Why this journey is different.
Zanzibar is a thousand years of Swahili, Omani, Persian and Indian trade history with a coastline attached, and this itinerary gives both their due. Two nights in a restored Stone Town house with a private historian, a spice farm and the red colobus of Jozani, then three nights beachfront on the north coast with a dhow, a reef and a spa. Private throughout, no group buses, no fixed departure times.
Moments you will remember.
- 1Restored heritage house in the heart of Stone Town
- 2Private Stone Town walk with a resident historian, including the old slave market memorial
- 3Spice farm tasting at source and a Swahili cooking session
- 4Jozani Forest red colobus monkeys and mangrove boardwalk
- 5Three beachfront nights with a private dhow and Mnemba snorkelling
Your itinerary.
6 chapters, each with the exact landscape you will be standing in that day.
Sign in to your guest account to print your name and travel dates on the cover and every page header. One personalisation per account, so your document stays uniquely yours.
- 1. Stone Town
- 2. Jozani
- 3. North coast
Day 1Nairobi and the road, sundowners on the plains Arrive Stone Town
Private transfer to your heritage house, afternoon at leisure, then rooftop sundowners over the harbour and dinner at the Forodhani seafront.
Day 2On safari, guided walking safari Stone Town on foot
A morning walk through the alleys with a resident historian: carved doors, the Old Fort, the House of Wonders, the slave market memorial. Afternoon dhow across the channel.
Day 3On safari, guided walking safari Spices and Jozani
Spice farm tasting and a Swahili cooking session, then Jozani Forest for red colobus and the mangrove boardwalk before continuing to the north coast.
Day 4Lake Naivasha, sundowners on the plains Mnemba atoll
Private boat to Mnemba for snorkelling and a beach lunch, afternoon free, sunset on the sand.
Day 5On safari, sundowners on the plains Dhow and spa
A slow morning, spa treatments, then a private sunset dhow charter with drinks as the sail fills.
Day 6Nairobi and the road, light aircraft transfer Departure
Breakfast, late checkout where possible, private transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
- Private airport meet-and-greet and all island transfers in air-conditioned vehicles
- Beachfront or ocean-view accommodation on a full board or half board basis
- Private guided Stone Town heritage walk with a resident historian
- Spice farm visit and Jozani red colobus forest walk
- Sunset dhow cruise with drinks and Swahili canapes
- Reserved restaurant tables and spa bookings arranged before you arrive
- 24/7 island concierge on WhatsApp
- International and internal flights unless stated
- Tanzania e-Visa and the Zanzibar infrastructure levy
- Mandatory Zanzibar travel insurance (we book it for you on request)
- Diving, kitesurfing and deep sea fishing charters
- Premium spirits, champagne and cellar wine lists
- Gratuities for guides, skippers and villa staff
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Safari Packing Essentials
What to carry on the 6-Day Stone Town & Zanzibar Beach
The same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
Packed for 6-Day Stone Town & Zanzibar Beach: Nairobi and the road and Lake Naivasha
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Equator sun is unforgiving
We also keep a pair per vehicle
200mm or longer for big cats
Charging points onboard too
Hell's Gate, Crescent Island
Keeps the cabin uncluttered
What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
The small pouch that saves the whole trip
Pack it once, forget about it, and let your guide handle everything else on the road.
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your villa, your dates and your dhow charter. The balance is due on arrival, before your holiday begins. Peak beachfront suites over Christmas and New Year sell out nine to twelve months ahead.
Can we combine Zanzibar with a safari?+
That is how most of our guests travel. We fly you straight from the Serengeti or the Mara to Zanzibar on the same booking, one contract, one point of contact, bags handled at every transfer.
When is the best time for Zanzibar?+
June to October and December to February are dry, hot and clear. Long rains run late March into May, when the island is quietest and villas are at their best value.
Is it suitable for honeymoons?+
Zanzibar is our most requested honeymoon finish. We arrange private beach dinners, floating breakfasts, couples spa treatments and a sunset dhow for two.
Do you handle the Zanzibar insurance requirement?+
Yes. Every arriving visitor needs the mandatory island cover, and we buy it in your name and send the certificate before you fly.
