Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago, located on the eastern coast of Tanzania, Africa in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, bursting with culture & history it is so much more than white sand beaches, clear warm waters with coral reefs perfect for snorkeling. Zanzibar is made up of many small islands and two major islands Unguja (the main island, informally referred to as Zanzibar) & Pemba After the union of Zanzibar & Tanganyika, Tanzania was born, within which Zanzibar remains a semi-autonomous region. The Zanzibar archipelago is 25-50km off the coast of mainland Tanzania. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on Unguja island, its historic center is a stone town, which is a world heritage site Like mainland Tanzania, the official language is Swahili & English but many Zanzibaris are also fluent in Arabic the official currency being the Tanzania shillings Islam is the dominant religion by over 90% The population is over 1.3million according to the 2012 census The main industry are spices, raffia & tourism

The Serengeti national park is the most famous park and a top safari destination. The Serengeti has so much to offer, from the Big Five and the world’s largest overland migration to stunning landscapes. These are the best things to see and do when visiting Serengeti National Park.

• Walking safari.

Discover the Serengeti on foot during a multi-day walking safari. Go back in time and feel like you are the first explorer.

The wilderness becomes more real when you become part of the environment. Explore remote areas where safari vehicles are not allowed.

Your senses start working when you connect with nature and walk on the same path as lions, elephants, and giraffes. Smell the bush, feel the warm African breeze and hear elephants trumping in the distance. It is such an exciting experience to be so close to nature.

• Balloon safari.

The ultimate way to see the beauty of the Serengeti is by floating in a hot air balloon over the endless plains at dawn. Witness the sunrise over the African savannah and the variety of wildlife below.

Balloon Serengeti National Park

Enjoy a bird’s eye view of this awesome park, while you float in the direction the wind takes you. After a one-hour balloon flight, a glass of champagne and a delicious English breakfast awaits, to celebrate this amazing adventure.

• Great migration.

For a lot of people, this spectacle of nature is the reason why they visit the Serengeti. It’s an impressive sight to witness millions of mammals thunder across the plains in search of fresh grass and water.

Huge lines of wildebeest, storms of red dust, wild river crossings, and predators everywhere. The Great Migration is a year-round circle and can be seen in different parts of the Serengeti & the larger Serengeti ecosystem. with exception of October year-round Serengeti has the edge of the migrational herd's numbers making it best to see the migration from the Serengeti

• Game drive.

Serengeti national park offers to view animals from moving vehicles. When choosing to book a drive-in safari a driver/guide will take you to Serengeti in a 4x4 safari vehicle (and other places to visit depending on your itinerary- along the way. In general, the driver/guide will also be your guide in the Serengeti and take you on the game drives through the park experience at their lodge.

• Bird watching.

The Serengeti national park is a bird paradise. The park has approximately 500 bird species which makes it to be the best spot for bird watching. This open grassland supports other varieties of birds such as kori bustard, larks, fiches, and raptors.

The park is home to the amazing lilac-breasted roller and three endemic species of Tanzania, Fischer's lovebird, grey-rumped spurfowl, and babbler-like Rufous-tailed weaver.

June – October: Like mainland Tanzania throughout the year you can visit Zanzibar but it is during the dry season (June to October) that is regarded by many as the best time to visit Zanzibar 

Why June to October is the best time to visit Zanzibar?

• First of all, the skies are clear and most days are sunny (perfect weather for your stay)
• Secondly, you can do a safari, Mount Kilimanjaro hike & another extension in mainland Tanzania as it is during this time that it is favorable to visit the mainland too
• Easy mobility, moving around is easier when it is dry unlike the rainy season
• fewer mosquitoes unlike the rainy season which is a favorable condition for mosquitoes
• easier to meet people, do group tours, group activities, and greater parties
• lastly, there are plenty more options for activities to do during the dry season

Few considerations against this period

• Prices are high as it is the peak season
• Many travelers as it is peak season, preference a quiet trip

November

• it is expected to be dry, sunny so it is a great time for a visit
• little chances for short shower rains which are expected in December & January

December 

• weather will be between sunny and short rain showers (to reduce the dust)
• small peak season around festival season

January to February

• it is expected to be sunny & dry so it is a great time for a visit

March

• this is a grey time, not clear if it will be dry or perhaps the rainy season will begin

April to May 

this is probably the least favorable time to visit Tanzania as it is expected to be the rainy season therefore very difficult to move around or enjoy the sun

but there are some advantages to this period

• lower rates
• fewer travelers (low season)

The best way of getting to Zanzibar is to fly to Zanzibar

If you are coming from a foreign country, you can fly directly to Zanzibar international airport

You can fly to Zanzibar from Kilimanjaro international airport, from Arusha airport (Arusha airport is more recommended after the northern circuit safari), from Dar es salaam international airport, from Mwanza airport

Flights you can take

• Air Tanzania flight 7:40 pm from Kilimanjaro airport (JRO) to Zanzibar (possible flight after a northern circuit safari) however it is recommended not to fly directly after a safari as any major emergency can hurt chances of catching your flight
• Air Tanzania flight 7:15 am from Kilimanjaro airport (JRO) to Zanzibar
• Precision air flight 4:00 pm from Arusha airport (ARK) to Zanzibar
• Coastal air, flight link, precision air, air Tanzania & Auric air run multiple flights from domestic airports to Zanzibar

A Ferry to Zanzibar

You can also take a bus to Dar es salaam(17-25usd) & then take a 2 hours ferry to Zanzibar(35usd) however this option is not greater valuable than a direct flight to Zanzibar as a bus will take almost 10 hours to Dar es salaam & ferry takes about 2 hours from dar es salaam to Zanzibar

You are already deciding to visit Zanzibar maybe after a safari in mainland Tanzania, apart from this archipelago having beautiful beaches there is plenty more to do than just relaxing at the beach, from nature & historical tours to water sports & activities. Here is a list of some of the things you can do

• Stone town tour

The stone town has been the capital of this archipelago from the first colonial rulers to an independent Zanzibar & now still the capital of the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar, this town is full of history and culture. It is one not to miss on your stay in Zanzibar

• Spice tour

This archipelago is famous for its spices & its influence on the spice trade with its roots in the trade dated before the 16th century, to date there are still many spice plantations so take a spice tour where you can visit a spice farm and learn about how they grow and process different spices will be a great thing to do

• Visit Jozani forest

Jozani chakwa bay national park is famous for the rare red colobus monkeys, you can also expect to see a bushbaby, and different species of birds, and butterflies. Walking through the forest is adventurous and something not to miss if you are on a longer stay. It is best to visit when you are in transit heading to paje to avoid doing a detour and save time

• Visit prison island

 This island also known as changuu island is just off the coast of stone town. The name can be intimidating but there is a lot to learn about the history of the island and how they used to house rebellious slaves on the island. In the present day, the island is a tourist destination home to giant tortoises It’s a peaceful sanctuary for this vulnerable species. The tortoises on the island are estimated to be more than 150 years old. Getting to prison island will require taking a 25mins boat ride from stone town

• Boat trip and enjoy snorkeling

On this great archipelago taking a boat ride off for snorkeling is one of the popular things to do, it is done in various areas of the island but the most popular is the mnemba atoll and safari blue atoll. The mnemba atoll is done from the northern beaches (nungwi & kendwa) and the safari blue atoll is popular in the southwest, but there are many other snorkeling boat cruises you can do

• Dolphin tour

Taking a tour to swim with the dolphins or just going for spotting them is a popular activity, it is mostly done from the northern and southern beaches. But it is recommended you do this tour from kizimkazi or safari blue in the south where it is more likely to see them.

• Visit a turtle aquarium

A visit to the mnarani marine aquarium is something not to miss, this natural aquarium is a sanctuary for sea turtles. It is located in the north end of Zanzibar you can walk from nungwi and kendwa beaches or take a boat ride. 

• Sunset dhow cruise

you can hop on a dhow and enjoy a cruise as the sunsets usually the cruise is mixed with singing and other interesting interactions while enjoying the beautiful views of the sunset this is something not to miss. This cruise is done on the western part of the islands where you can see the sunset kissing the sea

• Scuba diving 

On the archipelago scuba diving is done in various places, depending on the place you are you can book a session and head on for the waters to explore 

• Water sports

There are various water sports you can do especially on the popular northern beaches

• Jet ski
• Para surfing
• Fly board surfing
• Banana boat rides & other boat rides
• Hoverboard surfing
• Kayaking
• Stand up paddleboards

• Atv (quad bike) rides & tours

Driving off-road to discover the island's wild nature and beautiful landscapes, there are definitely great trails and routes that go through rice fields, sugar cane plantations as well as other farms

• Horse riding

Riding a horse on the beach or just out of the beach is something you can do in Zanzibar for those heading to nungwi there is a horse club. Exploring Zanzibar island on the horseback is something great. Picture yourself riding down the beach at sunset or even swimming with a horse

• Wine and dine at the rock

The rock is a popular restaurant, situated on a solid rock slab and surrounded by water. Many travelers yearn to dine here and surely do enjoy the experience. You can reach the restaurant on foot when the tide is low alternatively you will go by boat if the water level rises

• Skydiving

This activity is available in Zanzibar with a sky diving school already set up travelers should stay ready to grace the Zanzibar skies, with Tandem dives offered for 450$ pp

• Fishing 

Zanzibar is fortunate in having superb fishing almost all year. Fishing in Zanzibar is synonymous with some of the most exhilarating and challenging deep-sea fishing available.