Red colobus monkey in the canopy of Jozani Forest, Zanzibar

Zanzibar Day Trips by Car

With a car you can reach Jozani's red colobus monkeys, the spice farms, the kitesurf coast and the sunrise dolphins of Kizimkazi — each a day trip within 90 minutes of Stone Town.

Compare Car Rental Deals

Search & Compare Car Rental Deals

Free cancellation on most vehicles

Why a car opens up Zanzibar

Unguja is small — roughly 85 km long — so almost everything is a genuine day trip. A rental car lets you string sights together at your own pace: monkeys in the morning, a spice farm at midday, a beach for sunset, without booking a separate tour or transfer for each. It also lets you leave early, which matters for sunrise dolphin trips and for beating the tour buses to Jozani.

Before you build an itinerary, know what is off-limits to a car: Zanzibar's marquee boat trips cannot be driven to. The drive is half the plan — pair it with our driving in Zanzibar guide for road conditions and parking.

The best day trips, and how far they are

Most trips fan out from Stone Town or whichever beach you are based on. Distances are short, but allow for village speed bumps and an unhurried pace. Here are the sights worth the drive and roughly how long it takes to reach each from the capital.

Destination	Drive from Stone Town	Good for
Jozani Forest	45 min	Red colobus monkeys and mangrove boardwalk
Spice farms (Kidichi)	30–40 min	Clove, vanilla and cinnamon tours
Nungwi & Kendwa	1 hr 15 min	North-coast beaches and sunset
Paje & Jambiani	about 1 hr	Kitesurfing and low-tide flats
Kizimkazi	1 hr 15 min	Sunrise dolphin trips
The Rock, Michamvi	1 hr 30 min	Iconic tidal-rock restaurant

Jozani Forest and the spice farms

Jozani is Zanzibar's only national park and the place to see the endemic red colobus monkey, often just feet away in the canopy, plus a raised boardwalk through the mangroves. Entry is around $10–12 including a mandatory guide; arrive by 8:30am for active monkeys and fewer crowds. Drive past the unofficial 'fixers' who flag down cars on the approach and go straight to the official gate.

The spice farms around Kidichi and Kizimbani are an easy add-on, 30–40 minutes from Stone Town. A guided walk lets you smell and taste fresh cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla — the trade that gave the island its 'Spice Island' name — usually for $10–15 a person.

A compact SUV is the comfortable choice for these inland runs: the main roads are paved, but the last stretch into the spice villages turns to rutted dirt. See whether a day-trip-ready car fits your dates.

Stone Town, the beaches and the coasts

Park on the edge of Stone Town and explore the UNESCO old town on foot: the Old Fort, the Forodhani night market, the former slave market and Anglican cathedral, and the Darajani market. The landmark House of Wonders is closed for reconstruction after a 2020 collapse, so admire it from the outside for now.

The north tip — Nungwi and Kendwa — has the island's deep, all-tide swimming beaches and a turtle aquarium. The east coast at Paje and Jambiani is the kitesurfing heartland, with dramatic low-tide flats, while Michamvi to the north is the rare east-coast spot facing west for sunset, and home to The Rock restaurant on its tidal outcrop. Down south, Kizimkazi launches the dawn dolphin boats.

Nungwi & Kendwa — white sand, sunsets, dive centres, turtle aquarium
Paje, Jambiani & Bwejuu — kitesurfing, seaweed farming, laid-back vibe
Michamvi & The Rock — west-facing sunsets and the famous tidal-rock restaurant (book ahead)
Kizimkazi — sunrise dolphin trips and the 12th-century Kizimkazi Mosque
Mangapwani caves — a coral cave and sobering slave chamber north of the city

What you cannot drive to

A few of Zanzibar's most famous experiences are out at sea, and a car only ever reaches the departure point. Plan these as boat trips, with the car parked at the jetty or launch beach.

Mnemba Atoll — premier snorkelling and diving, by boat from Matemwe
Prison Island (Changuu) — giant tortoises, by boat from the Stone Town waterfront
Nakupenda sandbank — a sandbar picnic, by boat and tide-dependent
Safari Blue — a full-day dhow trip, departing from Fumba village in the southwest
Pemba Island — Zanzibar's sister island, reached only by flight or ferry

Landing late and starting fresh tomorrow? Our airport pickup guide covers the meet-and-greet handover and the drive to your hotel, or head back to the homepage for the full overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best day trips from Zanzibar by car?

The standout drives are Jozani Forest for red colobus monkeys (45 minutes), the Kidichi spice farms (30–40 minutes), the north beaches of Nungwi and Kendwa (1 hr 15 min), the east-coast kitesurf villages of Paje and Jambiani (about an hour), and Kizimkazi in the south for sunrise dolphin trips.

How much does Jozani Forest cost to visit?

Entry is roughly $10–12 per adult and includes a mandatory park guide. Arrive by about 8:30am to see the monkeys at their most active and to get ahead of the mid-morning tour buses, and head straight to the official gate rather than stopping for roadside touts.

Can you drive to The Rock restaurant?

Yes — The Rock sits on the Michamvi peninsula, about 1 hr 30 min from Stone Town or 20 minutes from Paje, with free parking near the beach. At low tide you walk out to it; at high tide a short complimentary boat ferries you across. Reservations are essential.

Is the House of Wonders open?

No. Stone Town's landmark House of Wonders has been closed since a partial collapse in December 2020 and remains under reconstruction with no firm reopening date. You can still view the building from the outside and enjoy the neighbouring Old Fort and Forodhani Gardens.

Ready to compare car rental deals in Zanzibar?

Check live prices and availability from local and international suppliers.

Compare car rental deals