Zanzibar for a Week: Itinerary, Excursions, Prices & Essential Tips

If you’re planning a trip to Zanzibar and wondering whether it’s the right destination for you, this guide covers everything you need to know — from costs and excursions to beaches, safety tips, and honest advice.

Is Zanzibar a Good Fit for You?

Zanzibar is an island located off the coast of Tanzania, with a population of over one million people. It’s famous for its stunning white-sand beaches and turquoise waters, but it’s important to set realistic expectations.

While resorts are beautiful and luxurious, the roads, towns, and streets are not very clean or walkable, and you won’t see many tourists wandering around outside hotels. Most visitors spend their time inside resorts or on organized excursions.

Zanzibar is also more expensive than many people expect:

• 5-star all-inclusive resorts: around €500 per night

• Food outside resorts: similar to European prices

If you’re looking for luxury, relaxation, and excursions rather than city exploring, Zanzibar is a great choice!

Best Time to Visit Zanzibar

The best time to visit Zanzibar is during the dry seasons:

• June to October (cooler, less humid)

• January to February (hot but dry) - i went in the middle of January and the weather was amazing every day (sunny, no rain although in the weather app it just shows cloudy or windy)

Avoid the long rainy season from March to May if possible.

Practical Information You Must Know:

• Currency - US dollars are widely accepted and also local Tanzanian shillings can be used.

• Visa - Most European citizens and US travelers can get a visa on arrival or online for $50. I applied online — it said 3–10 days, but it actually took 3 weeks, so apply early if you go that route.

• Vaccines - No vaccine certificates were checked, even though we transited through Ethiopia.

• Mandatory Insurance - Upon arrival, you must pay $44 for mandatory insurance — even if you already have travel insurance. Important: this insurance does not actually cover much. I had to visit the hospital after stepping on a sea urchin, and nothing was covered.

• Hotel Taxes - Most hotels charge an additional $5 per night per person as a local tax.

• Tides: Very Important to Understand. Many hotel photos show stunning beaches — but most of the day, the tide is low, and the water pulls far back. If you want swimmable beaches all day, stay in the north of the island.

  
  

Essential Items to Pack:

• Waterproof shoes – absolutely necessary! Zanzibar has a huge number of sea urchins, and I personally stepped on one. This resulted in 3–4 hours in the hospital and several days without swimming.

• High-protection sunscreen (70–80 SPF)I used SPF 50 and still got badly burned on day one — don’t underestimate the sun.

Best Places to Visit in Zanzibar

Nungwi Beach

Even if you don’t stay here, Nungwi Beach is a must.

This is where Zanzibar really looks like the photos — white sand, crystal-clear water, and a lagoon-like feel. You can swim all day, rent kayaks or paddle boards, and even spot starfish close to shore if you bring a snorkeling mask. The sunsets here are unreal, and in the evenings there are often bonfires on the beach, which creates a really special atmosphere. I didn’t see a beach as beautiful anywhere else on the island.

Nakupenda Sandbank & Prison Island

Nakupenda means “love” in Swahili, and it’s one of the most beautiful sandbanks I’ve ever seen. In the middle of turquoise water, this long stretch of white sand feels unreal. You usually reach it by boat, and most people spend a few hours swimming, relaxing, and eating fresh fruit right on the sandbank. It's also close to Prison island & Stone Town, so I recommend visiting both places in one tour. It’s incredibly peaceful and easily one of the highlights of Zanzibar.

Nakupenda Sandbank, Zanzibar

The Rock Restaurant & The Starfish Beach

The Rock Restaurant is one of Zanzibar’s most famous spots, located on a rock just off the coast near Michamwi. Depending on the tide, you either walk to it or take a small boat. It’s very touristy, and the food is on the expensive side, but it’s worth visiting at least once for the setting alone. Expect to spend around 30 dollars per person for a meal. The Starfish beach is very close to the restaurant and there are also lots of snorkeling places around The Rock and a small sandbank, but for that you need to rent a boat as it's not right on the beach.

Spice Farms

Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island, and visiting a spice farm is one of the most interesting ways to learn about the island’s history and culture. You’ll see how cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and many other spices are grown, and you’ll get to taste and smell everything along the way. These tours also directly support local farmers, so it’s something I highly recommend adding to your trip.

Stone Town

Stone Town is the historical heart of Zanzibar and feels very different from the beach areas. The narrow streets, old buildings, and busy local life make it worth visiting at least once. It’s not a place where you spend days, but it’s interesting to walk around, visit the markets, and see a different side of the island.

Things to Do in Zanzibar (With Prices)

We booked all our tours with a local guy named Chunga via WhatsApp +255 752 887 862 and everything went smoothly. We did multiple tours with him and he speaks perfect English. About the payment he did ask us to pay for the tour once the car had picked us up as he explained that there are a lot of fees he needs to pay beforehand like entrance fees to the island, boats, food etc. I just thought mentioning it as it's not very common.

Mnemba Island Tour (Highly Recommended) - snorkeling, scuba diving, sandbanks & dolphins!

This is one of the most popular excursions in Zanzibar. Mnemba Island is a private island located off the northeast coast. You cannot step onto the island itself, but the surrounding waters are incredible. The tour we did started 8 am in the morning and it included snorkeling, scuba diving, visiting a sandbank, swimming with dolphins & seafood lunch.

Scuba safety: Our instructor had 25 years of experience and over 10,000 dives, and the experience was amazing. We saw sea snakes, starfish, colorful corals, and many fish.

Important note: We chose not to swim with dolphins. Around 10 boats chase them at once, which is stressful for the animals. We saw them briefly and then left.

Cost:💰 $350 for 3 people

Mnemba Island Tour, Zanzibar

Starfish Beach, Snorkeling, Sandbank, Spice Farm & The Rock Restaurant

This was another full-day tour that covered the southeast side of the island, around the Michamwi Pingwe area. In one day, we visited Starfish Beach, where you can see hundreds of starfish in different colors depending on the tide. We then went to an incredible snorkeling spot with vibrant marine life, followed by time on a small sandbank surrounded by turquoise water. On the way back, we stopped at The Rock Restaurant, which isn’t included in the tour price but is easy to add. The day ended with a guided spice farm visit, which was surprisingly interesting and a great way to support local communities.

Highlights:

• Starfish Beach (hundreds of colorful starfish)

• Incredible snorkeling spots

• Small sandbank

• Visit to The Rock Restaurant

• Spice farm tour (1.5 hours)

  
  

Zanzibar is known as the “Spice Island”, and visiting a spice farm directly supports local communities — highly recommended.

Cost:💰 $280, including seafood lunch & fruits

🍽️ The Rock Restaurant: approx. $30 per person (not included)

Starfish beach, The Rock Restaurant & Snorkeling nearby

Nakupenda Sandbank, Prison Island & Stone Town

“Nakupenda” means “love” in Swahili, and it truly is one of the most beautiful sandbanks in Zanzibar.

We spent about 4 hours relaxing, swimming, and eating fresh fruit. Unfortunately, I stepped on sea urchins on the way back to the boat and had to go to the hospital, so we didn’t make it to Prison Island. We also visited Stone Town on our way there. Absolutely worth it!

Cost:💰 $150 Includes boat, fruits, Nakupenda sandbank, Prison Island visit & Stone Town tour

Nakupenda Sandbank, Zanzibar

Swimming With Horses in Nungwi

This experience gave me mixed feelings.

The 30-minute swim felt more like a struggle because the waves were high — it was mostly meant to be a photoshoot rather than an enjoyable swim.

My recommendation: Skip the swim and choose the sunset beach walk with horses, which is calmer and more enjoyable.

Prices:

• 30-minute swim: $60 per person

• 2-hour sunset walk: $130 per person

Swimming with horses in front of Zuri Hotel, Zanzibar

Sunset Cruise in Nungwi

Watching the sunset from a boat in Nungwi is beautiful and relaxing.

Cost:💰 $100 for 2 hours (up to 3 people)

Nungwi Beach (A Must-Visit)

Even if you don’t stay here, you must visit Nungwi Beach.

• White sand

• Crystal-clear lagoon-like water

• Water activities: jet skis, kayaks, paddle boards

• Starfish visible with a snorkeling mask

• The most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen

• Nighttime bonfires on the beach

The sunsets here are unreal, and in the evenings there are often bonfires on the beach, which creates a really special atmosphere. I didn’t see a beach as beautiful anywhere else on the island.

Ethical Choices I’m Proud Of

• I did not visit Salaam Cave after researching animal treatment there and it is not good

• I did not touch or remove starfish as it can hurt them

• I did not swim with dolphins as the whole process (boats following them all day) can be stressful for them

• I did not buy seashells, which encourages environmental damage

Where We Stayed

Riu Palace Zanzibar (All-Inclusive)

💰 €500 per night

Absolutely worth it, but expensive!

• Stunning beaches and facilities

• 5 specialty restaurants + buffet + snack bars

• Access to Riu Jumbo area

• Free water sports (kayaks, paddle boards)

• Excellent food and incredibly kind staff

  
  

We stayed most of the time at the Riu Palace Zanzibar, an all-inclusive resort costing around 500 euros per night. The beaches, amenities, food, and service were excellent, and having everything included made the trip very easy. There are multiple restaurants, snack bars, and free water activities like kayaking and paddle boarding, and the staff were genuinely kind.

Hotel Riu Palace, Zanzibar

Chuini Beach Lodge (1 Night Stay)

💰 €150 per night

A hidden gem.

• Stunning hotel design

• Extremely kind staff

• Beach not ideal during the day due to low tide, but the hotel itself was beautiful and peaceful

Chuini Beach Lodge, Zanzibar

Final Thoughts

Zanzibar is perfect if you want luxury resorts, incredible beaches, and unforgettable excursions. Just go prepared, understand the tides, pack properly, and make ethical choices — and you’ll have an amazing trip.