This post is about Zanzibar and contains answers to many of the questions that you, my readers, often ask me about the island/archipelago.
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Table of Contents
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Transportation in Zanzibar
1. Uber Zanzibar/Zanzibar Uber/Uber Sansibar: Is Uber Available in Zanzibar? Does Uber Work in Zanzibar?
No, there is currently no Uber service in Zanzibar. Uber Zanzibar does not exist.
If you would like to book transportation or transfers around Zanzibar, you can do so online here.
READ ALSO: Uber in Dar es Salaam & Zanzibar
Zanzibar Bolt: Is There Bolt in Zanzibar?
No, Bolt does not operate in Zanzibar.
2.Taxi Zanzibar: Zanzibar Taxi Prices
Taxi prices in Zanzibar are negotiable, and even though Zanzibar is in Tanzania, taxi fares are dollarized.
Here is what you can expect to pay for a taxi in Zanzibar:
- Stone Town to/from Zanzibar Airport: US$10
- Stone Town to/from a beach hotel not in Stone Town: US$35
- Airport to/from a beach hotel not in Stone town: US$35
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Top Zanzibar Transportation Services
You can find the top Zanzibar transportation services, through which you can book a ride here.
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Zanzibar Taxi App/Taxi App Zanzibar
There are a number of taxi apps that claim to work in Zanzibar, but none with widespread adoption. I recommend that you book a taxi through your hotel.
READ ALSO: Is Zanzibar Safe & Lova Nantenaina
3. Bolt Zanzibar
Although Bolt operates in Tanzania, it does not operate in Zanzibar.
READ ALSO: Best Place to Stay in Zanzibar: Stone Town Accommodation & More
4. How to Get Around in Zanzibar
If you are staying in Stone Town, even without an Uber Zanzibar service, most places are reachable by foot or by bajaj (tuk-tuk/auto rickshaw), which you can simply hail on the street and are very inexpensive.
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You can also arrange transportation through your hotel.
READ ALSO: Restaurants in Zanzibar & What to Do in Tanzania’s Spice Islands
For further distances, such as leaving Stone Town to go to other parts of the island, you can arrange transportation through your hotel in Zanzibar.
The cost of this transportation might be on the higher side, but remember: Zanzibar is in Tanzania so all prices are negotiable!
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5. Uber Tanzania
Although there is no Uber in Zanzibar, Uber does operate in other locales in Tanzania. To find out more about Uber Tanzania, click here.
Have you already processed your visa for Zanzibar, Tanzania? If not, click here to check the visa requirements for your nationality as well as process it online if you find that one is necessary.
6. Where is Zanzibar Located?
Zanzibar is located in the Indian Ocean about 25 to 50 kilometers off the coast of mainland Tanzania in East Africa. The archipelago consists of two main islands and many smaller islands.
READ ALSO: The Festivals of Zanzibar & More to Do on the Island
7. What is Zanzibar City?
Zanzibar City is the capital and largest city of Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous political region formed by the Zanzibar archipelago.
Zanzibar City is located on the west coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, roughly due north of Dar es Salaam across the Zanzibar Channel.
Zanzibar City also serves as the capital of the Zanzibar Urban/West Region, and qualifies as a district, formally known as Zanzibar Urban District.
Zanzibar City comprises two main parts: Stone Town and Ng’ambo (literally: “The Other Side”). The two areas are historically divided by a creek, now marked by a large street called Creek Road.
Stone Town, former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate, is the historical core of the city. Because of its unique architecture and culture, Stone Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Ng’ambo is a much larger, modern area that developed around Stone Town after the Zanzibar Revolution, with office buildings and large apartment blocks such as those of the Michenzani neighborhood.
8. What is Zanzibar Island?
Zanzibar is actually not an island but an archipelago, i.e., a group of islands.
Unguja, the biggest island in the archipelago, is often commonly referred to as Zanzibar Island though.
9. Is Zanzibar a Country?
No, Zanzibar is a semiautonomous archipelago in the United Republic of Tanzania.
10. What Currency Is Used In Zanzibar?
The official currency of Zanzibar is the Tanzanian shilling, though due to the archipelago’s vibrant tourism sector, many major world currencies are accepted in Zanzibar (especially at hotels & for tours).
Such currencies include US dollars, Euros, Pounds, etc., but especially US dollars.
Photo Credits: Latrell G., Helen in Wonderlust, Matt Kieffer, Ron Van Oers, Tanzania Today, Bolt Uganda
