Zanzibar Islands

In just twenty minutes’ flight from Dar es Salaam, or 90 minutes from Arusha, you can be blissfully lost in the historical streets of Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Zanzibar’s capital. It’s such an easy segue after a northern or southern circuit safari that adding a Zanzibar family holiday to your family safari is always a no-brainer for us.

The islands’ coastlines are buffered by abundant reefs, and turtles nest on select beaches in the first half of the year. Dolphins play in Zanzibar’s waters, particularly around Mnemba Island, and Mafia is graced by whale sharks.

Inland, Jozani Forest is worth exploring to see the endemic red colobus monkey, and there’s plenty here to keep up the theme of a family safari holiday.

From rustic beach lodges to big resorts, Zanzibar proffers every conceivable type of accommodation, but Pemba and Mafia are home to a few lesser-known gems. In short, options abound that befit a Tanzania luxury family safari holiday.

It’s balmy all year round, but humidity increases from January to March, while July to September’s southern trade winds cool things down a little. Snorkelling and diving are best in November and March when the winds shift, and whale sharks appear between October and March.

A Zanzibar family safari and beach holiday offers enough to do to keep everyone busy from dawn ’til dusk: snorkelling and scuba diving; dhow cruises and deep-sea fishing; historical tours and spice farm visits; wellness indulgences — or, simply, relaxing.