Dear travelers,
Our Zanzibar Itinerary at a Glance
Our trip looked roughly like this:
- Day 1: Arrival + Paje
- Day 2: Stone Town + Nakupenda Sandbank + Prison Island
- Day 3: Dolphin tour + Spice Farm
- Day 4: Relaxing day in Paje
- Day 5: Nungwi + Mnarani turtles + Kendwa Beach + Cocco Bello
- Day 6: Another Paje beach day
- Day 7: Safari Blue
- Day 8: East Coast + The Rock + Kae Funk sunset
- Day 9: Final relaxing day in Paje
- Day 10: Travel home
And yes, you will notice several days where the main activity was essentially exist horizontally next to the Indian Ocean.
Those days are important.
One thing I wouldn’t recommend is trying to fill every single day with an excursion. Zanzibar has plenty to see, but some of our favorite moments were simply walking along Paje Beach, swimming, sitting by the pool, and enjoying the fact that there was absolutely nowhere we needed to be.
Where We Stayed: Paje
We stayed at Hakuna Matata, a small guesthouse in Paje with a pool and a location close to the beach.
Paje turned out to be a really convenient base for this kind of trip.
The village is on Zanzibar’s east coast and is particularly known for its long beach and kitesurfing scene. It’s lively enough that you have restaurants, bars and things happening around you, but it can still feel wonderfully relaxed.
One thing you quickly notice on this side of Zanzibar is the tide.
And when I say notice, I mean the ocean can basically decide to leave.
The difference between high and low tide can completely transform the beach, so don’t expect the same swimming conditions throughout the entire day.
For us, though, Paje wasn’t just somewhere to sleep between excursions. We intentionally included several completely free days here.
And I’m very happy we did.
Day 1: Arriving in Zanzibar & Discovering Paje
After traveling from Belgrade via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, we finally arrived in Zanzibar.
You know that moment when you step out of an airport somewhere tropical and the combination of humidity, heat and completely different smells immediately tells your brain:
Okay. We are definitely not in Europe anymore.
That was Zanzibar.
After arriving, we headed toward Paje and checked into Hakuna Matata.
We didn’t plan anything ambitious for the first day—and I wouldn’t recommend doing so.
Long travel days always look manageable when you’re planning them from your sofa. Then you actually arrive and realize your body has no interest in sightseeing.
So our first day was simply about settling in and getting our first taste of island life.
We explored Paje, headed toward the beach and started getting familiar with the place we’d call home for the next several days.
And honestly?
Seeing that turquoise Indian Ocean for the first time was enough entertainment.
Day 2: Stone Town, Nakupenda Sandbank & Prison Island
Our second day started in Stone Town, the historic heart of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s one of those places where the best thing you can do is simply walk, the narrow streets feel like a maze, filled with carved wooden doors, small shops, local life and buildings that tell the story of Zanzibar’s mix of African, Arab, Indian and European influences.
During our walk, we explored some of Stone Town’s best-known landmarks, including the Old Fort, one of the oldest buildings in the city. Built by the Omanis around the turn of the 18th century, today its courtyard is used for cultural events, performances and small local shops.
Nearby is the House of Wonders, one of Stone Town’s most recognizable historic buildings. It was built in the late 19th century as a ceremonial palace for Sultan Barghash and became famous for being one of the first buildings in Zanzibar to have electricity and an elevator.
Stone Town is also home to several museums and historic sites, so there’s much more to discover here than you might expect from its compact size.
One of my favorite parts, though, was experiencing the everyday side of the city. We walked through the local markets, where stalls are packed with tropical fruits, vegetables, spices, fish and everyday goods. It’s busy, colorful, slightly chaotic and a completely different Zanzibar from the quiet beaches of Paje.
And then there’s a connection you might not expect…
Freddie Mercury Was Born Here
Yes, the Freddie Mercury.
The Queen frontman was born in Zanzibar as Farrokh Bulsara, and today you can visit the Freddie Mercury Museum in Stone Town. It’s a small museum dedicated to his early life, family and journey before becoming one of the most recognizable voices in music.
Tip: Give yourself time to wander rather than rushing from attraction to attraction. Getting a little lost in Stone Town’s narrow streets is honestly part of the experience.
Nakupenda Sandbank
From Stone Town, our day continued onto the water.
Next stop? Nakupenda Sandbank.
Imagine a strip of ridiculously white sand sitting in the middle of bright turquoise water.
That’s basically it. And that’s exactly why it’s so beautiful.
Nakupenda is one of Zanzibar’s popular boat excursions and is often combined with Stone Town and Prison Island because all three can conveniently fit into the same day.
We had time to enjoy the water and the scenery before continuing toward our next stop.
Prison Island
Our next stop was Prison Island, officially called Changuu Island, a small island located just off the coast of Stone Town.
And despite the name, its history isn’t quite as straightforward as “this used to be a prison.”
In the 19th century, the island was associated with the detention of enslaved people, and after Zanzibar became a British protectorate, a prison complex was built there in the 1890s. However, the prison was reportedly never used for its original intended purpose. Instead, the island later became a quarantine station, particularly for people arriving in Zanzibar from areas affected by infectious diseases.
You can still see some of the old historic buildings when visiting today, but most travelers now come for a completely different reason: the giant Aldabra tortoises.
The tortoises aren’t originally from Zanzibar. They were introduced from the Seychelles in the early 20th century, and today Prison Island is home to a protected population of them.
And when we say giant, we really mean giant.
Some of these tortoises can live for well over 100 years, and seeing them up close was one of the most memorable experiences of the day. They move exactly as slowly as you’d imagine, while somehow looking like they’ve witnessed several centuries of human drama and are completely unimpressed by all of it.
You can walk through the sanctuary and observe the tortoises up close, which makes Prison Island a very different experience from the rest of the day’s stops.
The island itself is also beautiful, surrounded by the clear turquoise water that Zanzibar does so well. Since it’s easily reached by boat from Stone Town, Prison Island is often combined with Stone Town and Nakupenda Sandbank in one full-day excursion, which is exactly what we did.
For us, that combination worked perfectly: history and busy streets in Stone Town, giant tortoises on Prison Island, and then white sand and turquoise water at Nakupenda.
Day 3: Dolphins, Spice Farm & One Excursion We Wouldn’t Repeat
Day 3 started with one of Zanzibar’s most advertised experiences: A dolphin tour.
It sounds dreamy.
You get on a boat, sail into beautiful water, spot dolphins and maybe even swim near them.
Reality? There were a lot of boats.
When dolphins appeared, multiple boats moved toward them, with everyone hoping for their chance to get into the water.
We personally didn’t manage to swim with them.
But even if we had, this is probably the one excursion from our trip that we wouldn’t repeat.
Seeing dolphins in the wild is incredible, but the experience felt too crowded for us. If you’re considering a dolphin excursion, I would definitely research the operator carefully and look for tours that prioritize responsible wildlife viewing and maintain appropriate distance from the animals.
Sometimes travel is also about admitting that something you expected to love wasn’t actually your favorite.
And that’s okay.
Visiting a Zanzibar Spice Farm
After the dolphin experience, we switched from ocean to land and visited a spice farm. Zanzibar isn’t nicknamed the Spice Island for nothing.
Spice tours are a popular way to learn about plants and ingredients grown on the island, including cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and other tropical crops.
After several days of beaches and boats, seeing another side of Zanzibar was really interesting.
You suddenly realize that there’s much more to the island than those perfect turquoise-water photos you see on Instagram.
Afterward, we headed back toward Paje.
And after such a full day?
Pool.
Beach.
Food.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Day 4: Doing Absolutely Nothing in Paje
This day deserves its own section because I strongly believe every tropical itinerary needs at least one day where you accomplish approximately zero things.
No alarm. No transfer. No boat.
No itinerary. Just Paje.
We spent the day enjoying the beach, the pool and the slow rhythm of Zanzibar.
When you’re planning a trip from home, it’s tempting to think:
But we’re traveling all the way there! We need to see EVERYTHING.
You don’t.
A holiday where you return needing another holiday is not exactly the goal.
Zanzibar works particularly well when you alternate busy excursion days with slower beach days. Even itinerary-focused local guides recommend leaving substantial free time instead of booking a major excursion every day.
So Day 4 was intentionally empty.
And it was perfect.
Day 5: Nungwi, Turtles, Kendwa Beach & Cocco Bello
After recharging, we were ready to explore the north of Zanzibar.
The northern coast feels different from Paje, so I’m really glad we didn’t stay exclusively on the east coast.
Our first major stop was around Nungwi.
Mnarani Turtles
We visited Mnarani, where we had another turtle encounter, this time with sea turtles.
It was a completely different experience from seeing the giant land tortoises on Prison Island.
Afterward, we continued exploring the north before heading toward one of Zanzibar’s most famous beaches.
Kendwa Beach
Kendwa Beach is exactly what people picture when they hear the word Zanzibar.
Soft sand.
Turquoise water.
Palm trees.
One major difference between the north and Paje is the swimming experience. Zanzibar’s east coast is known for dramatic tidal changes, while the northern beaches around Nungwi and Kendwa generally offer easier swimming across more of the day.
After spending time around Kendwa, our day wasn’t quite finished.
Because apparently beach hopping and turtles weren’t enough.
That evening, we went to Cocco Bello for a party.
Let’s just say the schedule for the following morning was wisely left empty.
Day 6: Recovery Day in Paje
Remember what I said about balancing excursions with relaxing days?
Exhibit A: Day 6.
After our northern Zanzibar adventure and night out, we spent another day around Paje.
And honestly, these quieter days made the trip feel much longer.
Instead of having ten days blur into one continuous sequence of:
Wake up → tour → photos → bus → boat → dinner → sleep,
we actually had time to process where we were.
Walk along the beach.
Watch the tide. Sit by the pool. Order something cold.
Do absolutely nothing for an unreasonable amount of time.
10/10 activity.
Day 7: Safari Blue – One of Zanzibar’s Classic Day Trips
By Day 7, we were ready to get back onto the water. This time for Safari Blue.
Safari Blue is one of Zanzibar’s classic full-day ocean excursions, generally involving sailing, swimming or snorkeling, sandbanks and time exploring the island’s coastal scenery. It’s very different from a simple beach day because you’re moving between different locations throughout the experience.
And this is definitely a full-day type of excursion.
One of the memorable stops was an old baobab tree.
Baobabs already look like something designed for a fantasy movie—massive trunks, strange branches and that unmistakable ancient appearance.
Add tropical island surroundings and suddenly you’re basically on a film set.
Safari Blue was one of those days that delivered the version of Zanzibar we’d imagined before arriving: boats, ocean, swimming, sunshine and that impossible blue water.
If you only have a few days on Zanzibar and you’re trying to choose between excursions, this is the type of activity I’d consider giving a full day rather than squeezing multiple boat trips into your schedule.
Day 8: East Coast Beaches, The Rock & Sunset at Kae Funk
Day 8 was another highlight because it combined several of the things Zanzibar does particularly well:
Beaches.
Food.
And sunsets.
We spent part of the day exploring the east coast before visiting one of Zanzibar’s most recognizable locations:
The Rock Restaurant
Even if you’ve never researched Zanzibar properly, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen a photo of The Rock.
It’s the little restaurant perched on a rock just offshore, surrounded by Indian Ocean water when the tide is high.
It’s probably one of the most photographed restaurants in Tanzania.
And yes, it’s touristy.
But sometimes touristy places are famous because they’re genuinely fun to see.
This was one of those.
The entire setting is so unusual that it almost doesn’t look real.
Depending on the tide, the experience of reaching it can look completely different, which is another reminder that tides influence almost everything on Zanzibar’s east coast.
Sunset at Kae Funk
Later, we headed toward Kae Funk for sunset. And this is where Zanzibar gave us another personality entirely.
Because although Paje sits on the east coast and isn’t naturally positioned for those classic ocean sunsets, the Michamvi peninsula allows you to watch the sun disappear over the water from this side of the island.
After days of bright turquoise sea and white beaches, everything suddenly turned golden.
Music. Drinks. Bare feet in the sand.
Sun dropping toward the horizon.
This is exactly the kind of travel moment that requires very little explanation.
You just sit there thinking: Yep. This is why we came.
Day 9: One Last Day in Paje
Our final proper day was intentionally simple. Back to Paje. Back to the beach. Back to doing very little.
By this point, the guesthouse didn’t feel unfamiliar anymore. We knew the walk to the beach. We understood the tides a little better. We’d gotten used to the rhythm of the place.
And that’s one reason I’m happy we chose one main base rather than constantly moving around Zanzibar.
Changing hotels can help you experience different parts of an island, and many itineraries recommend splitting time between Stone Town, the east coast and the north.
But staying mainly in Paje gave our trip something else:
A feeling of having a temporary home.
And after so many excursions, that was exactly what we needed.
So we spent the day squeezing every last drop out of island life before it was time to pack.
Day 10: Goodbye Zanzibar
And then came the least exciting part of every trip.
Packing.
Checking the room three times because you’re convinced you’ve forgotten a charger.
Trying to work out how your suitcase somehow became heavier even though you definitely didn’t buy that much.
And eventually, heading back toward the airport.
We flew home with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, ending a trip that had somehow managed to feel both incredibly relaxing and packed with experiences.
Would We Change Anything About Our Zanzibar Itinerary?
Not much. I really liked the balance we had between organized excursions and completely free days.
If I were planning it again, I would still make sure to include:
- Stone Town
- Nakupenda Sandbank
- Prison Island
- A spice farm
- Nungwi and Kendwa
- Safari Blue
- The Rock
- Kae Funk for sunset
- And several completely free beach days
The one activity I personally wouldn’t prioritize again is the dolphin tour, mainly because of how many boats were around the dolphins.
I’d rather spend that time on another relaxed ocean activity or simply have another morning at the beach.
How Many Excursions Should You Book in Zanzibar?
This was probably the biggest lesson from our itinerary:
Don’t book something for every day.
It’s incredibly tempting.
When you’re researching Zanzibar, suddenly your list looks something like:
Stone Town! Turtles! Dolphins! Snorkeling! Spice farm! Sandbank! Safari Blue! Nungwi! Restaurant! Sunset! Another turtle!
And before you know it, your relaxing tropical holiday has turned into military training with coconuts.
For a trip of around 9–10 days, I’d aim for approximately four or five major excursion days, leaving the rest flexible.
Your beach days aren’t wasted days. They’re part of the Zanzibar experience.
Final Thoughts on Our 10 Days in Zanzibar
Zanzibar was one of those destinations where the trip didn’t revolve around one single spectacular attraction.
It was the combination of everything. Walking through Stone Town and then standing on a white sandbank a few hours later. Seeing giant tortoises. Learning about spices. Driving across the island. Swimming in ridiculously blue water. Watching the tide completely transform Paje Beach. Going north to Kendwa. Sailing during Safari Blue. Watching the sunset with a drink at Kae Funk. And then having entire days where our biggest decision was whether we should move from the pool to the beach.
That’s what made the trip feel complete.
Zanzibar can absolutely be an adventure destination.
But it also knows how to make you slow down.
And if you’re planning around 10 days here, my biggest advice is simple: Leave room for both.
Because sometimes the best Zanzibar itinerary is the one that leaves a few blank spaces.
Preferably ones filled with turquoise water, sunshine and absolutely no alarm clock.
Truly yours,
The Creation of Us
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