5-Day Zanzibar Beach Holiday — Stone Town, Spice Tour, Safari Blue & Nungwi
trip overview
Culture, spice, sea and proper beach time, all in one trip.
This 5-day Zanzibar holiday gives you a bit of everything the island is known for. You'll start in historic Stone Town, with a guided city tour and a walk through a spice farm, then spend a full day out on the water with the Safari Blue dhow trip. From there, you'll settle in at a beachfront hotel in Nungwi for two full days of proper beach time, with nothing to do but relax, swim and watch the sunset, before a free morning and your flight home. It's a well-rounded trip — enough culture and activity to feel like a real Zanzibar experience, with enough beach time at the end that it still feels like a holiday.
day-by-day itinerary
Where you go, what you do, and where you sleep each night.
You'll spend two nights at a mid-range hotel in Stone Town, then two nights at a mid-range beachfront hotel in Nungwi. Additional accommodation before or after can be arranged for an extra cost.
Arrival in Zanzibar & Stone Town
You'll be met on arrival at Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and taken to your hotel in Stone Town, the island's historic old city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The rest of the day is free, so you can settle in and wander the winding alleyways, waterfront and local markets at your own pace before your guided tour tomorrow.
Stone Town City Tour & Spice Tour
A local guide will walk you through Stone Town's key sights, including the House of Wonders, the Old Fort, the Old Slave Market memorial, and the famous carved Zanzibari doors, before continuing on to the local markets to browse spices, textiles and souvenirs.
In the afternoon, you'll visit one of Zanzibar's spice farms, walking among cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and cardamom, and learning how each is grown and used, with tastings along the way. You'll return to your hotel in Stone Town for a second night.
Safari Blue Boat Tour & Transfer to Nungwi
After breakfast, you'll be driven south to Fumba for the full-day Safari Blue tour — a relaxed sailing trip aboard a traditional wooden dhow through Menai Bay's marine-protected waters. Expect snorkeling over coral reefs, a chance to spot dolphins, and time swimming and wading around a sandbank at low tide.
A fresh seafood lunch is served on the sandbank as part of the tour. In the late afternoon, you'll be transferred north to your beachfront hotel in Nungwi, on the island's northern tip, where you'll be based for the rest of the trip.
Free Day at Nungwi Beach
Today is completely free, so you can enjoy Nungwi's powder-white sand and calm, warm water at your own pace — swim, nap on a sun lounger, or just watch the fishing boats go by.
If you'd rather stay active, a few optional add-ons can be arranged and quoted separately: a snorkeling trip out to Mnemba Island, a day trip to the Nakupenda sandbank for a beach picnic, or a sunset dhow cruise along the coast. All are optional and simply let us know if you'd like to add one.
Free Morning & Departure
Enjoy a final free morning at the beach or by the pool before checking out. You'll be transferred back to the airport in time for your onward flight, marking the end of your Zanzibar stay.
where you'll stay
Comfortable, well-reviewed hotels — not the cheapest, not the most expensive.
Both hotels below sit in the mid-range bracket: clean, comfortable, well-located and consistently well-reviewed, without luxury-resort pricing.
Hotel choices can be swapped for other properties at your preferred comfort level — just ask when booking.
what's included
Exactly what's covered — and what isn't.
- Airport pick-up & drop-off
- 2 nights mid-range hotel in Stone Town & 2 nights mid-range beachfront hotel in Nungwi (twin/double occupancy)
- Meals as listed on the day-by-day itinerary above
- Guided Stone Town city tour
- Zanzibar spice farm tour with tastings
- Full-day Safari Blue tour, including snorkeling gear & seafood lunch
- Private ground transfers throughout
- Flights to and from Zanzibar
- Travel & medical insurance (required)
- Dinners (except where noted) & the optional Day 4 add-ons
- Alcoholic & bottled soft drinks
- Souvenirs & personal expenses
- Tips for your guides & drivers
- Additional accommodation before or after the tour
Important to know before booking
- Zanzibar is reached by a short flight (roughly 45–75 minutes) from Arusha, Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam — flights are not included and should be booked separately or added to your quote.
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the trip can be arranged for an extra cost.
- Stone Town is a conservative, historic town — modest dress covering shoulders and knees is appreciated, especially near mosques and religious sites.
- Bring swimwear, a towel and reef-safe sunscreen for the Safari Blue day — snorkeling gear is provided.
- A Tanzania e-Visa is required for most nationalities and covers Zanzibar as well as the mainland — apply at immigration.go.tz at least 3 weeks before travel.
- A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your transit country.
pricing
What you'll pay — no hidden extras.
Placeholder price shown below, based on the mid-range hotels named above — update to your actual rate before publishing.
| Option | Price per person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5-day Zanzibar beach holiday 2 nights Stone Town + 2 nights Nungwi, meals as listed, tours included | $1,340 | Per person, twin/double sharing |
Payment & extras
A deposit confirms your booking, with the balance due before departure. Full terms are on our booking policy page.
Flights to and from Zanzibar, any additional accommodation, and the optional Day 4 add-ons can be arranged and quoted separately.
Ready to book your Zanzibar getaway?
Reach out and we'll confirm hotel availability for your dates and send you a full quote.
frequently asked questions
Questions we get asked most often.
Zanzibar is reached by a short flight of roughly 45–75 minutes from Arusha, Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam. Flights aren't included in this package but we're happy to help you book them or add them to your quote.
Day 4 is left completely open so you can relax at your own pace. If you'd rather stay active, we can arrange a Mnemba Island snorkeling trip, a Nakupenda sandbank picnic, or a sunset dhow cruise — all optional and quoted separately.
Yes. Tembo House Hotel and Mvuvi Boutique Resort are our recommended mid-range picks, but we can quote a budget or luxury alternative in either location — just let us know your preference when booking.
Yes — this is a popular add-on after a Kilimanjaro climb or northern circuit safari. Let us know your other travel dates and we can arrange the connecting flight and transfers.
Most nationalities need a Tanzania e-Visa, available at immigration.go.tz, which also covers Zanzibar. A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your transit country.
We recommend taking out travel insurance as soon as you confirm your booking. Full cancellation and payment terms are on our booking policy page.
Related Tanzania Safari Tours you may like
Sunset Dhow Cruise — An Evening on the Water
Dolphin Tour — Kizimkazi Boat Excursion
Mnemba Snorkeling — Zanzibar’s Best Reef
Jozani Forest Tour — Red Colobus Monkeys & Mangroves
Safari Blue Tour — Dhow Sailing & Sandbank Lunch
Prison Island Tour — Giant Tortoises & Snorkeling
Spice Farm Tour — Walk the Spice Island
Stone Town Tour — Zanzibar’s Historic Old City
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