How do I go from Tanzania to Zanzibar?
How do I go from Tanzania to Zanzibar? Zanzibar is an archipelago and a popular tourist destination in Tanzania and it is found off the East African coast.
There are two ways to travel from Tanzania to Zanzibar during a holiday and this is by plane and also by flight. International and domestic flights from around Tanzania also bring tourists to Tanzania Safaris tours.
Flights to Zanzibar island
From Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar island can be accessed by flight and also by ferry. In Dar es Salaam, you can fly from Julius Nyerere international airport to Abeid Amani international airport in Zanzibar.
For domestic flights to Zanzibar island some of the airlines you can use to get to the island include Regional air, Coastal aviation, Precision Air, Zan Air, Air Tanzania, Flight link Tanzania among others.
Flights to Zanzibar island can also be got from the town of Arusha which is a starting point for tours around destinations in the northern part of Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park and also the Ngorongoro crater.
During a tour in Tanzania, you can take a drive from Arusha town to Dar es Salaam and then take a ferry to Zanzibar island. The drive from Arusha to Dar es Salaam is a long drive and can take about 10 hours.
The second option of getting to Zanzibar island during a tour to Tanzania is by taking a ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar. The ferry docks ate Stone town from where you can be picked up and drive to your hotel on the island and the ferry ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours.
You can also fly from Kilimanjaro international airport to Zanzibar or Arusha airport to Zanzibar island during a tour in Tanzania. Different airlines offer these flights to Zanzibar island.
When traveling from Tanzania and Zanzibar island for a holiday, you do not need to apply for a separate visa for the two places since the visa for Tanzania is still valid for use when visiting Zanzibar. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate to travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar, a passport and visa.
The visa for Tanzania can be got on arrival at 50 USD or you can apply for the visa online prior to the safari in Tanzania.
Taking a ferry to Zanzibar island
The companies which offer the ferry ride from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar island include Azam marine and also fast ferries. Taking a ferry is a budget friendly way to get to the island although the flights are also not expensive.
The ferry ride can cost about 35 USD to 40 USD for nonresidents and the ferry is operated daily. The ferry operates at different times of day between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar island and the times for the ferry ride include at 7:00 am, 9:30 am, 12:30 pm and also 3:45 pm.
The tickets for the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar island can be booked in advance and the tickets can be got from the ferry terminal before the ferry ride. Passengers are also encouraged to arrive about 30 minutes before their ferry ride to prepare for their trip to Zanzibar island.
Best time to travel from Tanzania to Zanzibar
Both Tanzania and Zanzibar are destinations which can be visited through the year and the best time for visiting these places is during the months of June to October which is the dry season and the weather is favorable for tours. Even in the rainy season, travellers go to destinations around Tanzania and Zanzibar.
When visiting Tanzania, the destinations which are visited for tours include national parks which are found in the north, south and western parts of the country. Other places to visit include the town, forests, mountains, waterfalls and many others. The parks around Tanzania which are popular among tourists include Serengeti national park, the Ngorongoro crater, Ruaha national park, Nyerere national park and many others. Game drives take place in the morning, afternoon and in the night when exploring the national parks; there are also nature walks which are done in safaris, hot air balloon safaris and many others.
In Zanzibar, the places to visit include Stone town, the white sand beaches, Changuu island which is also known as Prison island, the spice farms of Zanzibar and many other places. When in Zanzibar, there are different ways to explore the island including driving, taking boat rides, cycling and also taking walks around the island.
The currency which is used during safaris around Tanzania and Zanzibar is Tanzania shillings and also USD. Safaris in Tanzania can be combined with holidays on Zanzibar island and some travellers choose to either travel to Zanzibar island or visit the national parks or other destinations in Tanzania and not both destinations.
When travelling to Tanzania or Zanzibar, you can choose to join a group or take a private tour to the destinations. Different packages of holidays are offered across the two destinations and they can be budget tours or luxury tours.
Visit Tanzania and Zanzibar for amazing tours through the year across different destinations.
