Best time to visit Zanzibar

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Zanzibar

Best time of year to visit Zanzibar

Best time to visit Zanzibar is dry winter from June through October. Although it gets touristic at this time of the year, the dry season is best to swim with dolphins. Spring in Zanzibar is a bit rainy, but it gives you a chance to try exclusive cashew nuts and a variety of tropical fruits. Lower rates, fewer crowds and clear skies full of stars are waiting for you during hot and sunny summer from December to March. Remember many lodges are closed during the peak of wet season from mid-March through the end of May.

15 THINGS TO DO IN ZANZIBAR (MAY 30 - JUNE 08)

Beach Season

Beach Season

June–February • activity

Visit outstanding beaches along the eastern or northern coasts with fishing villages, tropical palms, and mangrove forests washed by the Indian Ocean

Swimming with Dolphins

Swimming with Dolphins

January–February | June–October • activity

Swimming side by side with these friendly creatures in their natural habitat is unforgettable

Coconut Crabs on Chumbe Island

Coconut Crabs on Chumbe Island

June–March • nature

These giant arthropods quickly climb coconut palm trees and easily crack open their favourite food—coconuts. It is incredible and even a little scary

Pemba Flying Fox Breeding Season

Pemba Flying Fox Breeding Season

January–August • nature

See a breathtaking sight as these huge bats take to the air, launching off en-masse as they depart for their evening hunt...for fruit

Spice Harvest and Tours

Spice Harvest and Tours

June–October • food

Clove, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, lemon grass, vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, saffron... This wonderful aroma spreads through the whole island!

Baobab Blooming and Fruit

Baobab Blooming and Fruit

December (blooming) | May (ripe fruit) • nature

The circumference of some specimens of baobab exceeds 10 m and its fruits can reach a length of up to 54 cm!

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing

January–February | June–August • activity

Experience the joy of kiteboarding and kitesurfing in Paje

Marine Turtle Nesting Season

Marine Turtle Nesting Season

February–July • nature

Watch these baby-turtles in a once-in-a-lifetime struggle for survival!

Shoki Shoki  (Rambutan)

Shoki Shoki (Rambutan)

December–January | June–August • food

Exotic fruit which captivates with its sweet and fragrant taste

Diving and Snorkeling

Diving and Snorkeling

June–March • activity

One of the best diving destinations of the world

Cycling

Cycling

June–October | January–February • activity

Bike routes winding Zanzibar will let you discover the island's real treasures

Tamarind

Tamarind

May–June • food

This typical African fruit is used in many cuisines around the world in sauces, marinades, chutneys, drinks, and desserts

Breadfruit and Jackfruit

Breadfruit and Jackfruit

June–August • food

Breadfruit is a great gift for fans of unusual fruits

Carambola (Birimbi, Star Fruit)

Carambola (Birimbi, Star Fruit)

April–June | October–December • food

When you cut across it, this fruit looks like a 5-pointed star

Butterflies

Butterflies

May–July | December–January • nature

Admire these gentle creatures and inspect their lifecycle in a magical garden or butterfly farm or in their natural environmen—Jozani Forest

12 THINGS TO DO OUT OF SELECTED DATE RANGE

Baby Red Colobus Monkeys

Baby Red Colobus Monkeys

out of rangeJanuary–February • nature

Meet these cute animals at Jozani Forest in Zanzibar

Mwaka Kogwa Festival

Mwaka Kogwa Festival

out of rangelate July • event

Celebrate the Persian New Year in Zanzibar which has neatly been incorporated into tradition

Jahazi Literary and Jazz Music Festival

Jahazi Literary and Jazz Music Festival

overAugust 17–19, 2018 • event

Spend a long weekend of jazz, blues, poetry, and storytelling in Stone Town

Baby Giant Tortoises on Prison Island

Baby Giant Tortoises on Prison Island

out of rangeMarch–April • nature

This colony of Giant Tortoises is the biggest and most gorgeous attraction of this picturesque island

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr

out of rangeApril 9-10, 2024 • event

This is a time of giving charity and alms—two of the five pillars of the Islamic faith

Sauti za Busara (Swahili Music & Cultural Festival)

Sauti za Busara (Swahili Music & Cultural Festival)

out of rangeFebruary 9-11, 2024 • event

Three nights of a rich variety of non-stop live African music at the Old Fort

Green Cardamom Harvest

Green Cardamom Harvest

out of rangeMarch–April | October–November • food

Green cardamom is not only a flavorful spice for cuisine, but also hosts a wealth of healthy benefits!

Durian

Durian

out of rangeNovember • food

Try this exotic juicy "King of Fruit" known as Durian

Cashew

Cashew

out of rangeOctober–February • food

Some say Zanzibar's cashew is the best on the African continent

Humpback Whale Watching Season

Humpback Whale Watching Season

out of rangeJuly–November • activity

Have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these majestic creatures in Zanzibar!

Yellowfin Tuna Fishing

Yellowfin Tuna Fishing

out of rangeAugust–October • activity

This is a truly blessed season for fishermen!

Bullfighting on Pemba Island

Bullfighting on Pemba Island

out of rangeAugust–February • event

It is not as bloody as the Spanish version nor as cruel as the Portuguese, but quite a picturesque spectacle

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