Booking & payment
How does booking work?
Pick a tour, pick a date, tell us how many of you there are. You pay a 20% deposit online to confirm. The other 80% you hand to your guide on the day, in cash or via M-Pesa. Within 24 hours of booking, Abdalla messages you on WhatsApp to confirm the details.
Why a deposit and not the full amount?
The deposit keeps this platform running. The rest goes directly to your guide, with no middleman taking a cut. That is the whole point of this site: booked direct, so your guide earns what they should.
How do I pay the deposit?
Online by card through Stripe, a secure payment provider. We never see or store your card details. You get a receipt by email straight away.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancel more than 48 hours before your tour starts and we refund your deposit in full. Within 48 hours of the start, the deposit is non-refundable: your guide has already reserved the day for you. Need to move your date instead? Message us, rescheduling is free when done more than 48 hours ahead.
What if the weather is bad?
Sea tours depend on conditions. If the captain calls it off for safety, you choose: another date or a full deposit refund. Land tours run rain or shine, and a short tropical shower usually passes before you finish your coffee.
Do prices really drop for bigger groups?
Yes. Every tour has five price tiers, from solo traveler to groups of 12 or more. The per-person price on each tour page updates as your group grows. No hidden fees on top.
On the day
Where do tours start? Is hotel pickup included?
Most tours include pickup in the Stone Town area. Staying further out, like Nungwi or Paje? Tell us when you book and we arrange transport. Sometimes there is a small extra fuel cost, which we always confirm upfront.
What should I bring?
Sunscreen, a hat, comfortable shoes and some small cash for personal purchases. For sea tours: swimwear, a towel and dry clothes. Each tour page lists what is included and what is not.
Are the tours private?
Yes. Your group is the whole group. The pace is yours, the detours are yours, the questions are yours. That is why prices are per group size and not per seat.
Who will my guide be?
Abdalla, whenever he can. When he is fully booked, one of his trusted friends steps in: guides he grew up with and vouches for personally. All of them born and raised on the island, all of them speaking fluent English.
Is it safe?
Zanzibar is a friendly island and our guides know it inside out. All tours are run with licensed local operators and liability insurance. On the water you get life jackets and crews who have sailed these reefs their whole lives.
Practical Zanzibar
What currency do I need?
US dollars and Tanzanian shillings both work nearly everywhere. Your guide's 80% can be paid in either, or via M-Pesa. Bring newer dollar bills, older ones are sometimes refused on the island.
When is the best time to visit?
June to October is dry and sunny. December to February is hot and beautiful. The long rains fall around April and May, when some sea tours pause. Tours run year-round outside the heaviest rain.
Should I tip my guide?
Never required, always appreciated. Since your guide already earns fairly through direct booking, a tip here means something extra was truly great, not a correction for a broken system.