Skip to main content

Active Kilitop and Safaris

'
Zanzibar beach with dhows
Home/Safari plans/Zanzibar, After the Safari
Safari plan · 5 days · Zanzibar coast · Midrange

Zanzibar, After the Safari

The way most of our safaris end: a short flight to the island, one night in Stone Town’s narrow streets, a morning walk and a spice farm, then three nights on the east coast at Paje with nothing asked of you.

ArushaStone TownPaje
Request a quote →See the days
Download this itinerary ↓
Length5 days · 4 nights
PlacesStone Town, Paje
Starts & endsArusha or Kilimanjaro / Zanzibar Airport
ComfortMidrange town hotel & beach hotel
Best monthsJune–October, December–February
OverviewThe routeDay by dayRatesWhere you sleepIncludedAdd-onsWhen to goFlights & extrasFAQEnquire
Download PDF ↓
IOverview

One night in the old town, three on the beach, and nothing that starts at dawn.

An extension, not a safari: you arrive from the northern circuit, and the island is the other half of Tanzania. One night in Stone Town, the old trading town on the west coast, a guided walk through it in the morning and a spice farm on the way east, then three nights at Paje with the reef, the lagoon and the tide.

There is no vehicle waiting all week and no guide beside you. A driver meets you and moves you between places, and a local guide takes the Stone Town walk and the spice farm. The beach days are empty on purpose. If you want to swim at any hour of the day, the east coast is the wrong choice — it is tidal — and the variations below move you north.

Major attractions · 3
  1. 01Stone Town
  2. 02A spice farm
  3. 03Paje and the east coast
Trip detailsPrivate
Tour length
5 days · 4 nights
Country
Tanzania (Zanzibar)
Start / end
Arusha or Kilimanjaro in · Zanzibar (ZNZ) out
Accommodation
Midrange
Tour type
Private transfers and guided visits
Group size
Maximum per transfer vehicle
Meal plan
Hotel meal plan
Best period
Jun–Oct · Dec–Feb
Activity level
Easy — one walking morning
Request a free quote →Questions? WhatsApp +255 762 914 714
IIThe route

A short flight, then across the island by road.

5 days, 4 nights, 2 places to sleep. The solid line is this plan; the dotted lines are the other roads through the region. Point at a day to see its leg.

Route map: Arusha to Stone Town by air, then by road to Paje on the east coast Kilimanjaro NP Kibo Arusha NP Zanzibar N Arusha Stone Town Paje
  1. 01Arusha or Kilimanjaro → Stone Town~1½ h flight · ~½ h road
  2. 02Stone Town → spice farm → Paje~1½ h road
  3. 03PajeTravel home
  4. 04Paje~½ h road
  5. 05Paje → Zanzibar Airport~1 h road
Overnight stopPassing throughSchematic, roughly to scale
IIIDay by day

Five days, one at a time.

Each day lands on top of the last as you scroll: honest road time, game time, meals and where you sleep. Times are door to door in a safari vehicle and move with the season and what you stop for.

Carved wooden door on a narrow street in Stone Town, Zanzibar — 1600×1200
Stone TownADD IMAGE · Carved wooden door on a narrow street in Stone Town, Zanzibar
01/ 05

A domestic flight from Arusha or Kilimanjaro, then a short drive into the old town.

06°10′S 39°11′EDay 1 · Arusha or Kilimanjaro → Stone Town

From the safari to Stone Town

Travel
~1½ h flight + ~½ h road
Game viewing
No game drive
Meals
Per hotel plan
Sleep
Small town-house hotel
  1. Morning or midday

    Your safari guide leaves you at Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport for the scheduled flight to Zanzibar, roughly an hour or a little more.

  2. Afternoon

    Met at Zanzibar airport by a driver and taken into Stone Town, usually well under half an hour.

  3. Evening

    Sunset on the seafront and dinner in the old town. The streets are narrow and easy to get lost in; that is part of it.

Dress in town

Stone Town is largely Muslim. Covering shoulders and knees in the streets is respectful and expected; beachwear is for the beach.

Cloves and nutmeg drying on a spice farm, Zanzibar — 1600×1200
PajeADD IMAGE · Cloves and nutmeg drying on a spice farm, Zanzibar
02/ 05

A walking morning, a spice farm, and roughly an hour across the island to Paje.

06°16′S 39°32′EDay 2 · Stone Town → spice farm → Paje

Stone Town on foot, a spice farm, then the coast

Travel
~1½ h road
Game viewing
No game drive
Meals
Breakfast; other meals per hotel plan
Sleep
Small beach hotel
  1. Morning

    A guided walk through Stone Town with a local guide: the markets, the old merchants’ houses, the history of the town and its trade.

  2. Midday

    A spice farm in the countryside outside town, where you see cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla growing and taste what you are shown.

  3. Afternoon

    Across the island to Paje on the east coast, roughly an hour. Check in and find the beach before dinner.

Zanzibar beach with dhows
Zanzibar
03/ 05

No vehicle, no timetable.

06°16′S 39°32′EDay 3 · Paje

Paje, the beach and the lagoon

Travel
No transfer
Game viewing
No game drive
Meals
Breakfast; other meals per hotel plan
Sleep
Same hotel
  1. Morning

    The east coast is tidal. At low tide the sea goes a long way out and you walk the flats and the seaweed farms; at high tide it comes up to the beach and you swim.

  2. Afternoon

    Paje is well known for kitesurfing in the windy months. Lessons are run from the beach by local schools; we can point you to one, or you can simply watch.

The tide

Check the tide times at the hotel each morning. They decide when you swim.

Zanzibar red colobus monkey in Jozani forest — 1600×1200
PajeADD IMAGE · Zanzibar red colobus monkey in Jozani forest
04/ 05

One option close by, or another empty day.

06°16′S 39°32′EDay 4 · Paje

Jozani forest, or nothing at all

Travel
~½ h road
Game viewing
No game drive
Meals
Breakfast; other meals per hotel plan
Sleep
Same hotel
  1. Morning

    If you want to: Jozani forest, a short drive from Paje, is the home of the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found only on the island. A local guide walks you through the forest and the mangrove boardwalk.

  2. Afternoon

    Back for the high tide, or stay on the beach all day and skip Jozani entirely.

Road through palm groves on Zanzibar — 1600×1200
Zanzibar AirportADD IMAGE · Road through palm groves on Zanzibar
05/ 05

Roughly an hour by road to the airport.

06°10′S 39°11′EDay 5 · Paje → Zanzibar Airport

To the airport and home

Travel
~1 h road
Game viewing
No game drive
Meals
Breakfast
Sleep
Homeward
  1. Morning

    Breakfast and check-out. Ask the hotel about a late room if your flight is in the evening; it is not always possible.

  2. Departure

    A driver takes you to Zanzibar airport, roughly an hour, timed to your flight.

IVRates

Priced by group size, because the vehicle is shared.

Park fees, accommodation, vehicle, guide and meals as listed — per person, no booking fees. Rates move with the month and lodge availability; your quote is fixed once you book.

Midrange · price per person, sharing
Group size1 person2 people3 people4 people5 people6 people
From yearraterateraterateraterate
Single supplementamount
Children

Child policy: ages, sharing discount, lodge minimum ages

What moves the price

What changes itHow much

  • The month you travel

    The dry months and the Christmas weeks are peak rates on the island. April and May are the lowest, and some hotels close.

  • Where you sleep

    A villa with its own pool can cost several times a standard room in the same hotel.

  • The meal plan

    Bed and breakfast, half board or all-inclusive changes the price more than people expect.

  • The domestic flight

    One scheduled flight from the mainland, priced per seat.

  • What you add

    Excursions and water sports are paid per person, on their own lines.

Not sure which level suits you? Tell us your dates, group and budget and we will send an itemised quote with named properties.

Request a free quote →
On request
On request
VWhere you sleep

Two places in four nights: Stone Town, then the east coast.

Each night is described by type first, because the right camp depends on your month. The properties we normally use at each level are listed below; your quote confirms them against availability.

Night 11×

Stone Town

Small town-house hotel

One night inside the old town means the evening and the morning walk without a drive in.

Midrange here means
En-suite room, air-conditioning or fans, often a rooftop.
Step up
A restored merchant’s house with a sea-facing roof terrace.
Nights 2–43×

Paje, east coast

Small beach hotel

Three nights is enough to stop moving. Paje is quieter than the north of the island.

Midrange here means
En-suite room, fan or air-conditioning, pool or direct beach access.
Step up
A villa or suite set apart, with its own plunge pool.

The properties we use

WhereMidrangeLuxury
Stone Townpropertyproperty
Paje, east coastpropertyproperty

What ‘midrange’ means on this trip

  • En-suite everywhere. Your own bathroom every night.
  • Cooling. Air-conditioning or good fans; the coast is humid most of the year.
  • Power. Mains, with the occasional cut; hotels usually have a generator.
  • Food. The meal plan depends on the hotel — your quote will say which, and what is extra.
VIThe fine print

What is in the price, and what isn’t.

✓Included

  • Private transfersAirport to Stone Town, Stone Town to Paje, Paje to the airport
  • Domestic flightArusha or Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar
  • Guided Stone Town walkWith a local guide
  • Spice farm visitWith a local guide
  • Four nights’ accommodationAs described above
  • Meals as your quote lists themDepends on the hotel chosen

–Not included

  • International flights
  • Travel insuranceRequired. It must cover medical evacuation
  • Tips for drivers, guides and hotel staffWe send guidance with your booking
  • DrinksUnless the hotel includes them
  • Jozani forestOptional; priced on request
  • Water sportsKitesurfing, diving, snorkelling
VIIAdd-ons & changes

The plan is a starting point, not a package.

The changes people ask for most, each with what it costs you in days or hours. Not in the standard price — arranged on request, and most can be combined.

Same lengthprice

Nungwi instead of Paje

The north of the island is much less tidal, so you can swim at most hours, and the sunsets are over the sea. It is busier.

Makes senseWhen swimming matters most
Zanzibar →
+2 nightsprice

Stay longer on the beach

Five nights on the coast instead of three. The days do not need filling.

Makes senseAfter a long safari
Zanzibar →
+3 nightsprice

Pemba instead of the east coast

A further short flight to the quieter island to the north. Fewer hotels, fewer people, good diving.

Makes senseWhen quiet matters more than choice
Pemba →
+3 nightsprice

Mafia, for the whale sharks

A small island off the southern coast, known for diving and for whale sharks in season.

Makes senseDivers, and people who have seen Zanzibar
Mafia →
Safari firstprice

The safari this follows

A week on the northern circuit, ending at the airport where this plan begins.

Makes senseIf you have not planned the safari yet
The Great Midrange Journey →
VIIIWhen to go

Rated for this route, not for the country.

Zanzibar is good for most of the year. June to October is dry and breezy, December to February hot and dry. April and May are the long rains: some beach hotels close, and the sea is rougher. November brings short rains that usually pass quickly.

Jan
Hot, dry
Feb
Hot, dry
Mar
Humid, rains near
Apr
Long rains
May
Long rains
Jun
Dry, breezy
Jul
Dry, breezy
Aug
Dry
Sep
Dry
Oct
Dry, calm
Nov
Short rains
Dec
Hot, busy
Three bars — the route at its bestTwo — good, with trade-offsOne — possible, and quiet
IXFlights & extras

Getting there.

Arrive

Abeid Amani Karume International, Zanzibar (ZNZ)

Direct flights reach Zanzibar from Europe and the Gulf, and domestic flights from Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam take about an hour or less.

Depart

Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ)

The north and east coasts are roughly an hour by road from the airport. Allow for that before an international flight.

From the safari

Arusha (ARK) or Kilimanjaro (JRO)

Scheduled domestic flights connect the northern circuit with Zanzibar every day.

What else to budget.

Not part of the safari price, in order of how much they matter.

  • Tanzanian visaApply online before travel
    Current fee
  • Travel insuranceMust cover medical evacuation
    Typical cost
  • TipsGuide and camp staff, per day
    Guideline
  • DrinksAt lodges and camps
    Typical range
  • Personal spendingLaundry, crafts, extras
    Varies
  • Zanzibar entry requirementIsland levy or insurance, if applicable
    Current requirement
XWhy book with us

Only what we can prove.

01

Arusha, since 2010

A Tanzanian company, locally owned, running safaris and climbs from Arusha for more than fifteen years.

02

Licensed and registered

TALA-licensed through the Tanzania Tourist Board and registered with BRELA. Ask us for the numbers; we will send them.

03

Met at every step

On Zanzibar a driver meets you and moves you between places, and a local guide takes the Stone Town walk and the spice farm. There is no safari guide on the island, and none is needed.

04

Every cost on its own line

Transfers, guided visits and anything you add are shown separately on your quote, so you can see what each part costs.

XIQuestions

The ones we are asked most.

Yes, at high tide. The east coast is tidal, and at low tide the water goes a long way out. If swimming at any hour matters, choose Nungwi in the north.

Only for the walks and visits. A driver moves you between places, and local guides take the Stone Town walk, the spice farm and Jozani. The beach needs nobody.

We think so. The old town is best in the evening and early morning, and a day trip from the coast means two hours in the car for a few hours in town.

It is used to visitors and generally relaxed. Take the usual care with valuables and on empty beaches after dark, and dress modestly in town.

Yes. Fly straight into Zanzibar from abroad and the plan is the same; tell us your flights.

Paje is known for it in the windy months. Ask us about your dates and we will tell you what to expect.

Begin here

Send us your dates. We will send you the real version.

Named camps, the right direction of travel for your month, every fee on its own line — and a straight answer if another plan would suit you better.

Rather talk it through?WhatsApp us+255 762 914 714
Safari request Zanzibar, After the Safari 5 days · 4 nights · private
01When, and what for?
How fixed are the dates?
What do you want from it? Pick any
02Who’s coming?
Travelling as
03How you like it
Style of camp

Not a commitment. It lets us send something realistic instead of something you have to reject.

04Where to reach you
We need a name to write back to.
That email address does not look complete.
Step 1 of 4
Other safari plans
7 days · Northern circuitThe Great Midrange JourneyRead the plan →
3 days · Northern circuitTarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara ExpressRead the plan →
5 days · Northern circuitMidrange Best of TanzaniaRead the plan →
4 days · Northern circuitSerengeti Fly-inRead the plan →
Loading itinerary…
Saved Trips