Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) · Tanzania
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Quick answer
Entry
Same as Tanzania mainland — Tanzania visa is required even on Zanzibar (separate immigration desk). Visa-on-arrival USD 50 (USD 100 US). E-visa recommended. Yellow fever certificate if from endemic country.
Into town
Daladala (shared minibus): 25 min, TZS 500.
Time outside
Stay airside — 3h is too tight
Times from ZNZ arrivals. Check entry rules for your passport before you fly.
The sights in Zanzibar worth leaving the airport for.
1Maze of 19th-century Swahili-Arab-Indian alleys. Carved doors + Sultan's Palace + House of Wonders. Free to wander. 2-3 hours minimum.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Mbz1 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sunset seafood grill — Zanzibar pizza, skewers, sugarcane juice. USD 5-10 a meal. Daily 5pm-11pm.
30-min boat from Stone Town — giant tortoises (150+ years old) + clear-water snorkel. USD 35 boat + USD 5 entry. 3-4 hours total.
Half-day tour into Kizimbani spice plantations — taste cloves, vanilla, cinnamon. USD 20-30. Why Zanzibar is the Spice Island.
Pick the plan that fits the time between your flights.
Stay airside — 3h is too tight
Insider tip
ZNZ is 6km from Stone Town — taxis USD 15-25 (negotiate, no meter), Daladala minibus TZS 500. For 4-hour layovers: Stone Town walk + Forodhani night market. For 12+ hours: add a Spice Tour. Bring USD cash — ATMs unreliable.
| Mode | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Daladala (shared minibus) | TZS 500 | 25 min |
| Taxi to Stone Town | USD 15–25 | 15 min |
| Hotel transfer (book ahead) | USD 20–30 | 15 min |
Zanzibar pizza (Forodhani). Pilau spiced rice. Mishkaki skewers. Coconut octopus curry. Spiced chai. Konyagi gin.
0–30 min
Stay airside and find your departure area
With 3 hours, leaving Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is risky: passport control, the trip into Zanzibar and security on the way back take most of the time.
30–120 min
Eat, rest or use a lounge airside
Check the departures board for your gate before you settle in.
120–180 min
Go to your gate
Allow at least 30 minutes for security checks and the walk to the gate.
Same as Tanzania mainland — Tanzania visa is required even on Zanzibar (separate immigration desk). Visa-on-arrival USD 50 (USD 100 US). E-visa recommended. Yellow fever certificate if from endemic country. Check the rules for your own passport before you fly.
Stay airside — 3h is too tight. Getting into Zanzibar by Daladala (shared minibus) takes 25 min each way.
Daladala (shared minibus): 25 min, TZS 500. Taxi to Stone Town: 15 min, USD 15–25. Hotel transfer (book ahead): 15 min, USD 20–30.
Skip the taxi rank and lock in your fare before you land.
Pre-book a fixed-price transfer
Our pickDriver waits at arrivals with your name, tracks your flight, and the price you see is the price you pay. English-speaking, fixed price. No surge, no haggling at 2am.
Check transfer pricesRenting a car instead? Compare rentals with free cancellation.See each airline’s route map: where else it flies from ZNZ.
Wait for your flight in a lounge — one membership covers lounges at airports across the country and worldwide.
Weekly layover, flight + hotel deals. No spam.
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Same as Tanzania mainland — Tanzania visa is required even on Zanzibar (separate immigration desk). Visa-on-arrival USD 50 (USD 100 US). E-visa recommended. Yellow fever certificate if from endemic country.
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Allow at least 30 minutes for security checks and the walk to the gate.
Tours, tickets and day trips that fit between your flights.
