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 seasonally by World2Fly.
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 Munich, Austria or the UK, the comfortable way is through Doha, Dubai or Istanbul with the Gulf and Turkish carriers.
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. Do it well before departure rather than on arrival.
The ZIC travel insurance
Compulsory for all visitors to Zanzibar since 2024, booked at visitzanzibar.go.tz for USD 44 per person. Book it a few days ahead — it is checked on arrival.
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. We are happy to arrange the transfer on request, so that someone is waiting for you at arrivals rather than you negotiating on the forecourt after a long flight.
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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