Frequently asked questions Everything about sailing with Yachtsun Charter Zanzibar

It takes three steps: 1. choose your yacht or trip; 2. contact us and we confirm availability; 3. confirm your booking with a deposit, and we take care of the rest. We usually reply within a few hours.

Your dates, the number of guests (including children and their ages), the type of trip (week charter, cabin cruise or day trip) and any wishes: crewed or bareboat with a local deckhand, chef or full board, diving, safari, dietary needs. We prepare an offer tailored to your dates, group and budget.

Prices depend on the yacht, the season and the options you choose. You will find the current rates on each yacht page, on Day trips and on Cabin cruises, or just ask us for an offer.

Week charters and cabin cruises: a first instalment of 50% is due within 7 days of the Booking Confirmation, together with the signed contract, and the remaining 50% no later than 30 days before the start. If you book less than 30 days before the start, the full amount is due at booking. Extras you add on site are paid on site. Day trips: a deposit of USD 400 or TZS 1,000,000 secures your booking, and the balance is paid before the trip starts. The full payment terms are in our Charter Terms & Conditions.

Bank transfer, cash, card payment on our card terminal in Zanzibar, or PayPal (which also lets you pay by card online). Card and PayPal payments carry a 3% fee. Day trips: we prefer cash or mobile money (M-Pesa) in USD, TZS or EUR; a bank transfer must reach us before the trip, and card or PayPal is possible on request only, as there is no card terminal on board.

Week charters and cabin cruises are quoted in euro (EUR), day trips in US dollars (USD).

Yes. Early booking: 5% when you book more than 180 days ahead, 10% more than 360 days ahead and 12% more than 520 days ahead. We also offer discounts for charters of two weeks or longer, for group bookings of two or more yachts, and for returning guests. Ask us which ones apply to your dates.

Yes. Once you have sailed with us on a private charter, you are part of the Yachtsun family: returning guests get a lifetime discount on their next charters.

Cancellations are governed by our Charter Terms & Conditions. As a rule, dates cannot be changed once your booking is confirmed. If your plans change, contact us as early as possible: we consider every case individually and try to accommodate you wherever we can. We strongly recommend trip cancellation insurance.

Check-in is from 5 pm and check-out is by 9 am, at Azam Marina next to Verde Hotel. An early check-in or late check-out (1 pm) is available as an option.

Yes, on request and for an additional fee. We have our own moorings next to Hotel Slipway in Dar es Salaam.

In high season (January–February and July–August), week charters run Saturday to Saturday, usually for one or two weeks. The rest of the year, dates and start days are flexible – tell us what suits you. Charters of two weeks or longer get a discount.

Either return to the marina, or spend your last night on our own mooring in Stone Town, opposite the promenade. It is about 30 minutes from the marina, and you sail back in the morning before 9 am.

The first and the last night (in Azam Marina or at anchor in Stone Town) are included. Additional nights in the marina are charged separately.

The transit log is an obligatory fee per charter. It includes the final cleaning, bed linen and towels, a full water tank, a gas cylinder and the first and last night in Azam Marina or at anchor in Stone Town. Snorkelling sets are not part of the transit log: you can add professional Mares sets for EUR 10 per set.

On week charters, fuel is charged after the charter based on use, calculated from the engine and generator hours at current fuel prices. There is no self-service refuelling in Zanzibar; if you wish, you can be present when the yacht is refuelled. On cabin cruises and day trips, fuel is included.

Every yacht has a working watermaker. Refilling water is not a problem either: in most places our deckhands can arrange it, which is often cheaper than the fuel needed to run the watermaker.

Yes, you decide where to sail. Your skipper or deckhand advises on tides, weather and safe anchorages, and he knows where anchoring is not allowed. If the weather turns bad, the skipper decides on the route for safety. Get inspired on Sailing in Zanzibar and our interactive map.

Stone Town and the nearby islands, Mnemba, Nungwi and Kendwa in the north, Menai Bay in the south-west, the wild island of Pemba, and the mainland coast with Dar es Salaam and Saadani National Park. Mafia Island is a great choice for longer trips. See the sailing areas →

No. Most of the sailing area is a protected park, but in practice fees are collected at only a few spots (usually 2–4 on a week). Your skipper or deckhand collects the required local fees, and if your route includes paid spots, you will know about it in advance.

On week charters, the law allows up to 12 people on board each of our yachts, including the crew. For comfort, we recommend up to 8 guests on the Lagoon 450 F, Helia 44 and Leopard 48, and up to 10 guests on the Leopard 46 (two per cabin).

On week charters you can add a Wi-Fi modem with a data package. On cabin cruises, Wi-Fi is included. On request, we can also arrange for a SIM card agent to meet you at check-in.

Skipper, cook or Full Board, airport transfers, early check-in or late check-out, a SUP board and fishing equipment (no separate deposit: if an item is lost, you pay the deposit amount stated in our offer for it, and damage is charged at repair cost), professional Mares snorkelling sets (EUR 10 per set), a Wi-Fi modem, an extra set of bedding and towels, a kids' safety net, a Mafia Island diving package and a safari. Prices are on each yacht page.

You have three options: do your own shopping before the charter, hire a cook who cooks what you buy, or choose our Full Board option and we take care of everything.

All provisioning is handled by us, including during the cruise. Full Board includes 3 meals a day, snacks, fruit, water and soft drinks – basically everything except alcohol. Our chef creates the menu from your food preferences (one short questionnaire for the whole group, before the charter), and everything is ready on board at check-in.

Stock up before the charter. There are not many supermarkets in Zanzibar, they are not very well stocked and prices are quite high. Some things are bought at the local market, where prices are negotiated. During the charter you can buy fish and seafood from local fishermen, and your deckhand can help you find rice, fruit and vegetables. More "European" products may be impossible to find.

Provision before you leave. Pemba is wild: on land you can buy only from fishermen or a few individual fruits and vegetables.

Yes. The food questionnaire covers your preferences, restrictions and allergies, and our chefs regularly cook vegetarian meals. On day trips, just tell us when you book.

Yes, on week charters, cabin cruises and day trips you are welcome to bring your own. On cabin cruises you can also order beer, premium wines and spirits from our drinks list before the cruise.

Every day trip includes a multi-course meal prepared by our chef, for example grilled king prawns, catch of the day, chermoula calamari, beef in coconut sauce or grilled chicken, with sides, salads and a fresh fruit platter. The chef adapts the menu daily to the freshest ingredients.

Yes, with local knowledge. That is why every yacht sails with one of our deckhands, who knows the reefs, tides and safe anchorages. Each yacht carries navigation systems, life rafts, life vests and rings, emergency lights and fire-fighting equipment, and you get a safety briefing before departure. Our yachts and captains are insured.

We have three technicians on site, 24/7 technical service and the best-equipped marine parts warehouse in Zanzibar. If something needs fixing, we fix it fast, so your holiday goes on.

Your skipper or deckhand knows the local conditions and advises you on the best plan for the day, and you choose. If the weather is bad, we decide: the skipper may change the route, delay departure or stay at anchor for safety. On day trips, some pick-up points may be unavailable in bad weather, and in some places guests transfer to the yacht by a local fibre boat.

Yes. We have life jackets for small children too. They are for safety and emergencies, not swimming aids, so please bring your own arm bands or swim vest if your children need them. A kids' safety net is available on request. There is no minimum age: whether to bring little ones on board is the parents' decision and responsibility.

Fly to Zanzibar airport (ZNZ). Good connections include Ethiopian Airlines, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Air France, Condor, Kenya Airways, RwandAir and Oman Air.

Azam Marina is about 10 km (around 25 minutes) from the airport. We arrange airport and hotel transfers on request; they are not included in the charter price.

Most visitors need a visa for Tanzania, which also covers Zanzibar. Apply online only via the official Tanzania eVisa portal.

Yes. Foreign visitors must buy the government's mandatory inbound travel insurance – if Zanzibar is your first point of entry, via Visit Zanzibar. Travel insurance is not included in our prices, and we also recommend trip cancellation insurance.

East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3, with no daylight saving time.

The Tanzanian shilling (TZS).

Please ask your doctor or a travel clinic about vaccinations and malaria prevention well before you travel.

Pack light – space on board is limited and you will live in swimwear most of the day.
Bags: soft, foldable bags instead of hard suitcases (they are hard to stow in the cabin), plus a small waterproof bag for dinghy rides and beach trips.
Clothes: swimwear (two sets, so one is always dry), light shorts and T-shirts, a light long-sleeved shirt or rash vest against the sun, a thin jacket or sweater for breezy evenings, and one outfit that covers shoulders and knees for Stone Town and village visits.
Shoes: flip-flops or deck shoes with light, non-marking soles, and water shoes for reefs and rocky beaches – on board most guests go barefoot.
Sun & health: reef-safe sunscreen, a hat or cap, sunglasses, after-sun, insect repellent, seasickness tablets if you need them and your personal medicines (the yacht has a first-aid kit).
Tech: a power bank, charging cables, a plug adapter (Tanzania mostly uses UK-type three-pin sockets) and a waterproof phone pouch.
Documents: passport and visa, travel insurance details and, for a bareboat charter, your sailing licence and VHF radio certificate (SRC/LRC).
Bed linen and towels are on board; snorkelling sets are included on cabin cruises and can be added as an extra on week charters.

Prison Island & Nakupenda sandbank, Mnemba Island, Menai Bay (Blue Safari) and Mbudya Island off Dar es Salaam, plus sunset cruises. We are always happy to customise the trip. See all day trips →

Choose a sunset cruise (about 3 hours), a half day (about 6 hours) or a full day (about 9 hours).

Yes. A day trip is your private charter of a whole catamaran for your group: no crowds, your timing and your route.

Up to 22 guests on the Lagoon 450 F, Helia 44 and Leopard 48, and up to 12 on the Leopard 46.

Azam Marina, Stone Town (Forodhani), Kendwa Beach, Muyuni Beach, Fumba (Fumba Town), Kizimkazi, and Hotel Slipway in Dar es Salaam. Some pick-up points may be unavailable due to weather, and in some places guests transfer by a local fibre boat.

A private catamaran with an experienced captain and crew, a meal and snacks by our chef, water and soft drinks, fuel, dockage and port fees, itinerary planning, boat cleaning, life jackets (for emergencies, not swimming aids), and 2 beach towels and 2 white towels. Not included: crew gratuities, marine park fees, island entrance tickets (for example Prison Island, Mnemba or Mbudya, paid during the trip), land transport to and from the pick-up point, travel insurance, alcoholic drinks, and excursions outside the programme.

Snorkelling sets (USD 5 per set), extra beach towels, a deep-sea fishing rod, SUP, wing foil, a DJ on board, a private photographer, special boat decoration, a birthday cake or a special sandbank dinner set-up. See Day trips for details.

Our day trips team: WhatsApp +255 673 458 837, or e-mail office@yachtsuncharter.com.

Yes. Our catamarans are stable and spacious, which makes them perfect for shallow lagoons, sandbanks and family sailing. Tell us the ages of your children when you book, and we can fit a kids' safety net on request.

Yes. With four catamarans we can sail your group together, and group bookings of two or more yachts get a discount. For a day trip, up to 22 guests fit on one yacht.

Yes. On day trips we can add a birthday cake, special boat decoration, a DJ, a private photographer or a special dinner set-up on a sandbank. Tell us your plans and we will suggest the rest.