Zanzibar Island Hop: Stone Town, Nungwi & Paje on Your Own
7 days · Zanzibar, Tanzania
Indy Escapes charges £1,100
No-markup version: ~£400 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Indy Escapes' 7-day Zanzibar Adventure — same route (Stone Town, Nungwi, Jozani, Paje), same highlights (dolphin swim, sea turtles, red colobus monkeys, caves), but you book it all yourself using local dala-dalas, shared taxis and minibuses. Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights and insurance.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Stone Town
Stone Town
Fly into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) and take a taxi or shared shuttle into Stone Town (about £8–12 private, less shared; dala-dala is cheapest but slow with luggage). Check into a guesthouse in the old town, then spend the evening wandering the UNESCO-listed alleyways, Forodhani Gardens night food market (grilled seafood skewers for a few pounds) and the waterfront at sunset.
🚌Airport taxi/shared shuttle to Stone Town ~£10
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel dorm in Stone Town (£12–20)
- →Forodhani Gardens night market
- →Self-guided wander of Stone Town alleys
- →Sunset at the waterfront
Stone Town history walk, then north to Nungwi
Stone Town → Nungwi
Morning self-guided or small-group Stone Town walk: Old Fort, House of Wonders (exterior), Darajani Market, the former slave market site and Anglican Cathedral (entry around £2–3). Book a local guide at the cathedral or via your guesthouse for around £10–15 if you want the slave-trade history told properly. After lunch take a shared minibus or taxi north to Nungwi (about £4–6 by minibus/dala-dala, £20–25 private taxi, 1.5 hrs). Settle in and catch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.
🚌Shared minibus/taxi Stone Town to Nungwi ~£5
🛏Beach guesthouse or budget bungalow in Nungwi (£15–25)
- →Stone Town historic walk & slave trade history site
- →Darajani Market
- →Nungwi beach sunset
Dolphin swim & turtle sanctuary in Nungwi
Nungwi / Mnemba area
Book a dolphin-swimming trip the night before through your guesthouse or a kiosk on Nungwi beach (roughly £20–30 per person, usually leaving 6–7am from Kendwa/Nungwi or Mnemba Atoll — confirm whether it's dolphin-only or a full snorkel trip). Note: boat operators chasing dolphins is a known ethical concern, so choose a smaller boat that keeps distance and lets the animals approach. Afternoon visit to the Mnarani Sea Turtle Aquarium/conservation pond in Nungwi (entry around £3–4, plus a donation) then beach time and a cheap seafood dinner at a local grill.
🚌Walk / local taxi within Nungwi ~£3
🛏Beach guesthouse or budget bungalow in Nungwi (£15–25)
- →Dolphin swimming trip
- →Mnarani Sea Turtle Sanctuary
- →Beach time
Jozani Forest, then south to Paje
Jozani Chwaka Bay NP → Paje
Take a dala-dala or shared minibus from Nungwi back towards Zanzibar's east coast and stop at Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park (entry around £12–14 for non-residents, guide included at the gate). Walk the mangrove boardwalk and look for Zanzibar red colobus monkeys — best early morning. Continue south to Paje by dala-dala (roughly £2–3 with a change at Chwaka or Bwejuu). Check into a beach guesthouse in Paje for three nights.
🚌Dala-dala/shared minibus Nungwi–Jozani–Paje ~£6
🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel in Paje (£15–25)
- →Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
- →Red colobus monkey spotting
- →Mangrove boardwalk
Caves & lagoon day in Paje
Paje / Bwejuu
Rent a bike or take a dala-dala to Kuza Cave (entry around £4–5) — a freshwater cave pool great for a swim — and Maalum Cave/Lagoon near Bwejuu (entry around £5, small natural pool, tidal so check timings). Both are easy to reach independently and cheaper than a tour. Afternoon: kitesurfing lesson in Paje (one of the world's best kitesurfing beaches — a 2-hr beginner lesson is roughly £40–60) or just swim and relax; SUP hire around £8/hr.
🚌Bike hire ~£3 or dala-dala ~£2
🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel in Paje (£15–25)
- →Kuza Cave swim
- →Maalum Cave/Lagoon
- →Optional kitesurfing lesson
- →Beach time
Paje: reef snorkel or dhow sunset
Paje / Michamvi
Pick your splurge: a snorkelling trip out to the reef (around £20–30 including gear, bookable on the beach or via your guesthouse) or a sunset dhow cruise from Paje/Michamvi (around £15–25, often with drinks). Optional dinner at The Rock restaurant in Michamvi — book well in advance, expect £25–40 for a meal; most travellers just photograph it from the beach and eat at a much cheaper beach shack instead.
🚌Local transport to Michamvi ~£4
🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel in Paje (£15–25)
- →Reef snorkelling trip
- →Sunset dhow cruise
- →The Rock viewpoint
- →Beach time
Back to Stone Town & depart
Paje → Stone Town / Airport
Morning swim, then shared taxi or dala-dala back to Stone Town or straight to the airport (about 1.5–2 hrs; shared taxi around £5–8, private £25–30). If your flight is late, use the time for last-minute spice-market shopping and a cheap lunch in town before flying out.
🚌Shared taxi Paje to Stone Town/airport ~£8
🛏—
- →Last beach morning
- →Spice market shopping in Stone Town
Self-launched vs. Indy Escapes
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Indy Escapes | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£400 | £1,100 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £700 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Indy Escapes-style trips? Check them out here.~£400
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Zanzibar Island Hop: Stone Town, Nungwi & Paje on Your Own cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £400 per person for 7 days in Zanzibar, Tanzania. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Indy Escapes?+
Yes — Indy Escapes charges around £1,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £400 — a saving of roughly £700 (64%) per person.
How long is the Zanzibar, Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Zanzibar, Tanzania.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a beaches, wildlife, backpacker trip through Zanzibar, Tanzania, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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