Zanzibar has a major international airport with scheduled flights from many destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Regular frequent and modern ferries run from Zanzibar to the mainland to Dar es Salaam or the neighbouring island of Pemba.

By air

There is one international airport on the island - Zanzibar ZNZ.

It is located about 10 km south of historic Stone Town and about 1-1.5 hours by bus from the beach resorts.

International flights

To get to Zanzibar, you will most often use the following connections:

• Air France - Paris
• Air Tanzania - Dubai, Nairobi
• Condor - Frankfurt
  • Check out my review of business class on the Airbus A330-900neo
• Discover Airlines - Frankfurt
• Edelweiss Air - Zurich
• Ethiopian Airlines - Addis Ababa
  • Tip: find out all about the free hotel when connecting at ADD
• Etihad Airways - Abu Dhabi
• Flydubai - Dubai
• FlySafair - Johannesburg
• Kenya Airways - Nairobi
• KLM - Amsterdam
• Oman Air - Muscat
• Precision Air - Nairobi
• Qatar Airways - Doha
• Rwandair - Kigali
• Turkish Airlines - Istanbul

Domestic flights

A very busy service heading to the Tanzanian mainland. There are a huge number of airlines operating in Tanzania, most of which meet basic international standards.

Prices for domestic flights are low and, for example, a one-way flight between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam costs from 30 usd.

• Dar es Salaam - Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Flightlink, Auric Air, As Salaam Air, Coastal Aviation
• Arusha - Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Flightlink, Auric Air, As Salaam Air, Coastal Aviation
• Kilimanjaro - Air Tanzania, Precision Air
• Pemba - Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Flightlink, Auric Air, As Salaam Air, Coastal Aviation

When are the cheapest flights to Zanzibar?

Generally, the best chance of getting a cheap flight to Zanzibar is during October-November and March-May when it rains the most.

If you're heading to Zanzibar during peak seasons, we recommend buying your tickets 3-5 months in advance.

Ethiopian Airlines, Oman Air or Etihad Airways have frequent bargains to Zanzibar.

Compare prices via skyscanner.com

Is it worth flying to Dar es Salaam and then taking a boat?

Usually no. Prices for international flights are usually the same or very similar to Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

However, if you want to experience the mainland as well, it may be worth buying a multi-city ticket.

This means, for example, that you fly into Zanzibar ZNZ airport but depart from Dar es Salaam DAR or Kilimanjaro JRO.

Holidays with a travel agent

Zanzibar is a popular destination, especially among European tour operators, with direct flights from the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and the Netherlands arriving every year.

Your holiday usually includes return flights, a stay at the resort and airport transfers.

• Tip: discover our recommendations for the best beaches in Zanzibar

Zanzibar tours are usually organised throughout the year.

Ferries - Dar es Salaam and Pemba

Use the boat service to travel to mainland Tanzania or the neighbouring island of Pemba.

All regular ferries depart from one port right in the centre of Stone Town. There are no regular ferries from any other towns on Zanzibar.

• Location of the port on the map

Regular routes and where to buy a ticket

There are two regular sailings from Zanzibar:

• Dar es Salaam - port right in the city centre, see location on map
  • Sailing time - 90 to 120 minutes for fast catamarans / 7 hours for the slow car ferry
  • Price - from 35 usd one way
  • ZanFast Ferries - green and white fast modern catamarans sailing 4 times a day + 4 times a week night slow ferry
  • Azam Marine - red and white fast modern catamarans sailing 4x daily + 1x daily night slow ferry
  • FlyingHorse - red and white fast older catamarans sailing 1x daily
• Pemba - harbour in Mkoani, see location on map
  • Sailing time - 120 minutes for fast catamarans / 7 hours for slow car ferry
  • Price - from 35 usd one way
  • ZanFast Ferries - green and white fast modern catamarans sail 6 times a week
  • Azam Marine - slow ferry sails 2 times a week

Tickets for all three companies can be bought at several offices near the port.

You usually don't need to buy your ticket very far in advance, just a few hours before your trip.

You can only pay cash in US dollars or Tanzanian shillings.

Online ticket purchases are not possible with FlyingHorse, which does not even have a functional website.

For other companies, tickets can be purchased online through the following channels:

• ZanFast Ferries - only via directferries.com
• Azam Marine - only through the official website azammarine.com

Boarding the ship - how check-in works

The boat terminals in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam are very similar.

Facilities are simple and include only a waiting area with seats. There is neither a toilet nor any shops.

There is a ticket check before entering the port area. If you have bought your ticket online, just show it on your mobile phone - no need to print the ticket.

There is then an immigration check, despite the fact that Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania are one country.

After that, you have to put all your luggage in the scanner, just like at the airport. However, there is no need to dispose of electronics or liquids.

The actual boarding process is standard after the shipping company staff opens the gate.

Cruise - ship's equipment

The fast catamarans that sail between Zanzibar and the mainland during the day are modern, clean and very safe.

These boats meet all international standards and look more modern than many boats in Europe, for example in Greece.

Both Azam Marine and ZanFast Ferries have spacious indoor air-conditioned decks with comfortable seats and outdoor open-air decks.

There is no specific seat marked on the ticket, so you can sit wherever you want.

There is a small snack shop inside the ship (you can only pay with cash) and also standard modern toilets.