Hiring a Car vs Public Transportation in Zanzibar
Browse more guides: Tanzania travel | Africa destinations Hiring a Car vs Public Transportation in Zanzibar Last updated: April 2026 · 12 min read Most tourists landing at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) should default to a private taxi or a hotel-arranged transfer. That's the boring, correct answer. Self-drive only makes sense if you're confident with left-hand-side driving, comfortable on potholed tar, and planning multi-day independence beyond Stone Town. Daladalas . The shared minibuses locals use . Are cheap and adventurous, but slow, crowded, and miserable for foreigners with luggage on a 30°C afternoon. I spent 10 days on the island last March using a deliberate mix: private taxi for the airport and Stone Town runs, a tour van for the spice farm and Prison Island combo day, daladalas for two short hops once I was acclimatised, and a single self-drive day to loop the southeast coast. The notes below are what I'd tell a friend asking what to actual...