How I Spent 5 Days in Zanzibar on a Budget
Guide to Zanzibar
Zanzibar by Plane
Ferry to Zanzibar
Accommodation
Transportation
Final Thoughts: Zanzibar on a Budget
Tanzania was a very last-minute trip for me when plans to travel to Oman were canceled due to world events and my Kenyan visa was coming to an end.
Since I was in Kenya, Tanzania made the most sense for a border run and side quest before coming back for a house sit.
I had three days to plan a 12 day trip to Tanzania, and a rather modest budget, but knew if I was going to Tanzania, I needed to get to Zanzibar. I dedicated 5 days/5 nights to this gorgeous Tanzanian island and am so glad I did. Looking back, I would have skipped Dar es Salaam and committed those 2 days to Zanzibar, but C'est la vie!.
Here are all the details of my trip to Zanzibar, with lots of tips, insights, and information to help you plan your trip to Zanzibar on a budget.
Zanzibar Budget
Is Zanzibar budget friendly?
Yes, and no.
While there are budget friendly accommodations, inexpensive food and drinks, and beaches are free to the public, Zanzibar is generally not truly budget travel friendly, if you want to really experience the island.
With transportation costs, visa, and mandatory insurance coming with hefty costs, even the most savvy traveler will face unavoidable upfront costs.
Here is a breakdown of what I spent in 5 days visiting Zanzibar:
How Much Does Zanzibar Cost? (Budget Breakdown)
Tanzania Visa
(US Passport) $100
Zanzibar Mandatory Health insurance
Required for all non-resident Foreign visitors $44
To save time on arrival, the Zanzibar mandatory insurance can be purchased in advance here
Ferry
Dar Es Salam to Zanzibar (economy) $38
Accommodation
Hostel Dorm $102 (gifted/collaboration)
Transportation
From ferry to Hostel, pre-booked transfer (after 10% discount) $45
From hostel to airport, pre-booked transfer (after 10% discount) $33
Excursions
Mneemba: African Maldives Day Tour with Lunch $76 ($51 after $25 cashback)
Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch $78 (sponsored)
Food/Drinks
$96
eSim
Vodafone top-up $8.50
Laundry
Pick up/drop off via hostel $15
Souvenirs
2 bracelets at the airport $10
Flight
Zanzibar to Arusha $51
5 Day Trip total: $684.50
(Paid: $479.50 after cashback)
Tanzania Entry Requirements
Do I need a visa to enter Tanzania?
Yes
How much is the visa for Tanzania?
The Tanzania visa cost and duration varies by citizenship.
For US Citizens, the tourist visa is $100 and valid for 1 year, allowing multiple entries. There is no single entry option for US citizens enter Tanzania.
How to get a visa for Tanzania?
This feels like a trick question, as there is a website (official website) to obtain a Tanzania eVsa, however, it was down for several months when I attempted to apply (April 2026) and this seems to be a frequent occurrence. There have also been several occurrences where travelers wait weeks for visa approval after completing the application and paying.
You can easily get an visa on arrival in Tanzania, whether you cross by air or land, but the lines and wait times can be long.
Pro Tips for Visa on Arrival in Tanzania:
Bring Cash (TZS or US dollars). The websites state you can pay by credit card, however it appears (like the website) the credit card machines are always “down” and you will be directed to an ATM with very hefty fees.
Entering Tanzania
When you enter Tanzania you will be required to first do a “Health Screening”, which is simply showing your Yellow Fever vaccination card.
⭐If you do not have your yellow book, you will either be required to get a vaccine on the spot (at a cost) or provide just reason for not having the vaccine (this can go in a few directions depending on the staff).
After completing the health screening, if doing Visa on Arrival, you will fill out a pretty simple form which includes your information, destination, accommodation, departure. Tanzanian immigration CAN ask for proof of finances for the duration for you stay, accommodation confirmation and onward travel, but this seems quite rare.
Generally, you only need to present immigration with:
Health Screening clearance form (obtained on arrival)
Passport
eVisa (or form and payment if visa on arrival)
Zanzibar Mandatory Health Insurance
All foreign tourists visiting Zanzibar are mandatory required to purchase travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC).
⭐Private health insurance and travel insurance are not accepted.
Travelers can apply and pay for the Zanzibar mandatory health insurance, on the official website, or can be obtained upon arrival (cash and credit card payments accepted).
This mandatory health insurance is only mandatory for Zanzibar, costing $44 and is good for 92 days.
How to Get to Zanzibar
There are only 2 ways to get on to Zanzibar: Boat or Plane.
I took the ferry from Dar es Salaam and flew out to Arusha, so got to experience both options
✈️Flying to Zanzibar
Zanzibar does have a (very small, 2 terminal) airport. Depending on where you are coming from, you can fly directly into Zanzibar or take a very short flight from Dar es Salaam for around $30 (less than the ferry).
⭐Some Notes on flying to Zanzibar from within Tanzania:
Some of the regional airlines will cancel or reschedule flights if there are not enough passengers - Precision Air is one of the most popular regional airlines and is famous for this. Both of my flights with Precision Air were either rescheduled (by 10 hours) or canceled.
When my flight was canceled with Precision Air, I found a new flight with Coastal Air, which frankly I was nervous about, but they were fantastic, on time, had great service, and were almost half the cost of my original flight with Precision Air.
The planes are TINY. If you are averse to tiny planes, this may not be the best option for you. If you love little planes and incredible views, it is a great option!
⛴️Ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar
There are 2 main ferry companies operating from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar
•ZanFast Ferres
•Azam and Kilimanjaro Fast Ferries
The crossing takes approximately 90 minutes and runs 4 times per day between 7am and 4pm
Ticket prices are based on fare class and are comparable between the 2 companies, ranging from $30-$70.
You CAN buy Zanzibar ferry tickets day of, but they do sell out and the ticket lines can be wild, so best to buy in advance
💳I could not find anywhere on the ZanFast ferry website to pay with a credit card and when I bought in person, they took me to Azam because they take credit cards
Taking the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar comes with pros and cons, these are some from my experience taking the ferry to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam:
👍🏽Pros:
The ferry port is easily accessible and well located in Dar es Salaam
Tickets can be purchased on-site day of, or in advance
Seats are comfortable*
More luggage flexibility
👎🏽Cons of the Ferry to Zanzibar
Purchasing tickets on-line can be challenging
The boarding and deboarding process is chaotic - from approaching the port to getting on the boat, there is very little order. There are also numerous men in orange and green vests posing as staff, insisting on “helping” with tickets, directions, luggage, etc then demanding money. On arrival there is an onslaught of taxi drivers and fake “porters” to navigate.
The Economy seating section includes indoor and outdoor seating. If you are not in the first group of economy passengers to board, the only seating option is outside on the deck. I highly recommend paying the extra $5-10 for an upgraded seat to assure you are inside.
Overall, the ferry from Dar es Salaam is an easy-enough and fairly efficient way to get to Zanzibar. With a little preparation and knowing what to expect, it is a pretty seamless experience.
My 5 Days in Zanzibar
Where I Stayed in Zanzibar on a Budget
Since my trip was really focused on beach time and relaxation, I opted for an accommodation in Nungwi, known for stunning beaches and boho vibes.
When looking for budget friendly hotels in Zanzibar, I came across 197 Hostel which really checked every box for me: minutes from the beach, affordable (dorms around $20/nt and private rooms starting at $50/nt), gorgeous pool, breakfast included and onsite bar.
Even though 197 Hostel is roughly a 1-hour to 1.5-hour drive from transit on/off the island which comes with the added cost of transportation, I thought it was well worth it. The cost of the stay plus transportation was still less than many other budget Zanzibar stays I found.
To stay on budget I opted for a dorm, which was the most comfortable hostel dorm I have ever stay in, with full size beds, daily turn over housekeeping, spotless bathrooms, and amble storage. I ended up chatting with the owners after booking and was offered my stay in exchange for some content, but would absolutely recommend 197 Hostel even if I had paid for my stay - which would have been an absolute steal at $102 for 5 nights.
For availability and booking, click here.
Transportation
I could have saved a little here by getting a local taxi on arrival, but after the constant harassment, haggling, and attempts to rip me off by taxi drivers in Arusha and Dar Es Salam, I wasn’t up for dealing with being bombarded by drivers and having to negotiate rates on arrival.
Considering the duration of the rides, I think the pre-booked rates were fair. It was also less than what my accommodation offered to book through Booking.com, thanks to my genius status discount.
Having someone waiting for me on arrival and being confident in a 6am pick up when I was departing, was well worth the extra money.
The companies I was matched with were great and I highly recommend both, if you want to book direct (which may offer a cost savings).
Babu tours handled my 6am transfer from hotel to the airport and were fantastic! Communication was great, car was spotless and my driver was kind and professional.
Urban Tours & Safaris Ltd handled my transportation from Zanzibar ferry to my hotel in Nungwi, and while the vehicle could have been in better shape, the driver was fantastic. He communicated the day prior and was very patient with my delay due to a hold up on arrival.
If you do not want to prebook taxis or pay for private transfers, there are an abundance of local taxis, tuk-tuks, bodas, etc available for hailing. Be prepared to negotiate fares and have cash (TZS or USD).
Zanzibar Excursions
While my focus in Zanzibar was rest and relaxation, I also wanted to squeeze in a little history, see some more of the island, and get do some snorkeling so I chose two day-trips that gave me a broader experience on Zanzibar.
There are several options for day trips in Zanzibar, and there really is something for everyone whether you are looking for history, nature, views, adventure or relaxing outings.
These are the Zanzibar day trips I opted for:
Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice Tour, Prison Island with Lunch
When I said I was going to Zanzibar, several travelers I know highly recommended a Stone Town tour.
A small group tour seemed like the best way to see Stone Town, especially since it included transportation from Nungwi. I chose the below tour, which also included a tour of Jambo Spice Farm with lunch, a visit to Prison Island, and walking tour of Stone Town.
While this was a long day, especially in the Zanzibar heat, it was a really well-rounded day and gave the opportunity to see a lot and learn a great deal about the history of Zanzibar and Tanzania.
I definitely recommend this tour, or a similar tour, for any trip to Zanzibar.
Mnemba: African Maldives Day Tour with Optional Lunch
I was on the fence about doing a snorkeling tour in Zanzibar but decided to commit my last day to getting on a boat and seeing some fish face to face.
I am so glad that I opted to take this tour and see Zanzibar from the water. I was a little put off by the dolphin portion of the tour, but can see why others would enjoy it, and it was nice to see them in the water. The highlights for me were the snorkeling, which we had lots of time for and saw SO many fish and coral, and the sandbar.
Our guide was fun and professional and overall, it was definitely worth adding this excursion to my trip.
⭐I do not recommend the optional lunch; it was quite terrible.
Final Thoughts: Zanzibar on a Budget
Is it possible to travel Zanzibar on a budget? Kind of.
Are there options outside of luxury resorts and high-end stays? Absolutely!
Is Zanzibar “cheap”? No.
If you are looking for a true, cheap, backpacker budget destination, Zanzibar is not it. But if you are looking for an amazing coastal destination in East Africa with white sand beaches and crystal-clear water on a moderate budget, Zanzibar is definitely doable!
With a little planning, finagling, and savvy, you can absolutely have an amazing trip to Zanzibar on a budget.
Heads up, traveler! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you click and make a purchase. This helps fuel my travels and keep this site free!
A two-month house sit in Kenya turned into a six-month journey across Africa, from Kenya and Tanzania to South Africa and Morocco.
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