Zanzibar snorkeling: reef, sandbank or lagoon
Zanzibar snorkeling comes in three shapes. The Bawe reef and the Nyange sandbank sit off Stone Town.
Mnemba itself is private, so day trips snorkel over the reef around it and do not land on the island. Prices below are per person and date from November 2026, from $36 for a short sailing trip to $90 for the full seven hour dhow day.
Our picks: Zanzibar snorkeling trips
Pick by where you stay and how many hours you want on the water.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Safari Blue lagoon day with snorkeling and seafood lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Dhow sailing and sandbank stop
- Seafood meal, fruit and soft drinks
Snorkeling with a guide, a swim in a mangrove lagoon and a sandbank stop on one seven-hour dhow day. Tips are extra.
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Mnemba snorkeling and dolphin day trip with lunch
- Motorboat and local guide
- Lunch, soda and water
- Snorkel gear, fees and taxes
About six hours, with tropical fruit on board.
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Mnemba snorkeling and dolphin trip by motorboat
- Motorboat and local guide
- All fees and taxes
- Snorkel gear
Tropical fruit and bottled water come with the boat, and fees and taxes are included in the price.
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Bawe snorkeling and Nyange sandbank with BBQ lunch
- Boat, captain and guide
- Snorkel gear and life jacket
- BBQ lunch, drinks and entrance fees
Starts with a coastal cruise along the Stone Town waterfront. Hotel pickup and drop-off come only with the matching option.
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Mnemba snorkeling and dolphin trip with government fee
- Government fee included
- Boat and snorkel gear
- Water and fruit
The government fee is already in the price, which keeps the cost clear. Transport and lunch depend on the option you choose.
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Kiwengwa reef snorkeling and sailing
- Local sailing boat
- Snorkel gear
- Hotel pickup island-wide
A guide and an air-conditioned vehicle bring you to the boat from any hotel on the island.
Check availability →Zanzibar snorkeling trips
Mnemba reef boats, a Stone Town sandbank day, a Kiwengwa sailing trip and a dhow lagoon day, with live prices and availability.
Mnemba snorkeling trips
The four hour motorboat trip at $58 includes a local guide, snorkel gear, fruit, bottled water and all fees and taxes. The six hour day trip at $80 adds lunch and a soda, and meets at the stairs by the Mama Mia restaurant on the beach.
The third Mnemba option costs $47 for 4.5 to 5 hours, with the government fee already in the price, plus boat, gear, water, fruit and dolphin watching. Transport and lunch come only with the option you pick. It is the lowest total for the reef if you can reach the north coast yourself.
Sandbank and dhow days from Stone Town
The $55 trip meets at Africa House in Stone Town and begins with a cruise along the waterfront. You snorkel at Bawe, stop on the Nyange sandbank and eat a barbecue lunch of fish and seafood or chicken. It lasts four to six hours, and the price covers gear, a life jacket, drinks, a captain and entrance fees. Hotel pickup and drop-off come only with the matching option.
The $90 dhow day is the longest at seven hours. You sail by dhow, snorkel with a guide, stop on a sandbank and swim in a mangrove lagoon, then eat a seafood meal with fruit and soft drinks. Bring swimwear, a towel, sun protection and comfortable shoes; tips are extra. The trip needs four participants, otherwise you are offered another date, and the operator can move the day or time for weather.
The cheapest choice is the $36 Kiwengwa trip. It is a two to four hour sail over the reef in a local boat, with a guide, gear and an air-conditioned vehicle that collects you from a hotel anywhere on the island.
Seasons, sea and who the trips suit
The sea decides the day. April and May are rainy and windy, June to September brings the southern Kusi wind, and December to February the northern Kaskazi, when December and January can make the boat ride bumpy. The six hour Mnemba day offers a new date or a full refund if weather cancels it. It is not recommended for back problems or pregnancy and asks for moderate fitness. On the dhow day, do not touch sea life or leave litter behind.
Zanzibar snorkeling: practical questions
How much does Zanzibar snorkeling cost?
The six trips range from $36 to $90 per person as of November 2026. The Kiwengwa sail is $36, the Mnemba boats are $47, $58 and $80, the Stone Town sandbank day is $55 and the full dhow day is $90.
How long are the trips?
From two to four hours for the Kiwengwa sail up to seven hours for the dhow day. The Mnemba boats run four, five and six hours, and the Stone Town sandbank trip four to six.
Can I land on Mnemba Island?
No. The island is private and open to lodge guests only. Day trips snorkel over the reef around it from a boat.
Which trip works if I stay outside the north?
The Kiwengwa sail collects guests from hotels across the island, and the dhow day includes hotel pickup and drop-off.