Practical
Getting here
Zanzibar is easier to reach from Europe than most people assume, and two of the three things you need to arrange before you travel are done online in twenty minutes. This is what we tell every guest before they book.
Flights from Europe
The most direct routes are through Milan or Rome with Neos, year round, or through Frankfurt with Condor and Discover Airlines, also year round. Madrid is served non-stop by World2Fly during the winter season, roughly nine to ten hours.
From Paris, Air France flies to Zanzibar first and only then continues to Kilimanjaro — around nine hours, which for a Zanzibar traveller is effectively a non-stop. From Zurich, Edelweiss stops at Kilimanjaro first, which brings the total journey to roughly ten and a half hours.
From London there is no non-stop service. The comfortable way is a single stop in Doha, Dubai or Istanbul with Qatar Airways, Emirates or Turkish Airlines, from about thirteen hours in total. The same routing works well from Munich, Vienna and the rest of Austria.
Two things to do before you fly
The e-visa
Apply online at visa.immigration.go.tz. USD 50 for most nationalities, USD 100 for US citizens.
Have ready: a passport valid well beyond your stay, a passport photograph, your return ticket and the address of the villa. It is worth applying early: approval takes a little time and the confirmation is checked on arrival. Keep it on your phone, and a printed copy does no harm.
Mandatory travel insurance
Mandatory for foreign visitors from 1 October 2026: USD 44 per visitor, medical emergency cover, valid for up to 92 days. If Zanzibar is your first point of entry into Tanzania, get your policy online at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz (if you arrive on the mainland first: inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz). One policy covers the whole journey, including trips between Zanzibar and the mainland; a policy bought before 1 October stays valid. Keep the certificate and QR code with you throughout your journey — they may be checked at entry. Travellers from EAC and SADC Partner States are exempt only from the mainland requirement; this is not an automatic exemption for entry into Zanzibar, where the policy is obtained through ZIC.
It is a local requirement rather than a substitute for your own travel insurance — worth keeping both confirmations together.
From the airport to the villa
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) to Zuri Cliff is around 90 minutes by road, south and then east across the island. The road is good for most of the way; the last stretch is quieter and slower.
We know a reliable driver who makes this trip often and will gladly pass on his number — you arrange the ride and the fare directly with him, without any fuss. Tell us your arrival time and we will make sure the villa is ready for you.
Arriving after dark
After a night flight, another ninety minutes from the airport: with us, the drive ends at an open door, even at four in the morning. If you fly home at night, the villa is yours until you leave for the airport.
Rental car
Around the villa you can manage without a car: the Makunduchi fish market and the seaweed farms are within walking distance. For excursions, to Jozani for example, a rental car is worth it.
We have rented from the same man since 2023, straight from the airport. An SUV last cost us around twenty US dollars a day. He is not our partner, but we are happy to give you his number. The Zanzibar Driving Licence, which you need in addition to your own licence, he brings to the handover in print.
When to come
July to September and December to January are the high season: Zanzibar at its driest, sunniest and busiest, around 28 to 31°C. April, May and November are the rains — quieter, cheaper days with occasional showers rather than washouts. March, June and October sit in between: usually still good weather, noticeably fewer people, and lower rates than high season.
Money
Since a change in the law in March 2025, spending on the island is officially settled in Tanzanian shillings. In practice this is no inconvenience: cards are widely accepted in restaurants and convert automatically. Carry some shillings for markets, tuk-tuks and tips. International bookings such as the villa itself are exempt and remain payable in USD. ATMs are reliable in Jambiani and Paje.
Health and safety
The hospital in Makunduchi is in the village itself. The Island Clinic in Jambiani, ten minutes away, is one we have used ourselves and can recommend.
Ninety minutes from the airport, and then nobody but you.
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