Dala Dala Zanzibar: Routes, Stops and How to Ride One

The dala dala is how most people in Zanzibar get around, and it costs a fraction of a taxi. If you want to see the island the way people who live here do, this is how. There are two stops worth knowing.

What a dala dala actually is

A dala-dala is a converted truck or minibus with bench seating along the sides and a conductor hanging off the back. They do not run to a timetable. They leave when they are full, which means the wait varies and the ride is sociable whether you planned on it or not.

Pinda Mgongo Sateni

The main stop for the north and north east. From here you reach Nungwi, Kendwa, Matemwe and the northern villages. Ask for dala-dala ya Nungwi or ya Kendwa or ya Matemwe and the conductors will point you at the right one.

Mwanakwerekwe bus station

The biggest hub, serving the south and east coast: Kizimkazi, Jambiani, Paje, Bwejuu, Michamvi and plenty more.

Worth knowing

• Keep small cash ready
• Ask locals or the conductor. They are generally happy to help and will tell you where to get off
• There is no fixed departure time. The vehicle goes when the seats are taken
• Luggage rides with you, so a large suitcase is awkward on a busy run

When a taxi is the better call

The dala dala is excellent for a daytime hop between villages when you are travelling light and not in a hurry. It is the wrong choice for an early flight, a late arrival, or a group with luggage. For those we run private transfers instead, and for day trips the pick-up is usually included in the tour price.

Ask us

If you are not sure which stop serves where you are staying, message us. Hussein lives here and will tell you straight whether the dala dala makes sense for the trip you have in mind.