Season guide · Zanzibar · Tanzania
Zanzibar in the dry season
June–October: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: O.Mustafin, CC0
Quick answer
Dry, sunny and breezy with pleasant temperatures; peak season in July and August and the best time for kitesurfing. Expect highs up to 30°C (86°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 27 rainy days across June–October. June–September are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–October
- Temperatures
- 21°C (70°F) to 30°C (86°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Sea
- 25°C (77°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the dry season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 28°C (82°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 5 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| July | 28°C (82°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 | 11.8 h | 5/5 |
| August | 28°C (82°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 | 11.9 h | 5/5 |
| September | 29°C (84°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 | 12.1 h | 4/5 |
| October | 30°C (86°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 7 | 12.3 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 29°C (84°F) against a yearly 30°C (86°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 103 rainy days fall in these 5 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the dry season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Zanzibar International Film Festival (usually June or July)
- July: Mwaka Kogwa — Shirazi New Year festival in Makunduchi (usually July)
Make the most of the weather
Beach · Off Stone Town
Nakupenda sandbank
Go with an operator that brings shade and leaves no rubbish behind; there are no facilities on the sandbank.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Kids
Nature · Central Unguja
Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
The island's only national park protects remnant forest and mangroves and is home to the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey, which you can watch at close range.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Matemwe
Mnemba Atoll snorkelling
Book with a licensed dive centre or operator and go early, before the wind picks up and the boats arrive.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Couples
Experience · Michamvi Peninsula
The Rock restaurant
A seafood restaurant built on a rock just off the beach at Pingwe; at low tide you walk out across the sand, and at high tide a small boat ferries you across.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Food
- Photo spot
- Views
Neighbourhood · Southern Unguja
Kizimkazi
Choose a dolphin operator that does not chase or crowd the animals, and do not jump in on top of a pod.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- History
- Outdoors
Day trips in the dry season
- Jozani Forest (About 45 minutes by car) — The national park's red colobus monkeys, endemic to Zanzibar, can be seen at close range, and a mangrove boardwalk shows the coastal ecosystem.
- Kizimkazi (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — A south-coast fishing village for dolphin-watching boat trips and one of East Africa's oldest mosques, with inscriptions from the early 12th century.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the dry season a good time to visit Zanzibar?
Yes: June–September are among the best months. Dry, sunny and breezy with pleasant temperatures; peak season in July and August and the best time for kitesurfing.
+What is the weather like in Zanzibar in the dry season?
Highs of up to 30°C (86°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.