Zanzibar earns its growing reputation the old-fashioned way — a UNESCO World Heritage old town on one side of the island, and some of the whitest sand and clearest water in the Indian Ocean on the other. This week splits evenly between the two: three days threading Stone Town’s coral-stone alleys, spice farms, and dhow harbor, then three days unwinding on Nungwi’s north-coast beaches, with a full-day sailing safari in between.
Day 1
Arrive in Zanzibar
Land at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and settle into Stone Town — save the sightseeing for tomorrow and ease in with a walk through the old town at dusk.
🚕 Private Transfer — Airport (ZNZ) to Stone Town
~25 minutes · $30 USD per vehicle, up to 4 people
A flat-rate transfer from the arrivals hall straight into the old town — your driver meets you with a name sign, no haggling with taxi touts required.
Zan Tours · +255 24 223 3116 · zantours.com
🛎️ Overnight — Park Hyatt Zanzibar
From $520–650 USD / night, for 2 people
A restored 19th-century merchant’s house on the Stone Town waterfront, with a rooftop pool and Shangani Street’s cafes and dhow harbor right outside the door.
Park Hyatt Zanzibar · +255 24 550 3000 · hyatt.com
🍽️ Dinner at Forodhani Gardens Night Market
Est. $10–15 USD / person
On your own — grilled Zanzibar pizza, fresh seafood skewers, and sugarcane juice from dozens of stalls, right on the waterfront as the sun goes down.
Day 2
Stone Town & Prison Island
A full day inside the UNESCO World Heritage old town, then a short boat ride out to Prison Island for giant tortoises and an afternoon swim.
📸 Stone Town UNESCO Heritage Walking Tour
~3 hours · From $30 USD / person
A local guide leads you through the House of Wonders, the Old Fort, the Sultan’s Palace Museum, and the Old Slave Market memorial — the clearest way to make sense of the maze of coral-stone alleys.
Eco+Culture Tours · +255 24 223 3731 · ecoculture-zanzibar.org
🐢 Prison Island (Changuu) Boat & Tortoise Excursion
~4 hours · From $45 USD / person (incl. $10 conservation fee)
A 20-minute boat ride to a former quarantine island, now home to giant Aldabra tortoises over 100 years old and a calm reef just offshore for snorkeling.
Zan Tours · +255 24 223 3116 · zantours.com
🛎️ Overnight — Park Hyatt Zanzibar
From $520–650 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night at the same hotel.
Park Hyatt Zanzibar · +255 24 550 3000 · hyatt.com
Day 3
Safari Blue Sailing Safari
The Indian Ocean’s highlight-reel day trip — a full day by traditional dhow through mangroves, sandbanks, and reef, with a seafood lunch cooked on a deserted islet.
⛵ Safari Blue Full-Day Sailing & Snorkeling Safari
~8 hours · From $110 USD / person
Depart Fumba by traditional dhow for snorkeling over coral reef, swimming at a sandbank that appears only at low tide, and a mangrove-forest paddle, finishing with a fresh seafood buffet grilled on the beach.
Safari Blue · +255 777 423162 · safariblue.net
🛎️ Overnight — Park Hyatt Zanzibar
From $520–650 USD / night, for 2 people
Third and final night at the same hotel.
Park Hyatt Zanzibar · +255 24 550 3000 · hyatt.com
Day 4
Spice Tour & Transfer to Nungwi
A morning among the plantations that gave Zanzibar its old nickname — the Spice Island — then a drive up the coast to trade Stone Town’s alleys for Nungwi’s beaches.
🌿 Spice Tour — Kizimbani Farms
~3.5 hours · From $30 USD / person
Walk working plantations just outside Stone Town, tasting and smelling cloves, vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon straight off the plant, guided by farmers who grew up working the land.
Eco+Culture Tours · +255 24 223 3731 · ecoculture-zanzibar.org
🚕 Private Transfer — Stone Town to Nungwi
~1–1.25 hours · $65 USD per vehicle, up to 4 people
A paved coastal road takes you from Stone Town’s alleys to Nungwi’s beaches in a little over an hour — ask your driver to stop at a roadside fruit stand along the way.
Zan Tours · +255 24 223 3116 · zantours.com
🛎️ Overnight — DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort
From $300–380 USD / night, for 2 people
A beachfront resort at the island’s northern tip, where the water stays calm and turquoise nearly year-round — the classic Zanzibar postcard view.
DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort · +255 24 224 0300 · hilton.com
Day 5
Mnemba Atoll
One of the best snorkeling sites in East Africa sits just off the northeast coast — a half-day boat trip out to the reef, with the rest of the day free for the beach.
🤿 Mnemba Atoll Snorkeling & Dolphin Excursion
~5 hours · From $85 USD / person
A boat trip out to the protected reef circling Mnemba Island, with a strong chance of spotting pods of wild dolphins en route and some of the clearest water in Zanzibar for snorkeling.
One Ocean Dive & Adventure Center · +255 777 415011 · zanzibaroneocean.com
🛎️ Overnight — DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort
From $300–380 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night at the same resort.
DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort · +255 24 224 0300 · hilton.com
Day 6
Beach Day & Sunset Dhow Cruise
A day with nothing scheduled until sunset — then a slow sail along the coast on a traditional dhow as the sky turns orange over the water.
🏖️ Free Day at Leisure
No cost · self-guided
Nungwi’s beach and reef are the main event today — swim, snorkel just offshore, or book a spa treatment through the resort.
⛵ Sunset Dhow Cruise
~2 hours · From $60 USD / person
A traditional wooden dhow sails north from Nungwi’s beach as the sun drops, usually with a stop for swimming and a drink included on board.
Zan Tours · +255 24 223 3116 · zantours.com
🛎️ Overnight — DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort
From $300–380 USD / night, for 2 people
Third and final night at the resort.
DoubleTree by Hilton Zanzibar – Nungwi Resort · +255 24 224 0300 · hilton.com
Day 7
Depart from Zanzibar
Last stretch of the trip — a private transfer back down the coast to the airport for your flight home.
🚕 Private Transfer — Nungwi to Airport (ZNZ)
~1–1.25 hours · $65 USD per vehicle, up to 4 people
Build in buffer time for the coastal road — traffic through Stone Town’s outskirts can add 15–20 minutes ahead of an international flight.
Zan Tours · +255 24 223 3116 · zantours.com
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