7 Days in Zanzibar – The Perfect Zanzibar Itinerary

Zanzibar is an archipelago(Unguja + Pemba) located on the coast of Tanzania, known for its pristine beaches and rich cultural history. Once part of the spice route and a hub for slavery, Zanzibar has seen a mix of cultures over the years from the Europeans, Arabs, and Indians.

Usually, everyone visits Zanzibar after the Tanzania safari. I planned to visit Zanzibar first and then explore the mainland later. After spending a little more than a week in Zanzibar, I have curated this itinerary which covers some main attractions and a few offbeat spots. 

Let me take you through the brief itinerary first.

Zanzibar 7-day itinerary overview

2 Nights in Stone Town

Taking a street food tour, wandering through the streets of Stone Town, a Slave trade exhibition, and a Prison Island tour. 

2 Nights in Paje

Beach hopping on the east coast of Zanzibar, Kuza Caves, and kitesurfing.

2 Nights in Kizimkazi – the Hidden Gem

Taking the Safari Blue tour and relaxing in Kizimkazi

Before I get into the detailed itinerary, let me tell you the best way to reach Zanzibar. If you’re looking for Zanzibar travel tips and budget details, don’t forget to check the Zanzibar travel guide.

How to reach Zanzibar

You have two options to reach Zanzibar.

Zanzibar by flight

Reaching Zanzibar by flight is the easiest and the best option. You can fly from almost anywhere, around the world, and reach this archipelago. When booking your flight, look for Abeid Amani Karume International Airport or Zanzibar International Airport.

Zanzibar by ferry

The other alternative to reach Zanzibar is by ferry from Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam is also the biggest city in Tanzania and is connected to all the airports worldwide. The ferry takes 1 hr 45 mins and is a cheaper alternative if you are unable to get direct flights to Zanzibar. 

I chose to reach Zanzibar by ferry.

Day 1: Arrive in Stone Town

I took the morning ferry from Dar es Salaam and reached Zanzibar by mid-afternoon. The ferry ride was really beautiful as I could see different shades of blue, I was just mesmerized looking from the windows.

As soon as I reached Zanzibar, I was picked up by Amo Zanzibar Tours as I had booked some tours with them and was also staying at their beautiful Airbnb in Stone Town. As soon as I reached the Airbnb, I rested for a while as I had an evening tour to explore Stone Town. There’s no better way to truly experience a place than by tasting its local cuisine and so in the evening, I headed out to try the local street food of Zanzibar.

Evening street food tour

Just outside the property, I was greeted by Mussawir, who was going to show me around the local cuisines of Zanzibar. We started by heading to the Jaws corner where we saw the locals enjoy their time watching football or playing some games. I was amazed to see how Zanzibar was very similar to India because the first thing I had there was a Samosa(Fried patty with veggies or meat inside), and then we had Aloo Pakoda(Fried Potato Fritters).

Later we kept walking around the narrow streets of Stone Town and had some amazing local delicacies. Mussawir also took me to the most famous local restaurant, Lukmaan, where I got to try a few more local delicacies. After walking and moving around a few more places, Mussawir took me to a local shop serving Sesame bread with Mishkaki(Chicken Skewers) and to this day I can not forget how delicious it was.

Our final stop was the Forodhani Night Food Market, where I tried this amazing dish called Urojo, a soup served with potatoes, meat, and different spices. It has to be the best dish I tasted that day. Also, don’t miss the Zanzibari pizza, it’s nothing like a pizza but surely does taste great.

I also met a few other locals and another content creator Nellie. We all hung out for a while and I decided to call it a day. I have also written a detailed guide on must-try local dishes in Zanzibar.

PS: If you love cats don’t forget to mention it to Mussawir, you’ll be in for a surprise.

Day 2: Walk around the narrow streets of Zanzibar

I woke up early and had a great breakfast with my host, Noreen, which included a lot of local delicacies. It was time to go around the Stone Town and delve into the history of Zanzibar. I started by first going to Zanzibar Coffee House. While this is a boutique hotel, they also serve coffee on the rooftop and it is also said to be one of the oldest buildings in Stone Town. It was an amazing sight to view all of Stone Town from the top while enjoying the coffee.

Another rooftop restaurant that you can visit is the Swahili House, which too is a boutique accommodation and serves some amazing Zanzibari coffee. Next, I was headed to the Old Slave Market and the Anglican Cathedral.

You can do the tour by yourself or take a guide, I preferred to have one and it was totally worth it. He spoke a lot about the slave market trade and how the place was used for trading slaves. It is said that more than 50,000 slaves were brought from different parts of East Africa and were sold at the same spot during the 18th and 19th centuries. 

You can also find an artwork near the church that depicts how the slaves were chained and kept in captivity during the trade process. 

Lunch at Lukmaan and the doors of Stone Town

After visiting the slave market, I headed for lunch at the Lukmaan restaurant. When I visited it the day before, I just had some snacks and the place was empty as they were just starting. When I reached today, it was tough for me to find a table. While the place is favored by the locals, you can also find some tourists grabbing the tables to enjoy the local cuisine. 

I ordered the Zanzibar Biryani, I mean how could I not after seeing it on the menu? It was different than what we have here in India but tasted great.

After this, I went around the town, one thing that really amazed me was the doors in front of the houses and how they were beautifully carved. I was told the fancier the door, the higher the stature of the house was in the 19th century.

For all the Indians, do not be surprised when you find an Indian temple in the heart of Stone Town. Yes, because Zanzibar was at the heart of the spice route and slave trade, it was thus influenced by Indians and there’s still a very small percentage who still occupy the island.

Are you a rock lover? If you are one, then you’re in for a delight as you can visit Freddie Mercury’s house which has now been turned into a museum. Since I’m not a big fan, I gave it a pass and headed towards the Old Fort. 

Viewing Stone Town with a different view while Stand-up Paddling

After a long walk around the town, I met with Noreen again with whom I was doing the Stand-up Paddle along the beach. It was a nice 1-hour session where I was able to see all the boats tied to the shore and a different view of the Forodhani Gardens. I also spotted the boys who jump in the ocean and make Instagram and TikTok reels.

In the evening, I headed for dinner at Harbour Indian Kitchen, which is an Indian restaurant. 

Day 3: Prison Island tour 

It was my last day in Stone Town and I had booked a Prison Island tour which is just 30 minutes away by boat. The Prison Island, also known as Changgu Island, was a prison used for the slave trade. 

But the exciting part is you’ll find some of the oldest tortoises that are inhabited on the island and you can even feed them. The oldest one was around 120 years old, it was just mind-blowing being around them. 

The beautiful part is the view back from the island where you can see the colorful buildings of Stone Town. 

I was already running late as I was to move to Paje.

Heading to Paje

Me and Nellie had decided to travel to the other side of the island together. Now one can find a direct taxi but what fun when you get to share a Dala dala(Minibus/van) with the locals(PS: Also because traveling on budget)

Noreen and the other locals had informed us of the route and it was quite a comfortable journey.

While Nellie decided to stay in the quieter part of Jambiani, I found myself a hostel in the heart of Paje. 

Since it was raining in the evening, I stayed at the hostel.

At night, I finally went to a local restaurant to have my dinner and went to bed early after all the traveling.

Day 4: Hopping beaches in Paje

The next day, Nellie and I rented a scooter and planned to hop to different beaches on the eastern coast of the island. You can also rent a car to drive around as the routes are pretty straightforward. 

We started by visiting Mtende Beach which was like a dream, the beach was really clean and I could see all the different shades of blue. This was the first time I had seen a white sand beach, beyond beautiful. 

We had a good time relaxing on the beach and then headed to a local restaurant(Panyopa Restaurant) for a delicious lunch. After lunch, we then headed to see the famous Rock Restaurant. 

This restaurant is right in the sea, so you can either take a boat to reach the restaurant or if it’s a low tide, walk in the water. You need to have a reservation to visit the restaurant, which we didn’t know about.

So then we headed to our last beach, Michamvi Kae, to try to see the sunset. We were a little unlucky as it was a gloomy day, but you’ll be able to spot some amazing waterfront villas just like the one in Maldives. 

As soon as it started getting dark, we headed back to Paje and had dinner at a local restaurant. 

Day 5: Kuza cave and kitesurfing

The next day we headed to Kuza Cave, which is a freshwater cave. It’s a limestone cave that was formed over 1000 years ago and had the clearest turquoise water. 

The locals also believe that the water is therapeutic and helps cure diseases. It was refreshing to swim in a freshwater cave. You can also find tourists there jumping from different spots but would request someone visiting to not repeat the same as it can be very dangerous and can cause serious injuries.

We then had lunch at a local restaurant and were delighted to have Wali Na Maharage, a traditional Swahili dish. This is also a vegan dish. It was time to say goodbye to Nellie as she was staying in Jambiani for longer to finish her PADI scuba diving course.

I then headed back to Paje Beach, that I was seeing for the first time. The beach was beautiful and filled with kitesurfers. 

For anyone interested in learning kitesurfing, Paje is said to be one of the best destinations in the world to learn. Don’t be like me and plan at least 3 sessions here to get an introduction to the sports. 

This was the second time I missed an opportunity to learn kitesurfing, which has been so high on my bucket list.

I have also written a detailed Paje travel guide for everything related to Paje

Paradise awaits: Kizimkazi

I was then on my way to catch the Dala Dala to Kizimkazi. I was introduced to this part of the island by Noreen, and when I tried to research about it online, there was barely any information available online and I was excited to see what this palace had in store.

I was staying at this sustainable beach house – Mama Root. If there was an image to depict paradise, the view as soon as I entered had to be it. With the perfect sunset hues, it felt like a dream to me. 

I was welcomed by my host, Oliwia, into this beautiful property. I kept my bags in the room and immediately went to the beach outside, which barely had any tourists and only local fishermen who had just got back from the sea. It was a sight to behold.

Since Kizimkazi is still not known to a lot of people and there are only a few resorts around, everyone generally has their meals at the property. I had a really delicious dinner at the property. 

Day 6: Safari Blue

There are two things Kizimkazi is famous for, the Dolphin Tour and the Safari Blue Tour. Since I had read a lot about the dolphin tours and how they are disorganized and run behind the dolphins chasing them and sometimes even harming them, I chose to skip this tour.

The Safari Blue Tour is a full-day tour and they first take you snorkeling and then lunch on a sandbank, which is way less touristy than the Naukepnda Sandbank. What’s also special about this tour is that if you are lucky and visiting Kizimkazi in the right season(Jul-Aug), you might get to see the whales as it’s their time to migrate.

I met another traveler at Mama Root and we went for the Safari Blue trip together. We left just after breakfast and reached the snorkeling point after 30-40 minutes on the boat ride. The water was very clear and I could see fishes with my naked eye.

After snorkeling, we headed to the sandbank which had appeared because of the low tide in the region. The whole setting was really beautiful with you in the middle of the ocean and having lunch there. 

We went to a remote place which was even more beautiful and it was a private spot(If you want to go here you’ll have to request Olivia from Mama Root). If you are a seafood lover, you will love this tour as the boatmen cook the food right in front of you and you have all the possibilities of seafood on your plate. 

Day 7: Leaving Kizimkazi and Zanzibar

After breakfast, it was time for me to leave the island and head for the migration safari. For me, Kizmkazi was a perfect end to this Zanzibar itinerary. While I was doing something every day, I also had enough time to relax and soak in the views of this beautiful island.

Where to stay in Zanzibar

While the archipelago is huge, I stayed in these three regions: Stone Town, Paje, and Kizimkazi. And the best part is you’ll be able to find accommodation for all types of travelers, budget or luxurious.

Places to stay in Stone Town

• Caravan Serai Amour
• Shoki Shoki Hostel

Places to stay in Paje and Jambiani

• Mambo Leo Hostel
• Villa Kiota
• New Teddy’s on the beach

Places to stay in Kizimkazi

• Mama Root

The best time to visit Zanzibar

The optimal time to go to Zanzibar is during its dry months, which are between June and October, and again from December to February. Most such months experience warm sunny weather that is quite suitable for cultural tours of the island as well as outdoor activities such as snorkeling and diving. The monsoon months of March-May and October to November should be avoided as then you can’t really experience the best of what Zanzibar offers.

After visiting Zanzibar, I of course want to visit the island again and spend a lot more time exploring the other parts and revisiting some of my favorite spots. I hope this one-week Zanzibar itinerary helps you plan a wonderful trip to Zanzibar.

If you’re looking for any tours or transport, please get in touch with Amo Zanzibar Tours

Looking for further adventures in Tanzania, read the blog on climbing Tanzania’s only active volcano: Ol Doinyo Lengai

Things you need to know before heading on your first safari

• 11 Essential Tanzania Safari Tips
• Kenya and Tanzania Safari Packing List

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This post contains details of my experience with Amo Zanzibar Tours and Mama Root, who kindly hosted me during this trip. All opinions, thoughts, and recommendations are my own, and reflect my personal experience with the services provided.