About Zanzibar Travel Buddies

Zanzibar Travel Buddies is run from Zanzibar, Tanzania, by people who live here and have spent years showing travellers the island.

Booking direct, and what that changes

Every tour here is arranged directly with us. There is no agency in the middle and no commission stacked on top, which is why the same trip usually costs less than the identical one sold at a hotel desk.

Prices fall as the group grows, and every tour shows its real rate at each group size rather than a single figure that only applies to one party. What is not included is listed as plainly as what is, because park fees and marine fees collected in cash on a beach are what catch people out.

Four languages

We answer in English, French, German and Italian, usually within the hour. There are traveller community groups in each of those languages for people who want to share a tour, split a taxi, or ask what the tide is doing before they book.

What we run

Around forty tours and activities: snorkelling at Mnemba atoll, Safari Blue, Nakupenda sandbank, dolphins at Kizimkazi, Jozani Forest and the red colobus, Stone Town, spice farms, the caves at Maalum and Kuza, and the full range of watersports at Nungwi. Multi-day safaris to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Mikumi run from the island with flights included.

We also run airport transfers and private taxis anywhere on the island, at fixed prices agreed before you get in.

Paying

A $30 deposit confirms a booking and holds the date; the balance is settled for the tour. US dollars, euros and Tanzanian shillings are all accepted, and the full price is agreed with you on WhatsApp before anything is paid.

Getting in touch

WhatsApp is the fastest route: +255 715 266 113. Email is Zanzibartravelbuddies@gmail.com. Messages are answered seven days a week.

Where to start

If you are still deciding what to do, the full list of tours and excursions shows every trip with its real price at each group size. The most booked are Nakupenda sandbank, Safari Blue, snorkelling at Mnemba and Jozani Forest.

For the mainland, the safari packages run from three to four days with flights and park fees included. Closer to home, the watersports and adventure activities are all booked the same way.

Before you travel, the travel tips cover the things people most often get caught out by: the mandatory insurance, the visa on arrival and where to buy a SIM card. You can also read what past guests have said.