and back at your hotel the same evening. Mikumi has lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and hippo; rhino have been absent for about three decades, so it is not a Big Five park.
Hotel pickup included from every area. Keep it on a different day from diving. How to combine a safari with your beach stay.
How to choose: three quick rules
- Start from where you stay. The north-east and north are closest to Mnemba; Stone Town to Prison Island and the sandbanks; the south-east to Jozani, the caves, The Rock and the Blue Lagoon. See where to stay in Zanzibar.
- One big trip a day. A full-day boat trip plus a long drive is tiring, especially with children. Pair short activities instead: see combination tours.
- Let the tide decide the order. Sandbanks, the Blue Lagoon, seaweed farms and mangroves depend on the tide, so their times move every day.
Questions and answers
What is the most popular thing to do in Zanzibar?
Snorkelling at Mnemba, a Stone Town walking tour and Prison Island are the trips most guests book. Jozani Forest is the most popular nature trip.
How many days do I need in Zanzibar?
With 5 to 7 days you can do three or four trips and still have beach days. Add one day if you want a Mikumi safari.
Are these tours private?
Yes. Every tour on this page is private: your own guide, boat or vehicle, never shared with strangers.
Do prices include hotel pickup?
Pickup is included when your hotel is in the same area as the start of the trip. From other areas, a return transfer is charged per vehicle for up to 6 guests.
What can I do in Zanzibar when it rains?
Stone Town walks, the spice farm, the cooking class, the cave pools and Jozani Forest all work in light rain. Sea trips may move to another day if the sea is unsafe.
Sources
- The Citizen: Zanzibar revises marine conservation entry fees (2025)
- Divers Alert Network: Guidelines for flying after diving
- The Citizen: Tanapa to reintroduce rhinos in Mikumi (2023)
Prices and rules change. Last checked 2026-10-28. Tour prices are our own and are confirmed before you pay.
Safari and beach
Add a safari to your beach holiday
Mikumi National Park is a 45-minute charter flight from Zanzibar. Fly in for a full day of game drives and be back at your hotel the same evening: see our 1-day private Mikumi safari or the lower-priced sharing safari.
Dreaming of the Serengeti and the Great Migration? Our sister site, Serengeti Safari from Zanzibar, plans private fly-in Serengeti safaris of 1 to 5 days, with flights straight from Zanzibar.