Zanzibar Private Tour: Day Trips, Transfers and Cruises

Private airport transfer: one price for the whole car

The private transfer takes about one hour and uses an air-conditioned car with a driver. You are picked up and dropped off at the place you choose, and water and Wi-Fi (where available) are on board. A child seat is available on request, which matters for families arriving with small children after a long flight.

The price is $45 for the car, for up to four people, one way. Travelling alone you pay the full $45. Two people pay $22.50 each, three pay $15 each and four pay $11.25 each. The return trip is booked separately, and oversize or unannounced luggage and extra stops cost more. It suits a family or a group of friends who land together. Our Zanzibar airport guide lists the taxi fares for each coast.

Private Jozani Forest and Salaam Cave day

This private day starts with hotel pickup and runs 4.5 to 6.5 hours. You walk Jozani Forest with a private guide, with colobus viewing and the mangrove boardwalk, then go on to Salaam Cave for a turtle swim and seagrass feeding. Entry to both places, private transport, water and government taxes are included. Meals are not. Wild monkeys appear on their own schedule, so the colobus viewing depends on the animals.

The price is $80 per person, so a family of four pays $320 and a couple pays $160. This day is for families who want a shorter day than the group version, or for friends who would rather set the pace of the forest walk themselves. Our Jozani Forest guide explains the park and its monkeys.

The shared alternative is a seven hour small-group day at $90 per person, with a two hour guided walk, 30 minutes with the turtles and lunch included, in groups of up to 20. That is $10 more per person than the private day, and it covers lunch. If you want a meal included and do not mind a bigger group, the shared day is the better buy.

Private sunset dhow cruise from Nungwi

A traditional dhow is yours alone for four hours from Nungwi Beach, on the northern tip of the island. Hotel pickup and return, a crew playing local music, soft drinks, snacks and fruit are included. Wine and beer cost extra.

The price is $200 per person even though the boat is private, so a couple pays $400 and four friends pay $800. That is more than the forest day, and you are paying for a boat that carries only your group. It fits couples and small groups who want the evening to themselves. The weather and the sea decide how the sunset looks, and our Nungwi guide describes the north coast. If the boat matters more than privacy, compare the shared dhow trips on our Zanzibar tours page.