Your Zanzibar journey begins the moment you land. Your driver will be waiting at Zanzibar Airport to welcome you and transfer you directly to your hotel. Check in, settle in, and spend the rest of the day entirely at leisure. Let the island air and the sound of the Indian Ocean do what they do. Everything begins tomorrow.

• Arrival at Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport
• Meet your driver at arrivals
• Transfer to your hotel
• Check-in and full day at leisure

Overnight: Hotel, Zanzibar

The morning belongs to Stone Town, one of Africa’s most historically rich and architecturally beautiful cities. Your guide walks you through narrow streets where centuries of Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian and Portuguese influence have left their mark on every door, wall and market stall. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and every lane has a story. After the tour you board a boat for Nakupenda Sandbank, a strip of white sand surrounded entirely by crystal-clear Indian Ocean water. Swim, snorkel, sunbathe, and eat a fresh seafood lunch served on the sandbank itself. This is the kind of afternoon that becomes the photograph people ask about.

• Guided tour of Stone Town, UNESCO World Heritage Site: narrow streets, local markets, historical buildings and cultural heritage
• Boat transfer to Nakupenda Sandbank
• Swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing on the sandbank
• Fresh seafood lunch served on the sandbank

Day Includes: Boat transfer, professional guide, seafood lunch, soft drinks, snorkelling equipment

Overnight: Hotel, Zanzibar

Today covers three very different experiences and each one earns its place. You begin at the Salaam Turtles Aquarium, where sea turtles live in a natural lagoon and you can see them, feed them, and swim alongside them in the water. It is the kind of encounter that you will talk about long after you are home. From there you continue to Mtende Beach, a hidden stretch of coastline known for its dramatic cliffs and the kind of natural scenery that has no crowds and no noise. Spend time here, breathe, and take photographs that look completely unlike anyone else’s Zanzibar pictures. In the afternoon you head to The Rock Restaurant, one of the most iconic dining spots in all of East Africa, built on a rock in the Indian Ocean and accessible by boat at high tide. Book in advance. Eat well. The meal is at your own expense but the experience is included in the itinerary.

• Visit to Salaam Turtles Aquarium: see, feed and swim with sea turtles in a natural lagoon
• Visit to Mtende Beach: dramatic cliffs, natural scenery and hidden coastline
• Lunch or dinner at The Rock Restaurant in the Indian Ocean (meal at own cost, advance reservation recommended)

Day Includes: Transport, professional guide

Note: Book The Rock Restaurant in advance as it fills up quickly

Overnight: Hotel, Zanzibar

Zanzibar has been known as the Spice Island for centuries, and today you find out exactly why. A guided visit to a local spice farm takes you through rows of cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and tropical fruit trees. You taste, smell and handle the spices in their natural form, which changes entirely how you think about the flavours you have been cooking with your whole life. The afternoon brings a traditional dhow sunset cruise on the Indian Ocean. Climb aboard, settle in, and watch the sky change colour over the water while soft music plays and refreshments are served around you. Optional water sports are available for those who want more activity, including jet skiing, parasailing and snorkelling, available at an additional cost.

• Guided visit to a local Zanzibar spice farm: cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, tropical fruits and more
• Traditional dhow sunset cruise on the Indian Ocean with refreshments and soft music

Day Includes: Entrance fees, professional guide, transport, dhow cruise, refreshments

Optional (own cost): Jet skiing, parasailing, snorkelling

Overnight: Hotel, Zanzibar

There are not many places in the world where you can ride a horse along a white sand beach with the Indian Ocean beside you as the sun goes down. Zanzibar is one of them, and today that is exactly what you do. Whether you have ridden before or this is your first time in the saddle, professional guides match you with a suitable horse and stay with you throughout. You ride through the coastline, past palm trees and local villages, with the fresh ocean breeze and the kind of view that makes the rest of the day feel very far away. Sunset rides are particularly spectacular, with the light over the water unlike anything you will have seen on this trip.

• Guided coastal horse riding experience: suitable for all experience levels
• Ride through white sandy beaches, palm trees and local villages
• Sunset ride option with Indian Ocean views

Day Includes: Horse, professional riding guide, all safety equipment

Overnight: Hotel, Zanzibar

After a final breakfast at the hotel your driver transfers you to Zanzibar Airport in time for your departure flight. Zanzibar has a way of staying with you. The spice market smell, the sound of the dhow on the water, the weight of the turtle in the lagoon. It follows you home.

• Final breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport
• Departure