One day in Zanzibar

Day by day

1. Day 1: Stone Town and Forodhani Gardens night market

   Stone Town, Forodhani Gardens night market, Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) and Former slave market and Christ Church, then Kendwa and Nungwi in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Stone Town

      Explore early in the morning before the heat and the tour groups; getting lost is part of the experience, and the waterfront is never far. Allow A full day.

   2. Late morning

      Forodhani Gardens night market

      Agree the price of seafood before it is grilled, and choose stalls that are busy with locals. Allow 1–2 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Zanzibar pizza

      Forodhani Gardens night market and street stalls in Stone Town.

   4. Afternoon

      Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe)

      Climb the walls for a view over the waterfront, and check whether a music or dance event is on in the amphitheatre. Allow 45 minutes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Former slave market and Christ Church

      Take the guided visit to understand the site's history; allow time to reflect. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   6. Evening

      Kendwa and Nungwi

      Beach bars and the monthly full-moon party at Kendwa, the island's biggest night out.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 9–12 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.8 hours in May to 12.5 hours in December.

Getting between stops: Walking. Stone Town's lanes are too narrow for cars; the Old Fort, Forodhani, Darajani Market and the ferry port are all within a 15-minute walk.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Zanzibar
• 3 days in Zanzibar
• 5 days in Zanzibar

Questions travellers ask