Zanzibar is an easy island to travel with children. Warm shallow water, short journeys, and days out built around animals rather than museums.
The hard part is not finding things to do. It is resisting the urge to book one excursion every morning for a week. Below is what works at which age, and how we would actually space it out.
Why it works with children
Everything is close. You can cross the island in a couple of hours, so no day out involves a long drive with a car full of tired kids. The sea is warm all year and shallow over a lot of the coast. And the best days here happen to be the ones children like anyway: giant tortoises, monkeys, a boat, a sandbank, a farm where you get to pull things out of the ground.
It is also a place where a private tour changes more than it usually does. When you set the departure time yourself, a four-year-old's morning stops being a problem.
The giant tortoises on Prison Island
If you do one thing with children in Zanzibar, do this. Changuu, which everyone calls Prison Island, is a short boat ride from Stone Town, and it holds a colony of Aldabra tortoises, some of them well over a hundred years old. Children can walk right up to them. There are old buildings to explore and a beach with shallow water for afterwards.
It is half a day, the crossing is short, and it works from about three upwards. See the Prison Island tour.
Red colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest
Jozani is the island's protected forest and the only place on earth you will find the Zanzibar red colobus. They are usually easy to spot in the trees near the road, which matters with children, because a wildlife walk where nothing turns up is a long walk. The mangrove boardwalk afterwards is flat, shaded and short.
A spice farm
The tour parents expect the least from and children remember the most. Cloves, cinnamon bark, vanilla pods, cardamom, nutmeg, lemongrass and whatever fruit is ripe, most of which they get to smell, taste or break open themselves. It connects the things in the kitchen at home to a plant in the ground, which lands surprisingly well at seven or eight.
Go in the morning while it is still cool, and pair it with Jozani, since both are south of town. See the spice farm tour.
The three that work at almost any age
Half dayPrison Island (Changuu)
Giant Aldabra tortoises and the old prison ruins, with swimming and snorkelling around the island.
Half dayJozani Forest
Zanzibar's only national park, home to the rare red colobus monkeys and a mangrove boardwalk.
Half daySpice Farm Tour
Why they call it the Spice Island. Walk the plantations of cloves, vanilla and cinnamon, tasting as you go.
A sandbank day
Nakupenda is a strip of white sand in the middle of shallow turquoise water, close enough to Stone Town for a half day, with lunch laid out on the sand. There is no walking, no schedule and nothing to understand, which is exactly what you want on the day everyone is tired.
Stone Town, done properly
Stone Town is a maze of narrow lanes, carved doors, markets and coral-stone houses, and it is genuinely interesting. It is also hot, crowded and hard on small legs if you treat it as a two-hour history lecture.
Go late in the afternoon when the heat drops, keep it short, and turn it into a hunt. Ask them to find a carved door with brass spikes, a spice stall, a dhow, a fruit nobody at home sells. Finish at Forodhani gardens on the seafront, where the evening food market sets up and the local boys throw themselves off the sea wall. See the Stone Town tour.
Sea turtles in the north
There is a turtle conservation site in the north where rescued and rehabilitated green turtles are kept in a natural tidal pool. It is short, shaded and easy, and the people there explain the work rather than just taking an entrance fee. Follow their rules about handling and feeding rather than the other visitors. See the sea turtles visit.
Snorkelling, for the ones who can swim
Confident swimmers get a lot out of the reefs. Mnemba, off the north-east, has the clearest water on the island, and a general snorkelling day lets us pick the reef on the day rather than committing weeks ahead. See the Mnemba atoll tour.
- Ask for child-sized masks and life jackets when you book, not on the jetty.
- Go on a calm day. Chop turns a first snorkel into a bad memory.
- Stay in the water with them, or have the guide do it.
- Never push a child who is not comfortable. One forced attempt can end snorkelling for the whole trip.
One evening on a dhow
A sunset cruise is about two hours on the water in the late afternoon, with the sails up and nothing to do. It is the lowest-effort good day of the week, and it works well after two or three busy ones. See the sunset dhow cruise.
And at least one day of nothing
This is the recommendation families ignore and then agree with afterwards. Children get tired faster in heat than they do at home, and a day of swimming, building things on the sand and eating fruit is the day they will describe when they get back. Build one in for every two active days.
Which days suit which age
| Age | What works | What to leave |
|---|---|---|
| Under 4 | Beach and pool, short boat crossings, Prison Island, a sandbank | Full-day boat trips, forest walks in the heat |
| 4 to 7 | Prison Island, spice farm, Jozani, sandbank, sea turtles, short Stone Town walks | Long snorkelling sessions, full-day excursions |
| 8 to 12 | All of the above plus snorkelling, Mnemba, Safari Blue as a private boat | Nothing much, but keep rest days in |
| 13 and up | Mnemba, kayaking, Safari Blue, fishing, the full cultural days | Nothing. Ask them what they want to do |
Swimming ability matters more than age on every water day, and how a child handles a boat matters more than either. Tell us both when you book and we will say honestly which days we would drop.
How many excursions should you actually book?
For a week, three or four. For five days, two or three. Families who book six come home saying the trip felt like a schedule, and every single one of them says the free days were the good ones.
If you want it laid out day by day, we have written the whole thing up as a 5-day family itinerary, with the rest days already in it.
Where to stay with children
- Nungwi and Kendwa, in the north: you can swim at any tide, which with children is worth more than it sounds.
- Matemwe, north-east: quieter, and the closest base to the Mnemba reefs.
- Kiwengwa: resort stretch on the east coast, easy for families who want the hotel to do the work.
- Stone Town: best for a couple of nights at the start, close to Prison Island and the sandbank boats.
What to bring
- More sun protection than you think: high-factor reef-safe sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and rash vests. There is no shade on a boat or a sandbank.
- Snacks and a refillable water bottle for every outing.
- Insect repellent for the forest and the evenings.
- Something waterproof for phones, and a dry bag for the boat days.
- Modest clothes for town and villages: shoulders and knees covered, children included.
- Any medication you rely on, since the pharmacy nearest your hotel may not stock it.
Car seats are not standard here. If you need one, tell us when you book rather than on the day, and we will confirm what we can arrange.
The mistake worth avoiding
Alternate. One active day, one slow day, and never two early starts in a row. It sounds obvious written down and it is the single thing that separates the families who enjoy Zanzibar from the ones who survive it.
Tell us your children's ages, how confident they are in water and how long you have, and we will put the days in an order that suits them rather than the brochure.
Easy family days
Half dayNakupenda Sandbank
A sandbank in the middle of crystal-clear water. Swim, sunbathe and a fresh seafood lunch on the sand.
Half daySea Turtle Experience
Meet and feed rescued sea turtles in their natural lagoon, up close.
EveningSunset Dhow Cruise
Sail a traditional dhow into the sunset. The classic romantic evening on the water.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zanzibar good for a family holiday?
Yes. Journeys are short, the sea is warm, and the best excursions involve tortoises, monkeys and boats. The things to plan around are heat, sun and how long your children last on the water.
What is the best age to visit Zanzibar with children?
Any age works, but roughly four and up gets the most out of it, because that is when Prison Island, Jozani and a spice farm start to land. Below four, keep to the beach, the pool and short crossings.
Can toddlers go on Zanzibar boat trips?
Short ones, usually yes, with a child-sized life jacket and calm conditions. Prison Island and Nakupenda are fine. A full day like Safari Blue is a long time on a boat for a toddler.
How many excursions should we book for a week?
Three or four. Six is too many, and the rest days are the ones children remember.
Is snorkelling safe for children in Zanzibar?
For confident swimmers with a properly fitting child-sized mask, a life jacket and a guide alongside them, yes. For anyone unsure in deep water, a sandbank day is the better choice.
Which Zanzibar beaches are best for young children?
Nungwi and Kendwa in the north, because you can swim at any tide. The east coast is beautiful but the sea retreats a long way at low tide, which frustrates small children.
Do you provide child life jackets?
Yes, as long as you tell us the ages when you book so we bring the right sizes.
Have us plan the days for you
Send your dates and what you would like to see. We are a local team in Stone Town and we reply ourselves.
