When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?

The two ideal seasons for visiting the Zanzibari archipelago are its two dry spells:

The clear waters of Zanzibar have become its calling card

If you visit Zanzibar between March and May, you're risking some afternoon downpours. May in particular is dominated by rains, especially on Pemba Island, where it can also be really windy. Late October and November also tend to be quite wet throughout Zanzibar, so you might want to avoid them too.

You can usually enjoy dry and hot weather for lazing on Zanzibar's postcard-perfect beaches and swimming in its azure waters between December and February. At this time of year, the temperature usually ranges between 24 and 33 ℃. Note that the humidity is high, but this just ensures that you'll want to cool off in the sea often!

If you'd prefer a little less heat and humidity but still want to enjoy lovely beach weather, then consider planning your trip between mid June and early October, when temperatures tend to range between 21 and 30 ℃.

The waters of Mnemba Beach are some of the calmest in the archipelago

Top tip: Much of Zanzibar's coastline is rocky, so if you want to relax on one of those sandy white beaches lined by palm trees then you have to head to certain regions. We can recommend the north and northwest beaches of the main island of Unjuga for a fun vibe, even at night. Or if you crave a more serene experience, you might like to visit the beaches of the east and southeast of Unjuga.

The best time for snorkelling or diving in Zanzibar is the long dry season: June to mid October. This is when the waters are calmest and so visibility is good.

There are many excellent corals that snorkellers can explore

Top tip: Some of Zanzibar's best corals for snorkelling and diving are those by Chumbe Island near Stone Town and by the heart-shaped Mnemba Atoll off the north coast of Unjuga.

Diving conditions are good all year round in Zanzibar, except perhaps for mid December to mid February as the Northern Wind creates choppy seas and this reduces visibility. Here's a breakdown of Zanzibar's diving seasons:

Mnemba Atoll is an idyllic spot for both snorkelling and diving

Top tip: There are many fantastic diving sites in Zanzibar, which is why it's such a popular diving location! Two especially great spots are the reefs near Stone Town, those surrounding Mnemba Atoll, and those off Unjuga's southeast coast. But the queen bee of Zanzibar's diving sites is the reef surrounding Pemba Island and its islets.

Sailing conditions for Zanzibar are great throughout the year, with the exception perhaps of April and May because these are the rainiest months. Arguably the very best months for sailing around Zanzibar are the cooler, drier months of June to October.

Dhows, yachts and other boats are a perennial part of the Zanzibari seascape

Of course different parts of the archipelago offer better sailing conditions at different times of the year. From June to September, for instance, the best sailing can be found to the north and west of Pemba Island.

The best months to visit Zanzibar to spot dolphins are August to December. But please be sure to only use a responsible tour operator, as you shouldn't try to get too close to the dolphins nor touch them.

Zanzibar's resident dolphins include spinners, bottlenoses and humpbacks

Top tip: head to the north of Unjuga to see spinners and to Menai Bay in the southwest for the best chances of spotting bottlenoses and humpbacks.

The off-peak seasons in Zanzibar are the rainy ones, which are March to May and mid October to early December. You can still get idyllic days during these months. Also, the rain is often limited to a relatively short-lived downpour in the afternoon.

April and May are the rainiest months, so we suggest you avoid them if you're coming for a brief spell and really want some good beach or exploring days.

Zanzibar's beaches are popular – not just with humans!

Of course, if you're on a tight budget and don't mind taking the risk of inclement weather, then Zanzibar's off-peak months can gift you some great savings on accommodation.

If you want to combine a Tanzania safari with a Zanzibar trip (and we can make that happen for you!), then your best months weatherwise for both are January, February, or sometime between June and October.

January to March is great for seeing baby animals on safari as well as lush landscapes, while June to October is ideal for seeing LOTS of animals as the dry vegetation offers less coverage and the animals are forced to congregate around the few watering holes.

January and February are great months for a Ngorongoro Crater safari

For more detail on the best times of year for a Tanzania safari – like when you can witness the spectacular Great Wildlife Migration in the Serengeti – please read Best time for safari in Tanzania.

We recommend climbing Kilimanjaro between mid December and March or between mid June and October to enjoy the best weather conditions. With the exception possibly of March, these are the exact same months when you can enjoy the best weather in Zanzibar! It's almost as if the climate of Tanzania had your best travel interests in mind when it set itself up.

Many of our clients like to climb Kili with us and then head to Zanzibar

You can learn more about Kilimanjaro's best climbing seasons in Best time to climb Kilimanjaro.

If you're heading all the way to Tanzania, we recommend that you make the most of the opportunity and climb Kilimanjaro with us and then also let us whisk you away on an incredible Big Five safari followed by a relaxing Zanzibar adventure! You'll certainly have earned the safari and beach time after challenging yourself to climb Africa's tallest mountain.

Check out our exciting Kilimanjaro itineraries and varied Tanzanian safari itineraries to see if they inspire you to expand your Zanzibar trip. 😉