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Sail aboard a hand-built wooden dhow — the Indian Ocean's traditional craft — for a slow, scenic cruise along the coast.
The dhow is Zanzibar’s soul afloat — a wooden sailing boat with a triangular lateen sail, built by hand and unchanged for centuries, once the workhorse of Indian Ocean trade. A dhow cruise lets you experience the coast the way it has always been travelled: slowly, by wind and tide.
Cruises range from a gentle coastal sail with refreshments to seafood lunches on board and snorkel stops. It’s quieter and more romantic than a motorboat, and a lovely window into Swahili maritime tradition.
Meet the crew and set the lateen sail.
Glide along the coast at the pace of the wind.
Anchor for a dip or a reef snorkel.
Enjoy refreshments or a fresh seafood lunch aboard.
The most atmospheric way to get on the water, and very affordable. Dhows are wind-dependent, so the pace is unhurried — that's the charm, not a flaw. For couples and culture-lovers especially, it beats a faster motorboat hands down.
These are the destinations we most often pair with Zanzibar Dhow Cruise, based on route flow, season, and how the wider itinerary fits together.
Powder-white beaches, turquoise reef lagoons, and the carved doorways of Stone Town — the natural finale to any Tanzania safari, 30 minutes'...
Plan This Stop →
A tiny private island off Zanzibar's north-east tip, ringed by the archipelago's finest reef — the ultimate barefoot luxury and a snorkeller's...
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A laid-back diving island south of Zanzibar — a protected marine park, seasonal whale sharks, and reefs without the crowds.
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Zanzibar's lush, hilly sister island — clove plantations, dramatic drift diving, and a deeply traditional pace far from the crowds.
Plan This Stop →
Contact us now — we are always here to help with honest, expert advice at no cost.
Tell us about your dream trip and our Tanzania safari specialists will get back to you within 24 hours with a personalised itinerary and no-obligation quote.
A short planning brief gives our team enough context to suggest the right parks, route, pace and accommodation level.
