Getting to Zanzibar
To get to Zanzibar, you can take a flight from major airports around the world. There also ferry services available from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Make sure to check visa requirements and travel advisories before planning your trip.
By Plane
Welcome to Zanzibar! The island is easily accessible through Zanzibar Airport, also known as Kisauni. Many airlines offer convenient flights from the United States and Europe, making easy to reach this beautiful destination.
International Flights: You cannot directly fly to Dar es Salaam from London or the US, but many airlines (KLM, Emirates) have two stop flights which make the travel fairly easy (usually via Amsterdam and Dubai). Some of the airlines that offer flights to Zanzibar include Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Ethiopian Airlines.
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A few airlines arrive in Zanzibar directly, saving you from having to make a transfer in Dar es Salaam. This is where Qatar Airways can excel. You can take a nighttime trip from London Heathrow to Doha, where you can change planes and arrive in Zanzibar at around 14.20. This could be a wise option if you want to stay away from flying in light planes.
Flying from Qatar Airways to both Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam makes it quite simple to combine time on Zanzibar with a Tanzanian safari. You can use the same return ticket to go into Tanzania and out of Zanzibar.
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Traveling with Kenya Airways and making a transfer in Nairobi is an additional choice.
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Domestic Flights: Zanzibar can be reached from Dar es Salaam by plane. The flight takes about 20 minutes and several airlines are operating services. Currently, there are 8 domestic flights to Zanzibar. Flights between Dar and Zanzibar operate daily and are very frequent, typically every hour or two. The first flight leaves Dar around 07.30 in the morning; the last flight at 18.00 in the evening.
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Some domestic airlines are: Zan Air, Auric Air, Precision Air, Coastal Aviation, Air Tanzania, Flight Link.
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By Ferry
Zanzibar is a beautiful island located off the coast of Tanzania, and one of best ways to get there is by ferry. The ferry ride offers stunning views of the Indian Ocean and the island's coastline.
The Harbour/Ferry Port Situated in the heart of Dar Es Salaam. Due to the terrible traffic, depending on when you arrive, taking a taxi from the airport to the ferry terminal could take two hours or longer. The busiest hours are 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. At the latest, one hour prior to departure, you should arrive at the terminal.
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The ferry is run by Azam Marine, www.azammarine.com. The ferry ride to Stone Town (Zanzibar) takes around two hours. You should factor roughly three hours for the full trip, including waiting, since you will need to go through customs and visa procedures. You won't be charged for a Zanzibar visa if you already have a valid Tanzanian visa, but you will need to complete an entry declaration form.
Naturally, the opposite is also true. You can leave Stone Town and travel to Dar Es Salaam by ferry.
The daily departure times from Stonetown to Daressalaam are:
07:00 am
09:30 am
12:30 am
16:00 pm
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