Advisory, October 2026: The US State Department places Tanzania at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, across the whole country (travel.state.gov ). The UK takes a narrower view, advising against all but essential travel only within 20 km of the Mozambique border, and it records that the 2025 election protests killed and injured people on the mainland. A US embassy alert in December 2025 mentioned possible curfews, internet blackouts and cancelled ferries and flights. Buy flexible tickets for any route that links the mainland with the island, and see the UK advice .

Combining Safari, Stone Town and Kendwa

Kendwa works as the last stop on a longer trip. Three patterns come up again and again, and each leaves you at the water’s edge.

Pattern one: safari, then sand

Northern Tanzania’s circuit links the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire. After the game drives, fly from Arusha to Zanzibar and finish at Kendwa. Allow at least a week overall, and leave a buffer day before your flight. The beach works as a rest after long days in a vehicle.

Pattern two: two nights in town, then the coast

Spend two nights in Stone Town to see the Old Fort, the Forodhani waterfront and the UNESCO-listed old quarter, then move to the beaches of Kendwa or Nungwi. The road covers about 60 km and takes 1h15 to 1h30. A private taxi starts at about TSh 70,000, which is US$40 or more, according to Wikivoyage . A hotel on Kendwa Beach can be compared on Booking.com .

Pattern three: two coasts

Kendwa has calm swimming on its west-facing bay at all tides, while its breeze is weak and unreliable for kites. For wind sports, base part of the stay at Paje or Jambiani on the east coast, where the kite schools are, or at Nungwi Kite Beach, which has one school. Splitting the days between coasts means a transfer in the middle, so plan a half day for the move.

Weather by month

Months	What to expect
December to March	hot and calm weather, the north-east monsoon
April and May	long rains, and some resorts and dive centres shut for maintenance
June to October	drier and cooler, the south-east monsoon
November	short rains

Paperwork for every route

Every itinerary needs one extra step. Zanzibar’s compulsory visitor insurance is bought from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation before arrival, at US$44 per adult for stays up to 92 days. A private travel policy does not stand in for it. The rule has applied since 1 October 2024 and is explained on the Tanzanian embassy page . Buy through visitzanzibar.go.tz . A separate NIC policy for the mainland began on 1 October 2026, so ask ZIC and NIC what a trip covering both needs before you fly.

Local rules worth knowing

• Tanzanian shillings are the currency, with dollars in wide use. Carry recent, undamaged notes.
• Tourists dressed in ways the authorities find inappropriate risk a fine of at least US$700.
• Same-sex activity is a crime in Zanzibar.
• Driving is on the left, and visitors need a Zanzibar temporary licence as well as their home one.

Read more: Planning a day out or couples escapes .

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