Safari Guide
Safari and Zanzibar: How Many Nights After the Safari
Quick answer
How many nights on Zanzibar after a safari?
For a safari and Zanzibar trip, plan 5 to 9 nights on the coast after the safari; three nights is a stopover, not a rest. The flight from Arusha takes about 1 h to 1 h 35, depending on the airline and the aircraft; Flightlink and Coastal Aviation both fly it every day. From Zanzibar airport it is about 65 km and 1h15–1h30 by car to Michamvi Pingwe on the south-east coast, where a stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai starts at USD 535 a night with half board.
| Arusha to Zanzibar | ≈1 h to 1 h 35, depending on the airline and the aircraft |
| Then | About 65 km · 1h15–1h30 by car to Michamvi Pingwe |
| Nights after safari | 5–9; at least one day with nothing planned |
| From | USD 535 a night, half board |
| Safaris | Not sold here: we recommend safari companies and help you plan |
| Insurance | One, for where you land first |
| Last verified | 6 November 2026 |
From the parks
How do you get from the safari to the beach?
Almost every northern-circuit safari ends at Arusha or at a Serengeti airstrip, and from both there are scheduled flights to Zanzibar.
Which flights go from Arusha or the Serengeti to Zanzibar?
Arusha to Zanzibar takes about 1 h to 1 h 35, depending on the airline and the aircraft. Flightlink's own schedule, valid to 28 February 2027, lists four direct flights on ATR 72 turboprops (departing 10:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00) and one more via Dar es Salaam; check the airline's current timetable before you book. Coastal Aviation's timetable, valid to 31 May 2027, has a daily Arusha–Zanzibar flight that waits for its flights from the Serengeti and Lake Manyara, and from the Serengeti airstrips its morning flights reach Zanzibar via Arusha in the early afternoon. Coastal notes that small-plane times are estimates and can change on the day.
How long is the drive from Zanzibar airport to the south-east coast?
About 65 km, 1h15 on today's roads; allow up to 1h30. A private car costs USD 60 each way for up to 6 people, paid to the transfer company; the hotel helps you arrange it, and the airport transfer guide has the route. For the mandatory insurance: You need one policy, for the place you land first: land on Zanzibar first and you buy the Zanzibar insurance (ZIC, USD 44 per adult, USD 22 per child aged 3–17); land on the mainland first and, since 1 October 2026, you buy the mainland’s NIC (USD 44), which also counts on Zanzibar. Either covers up to 92 days. Our entry requirements guide has the details.
Can you go from camp to beach in one day?
Yes. Take a morning flight from your airstrip, change at Arusha if you need to, land on Zanzibar in the early afternoon and be on the beach before sunset. Leave a margin on that day: if a connection slips, the same plan works with a later flight from Arusha.
How long
How many nights should you plan, and why?
Five to nine. A safari is wonderful and tiring: early starts, long drives and a new camp every few nights. The first two days on the coast go to sleep, water and dinner; from the fourth night the tide sets the days, and guests begin to rest rather than recover. With seven nights there is room for one boat trip, one spa afternoon and at least one day with nothing planned, which is the day guests talk about most.
If you are combining the two for the first time, our safari and Zanzibar itinerary sets out 12-, 14- and 16-day routes, and the safari honeymoon page plans the two halves for couples.
| Nights on the coast | What to expect | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 | A stopover. The first two days go to sleep, a swim and an early dinner. | A short stop, not a rest |
| 5 to 6 | Room for one boat trip, one spa afternoon and a day with nothing planned. | Most couples on 12 to 16 days |
| 7 to 9 | Guests rest rather than recover. | Honeymoons, or a long safari |
The week
What does a post-safari week look like here?
Day one: arrive, swim, and eat early at Zatiny's two kitchens; breakfast and dinner are included. Then let the tide table run the diary: the swim to the Mchanga sandbank at low tide, the hotel's free kayaks at high tide, one morning boat to Blue Lagoon, one sunset sail to Michamvi Kae. Bustani Spa, Maryam's own spa in the garden behind the villas, is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00, with treatments of 30 to 60 minutes.
The practical things are handled too: laundry for the safari clothes is charged at cost, the WiFi runs on battery-backed routers (an island-wide outage affects every hotel here), and the butler team is on WhatsApp from 07:00 to 22:00. Families and groups can take the whole of Asili House; couples who want privacy can take the whole of Villa Kidosho. The full list is in things to do in Michamvi Pingwe.
Prices
What does a beach week cost?
These are our 2026 low-season rack rates for two people in one room with half board, multiplied by the nights; high-season and festive rates are higher. Lunch and drinks other than water are charged, and the airport transfer, USD 60 per car each way, is paid to the transfer company.
| Nights | Asili House, one room | Villa Kidosho, one suite | Government infrastructure tax for two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 nights | USD 2,675 | USD 3,275 | USD 40 |
| 7 nights | USD 3,745 | USD 4,585 | USD 56 |
| 9 nights | USD 4,815 | USD 5,895 | USD 72 |
Read from our rate sheet on the check date; the seasons and the next year's rates are on rooms and rates. A 25% deposit confirms the booking.
Which coast
Which beach suits you after a safari?
Zanzibar's coasts are different holidays. The north has the busier beaches and the bars; the south-east coast is quieter, faces the sunrise and changes with the tide; Paje, a short drive from us, is the kite village. After the noise of the game drives, many guests want the quiet one. Where to stay in Zanzibar compares every coast, honestly.
The safari itself
Can the hotel help with the safari itself?
Only the hotel can be booked here: we do not sell safaris. What we do is recommend safari companies we know and help you plan how the safari and the beach fit together, from the number of nights to the flight and the transfer. Ask us and we will send you our suggestions.
Whichever company you choose, the UK government's advice is to use a reputable tour operator and never to buy a safari from a tout; the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators keeps a list of licensed tour companies. Ask us on WhatsApp.
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- Flightlink: domestic and regional schedules and fares: The Arusha to Zanzibar flights (ATR 72, valid 15 July 2026 to 28 February 2027) and the baggage allowance.
- Coastal Aviation: timetable and price list (updated July 2026): The daily flights from Arusha and the Serengeti airstrips to Zanzibar, and the 15 kg / 30 kg baggage rule.
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Tanzania safety and security: Game reserves and national parks: use a reputable tour operator, never buy a safari from a tout, and TATO's list of licensed companies.
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Tanzania entry requirements: The first-port rule for the mandatory inbound insurance (ZIC on Zanzibar, NIC on the mainland)
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO): The association of licensed tour operators in Tanzania.
Checked on 6 November 2026. We link to the bodies that set the rules, not to summaries of them. Rules change: check the page itself before you travel.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
Many of our guests arrive with red dust still on the camera bag. These are the questions they ask before they book the beach half.
How many nights in Zanzibar after a safari?
Five to nine. Three nights feels like a stopover, because the first two days after a safari are mostly rest. From the fourth night the rhythm of the tide takes over, and that is the part guests describe as the actual holiday.
Can we go from safari camp to the beach in one day?
Yes. Coastal Aviation's timetable has morning flights from the Serengeti airstrips that reach Zanzibar via Arusha in the early afternoon, and from Arusha there are several flights a day. Add 1h15–1h30 by car from Zanzibar airport and you reach the beach in the late afternoon. Small-plane times are estimates on the day, so leave some slack.
How do we get from Arusha to Zanzibar?
By air: the flight takes about 1 h to 1 h 35, depending on the airline and the aircraft. Flightlink's own schedule lists several direct flights a day on ATR 72 aircraft (check the current timetable), and Coastal Aviation flies the route daily on smaller planes. Then a private car from the airport, about 65 km, USD 60 per car each way for up to 6 people; the hotel helps you arrange it.
Is the east coast or the north better after a safari?
It depends on what you want after the dust. The north has livelier beaches with bars; the south-east coast, where we are, is quiet, faces the sunrise and runs on the tide. Our page on where to stay in Zanzibar compares every coast.
What should we book first after a safari?
Nothing on the first day except a swim and an early dinner. If you want a treatment, Bustani Spa in the garden is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00; the butler team books it, or you walk in. Boat trips are best on day three or later, timed by the tide.
Can we keep our safari luggage for the beach?
Yes, if you pack for the small planes: Coastal Aviation allows 15 kg per person (30 kg on an XL seat), and Flightlink 20 kg checked plus one 5 kg cabin bag on domestic flights, in soft bags without wheels. Light, washable clothes work for both halves; the laundry at the hotel is charged at cost. See the safari packing list.
Is Zanzibar worth adding to a Serengeti safari?
Yes, if you can give it five nights or more. Safari days start before dawn and end with long drives, so the first two days on the coast go to sleep, swimming and an early dinner; from the fourth night the tide sets the day. The flight from Arusha to Zanzibar takes about 1 h to 1 h 35, depending on the airline and the aircraft, then 1h15–1h30 by car to Michamvi Pingwe on the south-east coast.
Can Matlai book our safari?
No. We do not sell safaris. We can recommend safari companies we know and help you plan the beach half: the number of nights, the flight and the transfer.
Your stay at Matlai
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Booking with the hotel itself? Ask us what we can offer for your dates.
Why guests book Matlai
- A team of butlers on call, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
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