Zanzibar Weather & Best time to visit
October 17, 2025
You step off the plane or ferry and the first hour decides your mood. Zanzibar entry Insurance & Information helps you move through that hour with calm.
You know what document to show, where to stand, and why travel insurance matters before the sand touches your shoes. You keep the welcome simple, then you can focus on lanes, sunsets, and the sea.
Zanzibar follows Tanzania’s national entry rules. That means your visa, passport validity, health paperwork, and customs checks match Tanzania policy. You enter the islands through clear points on Unguja and Pemba. When you prepare for those gates, your arrival feels like part of the holiday, not a test.
By air to Unguja
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar City serves international and domestic flights. Some travelers still call it Kisauni Airport. If you fly direct from abroad, you clear immigration here. If you first land on the mainland, you clear there, then arrive in Zanzibar on a domestic flight.
By air to Pemba
Pemba Airport in Chake Chake allows strictly domestic flights. You connect from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, or Zanzibar. This is the right gate if your trip starts on Pemba Island.
By sea to Unguja
Stone Town Ferry Terminal at Malindi is the main seaport for passengers. High-speed boats from Dar es Salaam arrive several times per day. You pass through arrival checks here.
By sea within the archipelago
Mkoani Port on Pemba handles ferries between Unguja and Pemba. Wete Port on Pemba serves regional vessels. Use these when you move between the islands. Private boats to small islets must check in and out through the official ports first.
Private and charter arrivals
Yachts and private vessels must report to an official port for clearance. Floatplanes and small aircraft must use approved airports or designated strips and comply with immigration rules. Always organize clearance with your operator before departure.
You hope to never use insurance. You still buy it because islands add water, boats, and different clinic systems to your plan. Smart coverage turns a scare into a call and a receipt, instead of a financial mess.
Water sports cover for snorkeling, kitesurfing, kayaking, and guided scuba within depth limits
Adventure cover for guided forest walks and light trekking
Car or scooter liability if you plan to drive yourself
Pre-existing condition waiver when your health history needs it
Cancel for any reason as an upgrade if flexibility is your priority
If you plan beach time and city walks only, a standard policy with medical, evacuation, delay, and baggage is enough. If you plan to dive, kite, or drive, add those riders. Read the exclusions for named water sports and depth limits, then match them to your activity. Save the policy PDF and the emergency number in your phone and on paper.
E-visa before travel. Apply online, upload a passport scan and photo, pay the fee, carry the approval. Lines at the e-visa desk tend to move faster.
Visa on arrival. Bring a passport, fee in clean dollars as backup, and your first-night address. You complete a short form, take a photo and fingerprints, and receive your stamp.
Stay length. Tourist visits commonly allow up to 90 days per entry. The officer marks your duration in the passport.
United States passports usually receive a multiple-entry tourist visa with a higher fee. Many European passports receive a single-entry tourist visa.
Tourism is fine on a tourist visa. Paid work, filming for commercial use, research, or volunteering needs the correct permit. Ask before travel if you are unsure.
How arrivals actually feel, two quick walk-throughs
You land, follow signs to immigration, join e-visa or visa-on-arrival lines, and present your passport. The officer takes a photo, scans fingerprints, and stamps your entry. You pick up your bag, walk through customs, and step into the arrivals hall. SIM vendors, ATMs, and transfer drivers stand nearby. You exhale. The plan worked.
You reach the Dar terminal early, clear security, and board. Two hours later, Stone Town appears. You disembark with the wave from your boat, move through the arrival checks, and exit into the city. The air changes. Your day moves from city to sea to island without a flight.
Yellow fever. Carry a certificate if you arrive from or transit through risk countries, even for a long layover. Direct flights from non-risk countries usually face no request.
Routine vaccines. Many travelers update Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Tetanus. Seek advice from your clinician based on your history.
Malaria precautions. The islands sit in a region where malaria exists. Some travelers choose prophylaxis. Others rely on avoidance and rapid care if fever appears. Follow medical advice based on your risk profile and itinerary.
Food and water. Stick to safe water, reputable places, and clean fruit. Most hotels and restaurants that serve travelers manage safety well.
Carry simple medical basics. Oral rehydration salts, pain relief, and bite care fit in a small pouch and save time later.
Drones and professional camera rigs can trigger extra questions. Seek permits in advance if you plan aerial work.
Fresh produce, animal products, and obvious prohibited items stop progress. Do not pack them.
Large volumes of cash or electronics draw attention. Declare where required.
Medication should travel in original packaging with a simple doctor’s note if it looks unusual.
Keep your valuables in your carry-on. Use checked luggage for clothing and low-risk items. It sounds basic, and it is, which is why it works.
Money, phones, and small logistics at the gate
Money. ATMs and exchange booths exist at the airport and near the ferry terminal. Bring a mix of card and cash. For fees on arrival, clean dollar bills help when a card terminal naps.
Phones. Buy a local SIM or eSIM after you exit. Data is affordable and maps save time.
Transfers. Prebook a driver or choose a reputable taxi. Keep the hotel name and a contact ready to show.
Power. The islands use the same plugs and voltage as mainland Tanzania. A universal adapter solves most issues.
Receipts. Keep immigration and customs slips in your day bag until you reach your hotel.
Do you need a visa?
Yes, Most travelers do. Choose e-visa in advance or visa on arrival where eligible but this may talke a lot fo time. You shall need to get a visa before you arrive here.
How long can you stay?
Tourist visits commonly allow up to 90 days per entry. The stamp sets your length.
Can you enter Zanzibar with a Tanzania visa from the mainland?
Yes. Zanzibar is a part of the Republic of Tanzania and therefore, just the same Tanzania visa covers both. If you cleared immigration in Dar, you do not get a new visa in Zanzibar.
Do you need Zanzibar Travel insurance?
Yes, without it, you will not be allowed into Zanzibar. This costs about USD 20 per person. Strongly recommended. Buy medical, evacuation, delay, and baggage at minimum. Add water sports if you plan them.
What if a ferry or flight cancels.?
Your trip delay cover and your operator’s assistance get you rebooked. Keep receipts for meals and hotels tied to the delay.
Can you bring a drone. Seek permission before travel. Rules change and enforcement happens at the gate.
If you want entry to feel calm and insurance to feel clear, tell Serengeti Lions Safaris your route and dates.
We will confirm the best visa path, arrange meet and assist at the airport or ferry, recommend a solid insurance plan for your activities, and set your first transfer so you step into Zanzibar with a light shoulder and a steady smile. Share your nationality and your plan. We will reply with a simple checklist and a timeline that turns gates into greetings.
Stay in Zanzibar, relax on sugar-white beaches, then fly to Serengeti or Nyerere for big cats, returning to sunset dhows and spice markets; you enjoy safari action with beach downtime with the experts.
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