Tours to Tanzania from Kyiv — Last-Minute Deals
For Ukrainian holidaymakers, Tanzania mostly means Zanzibar: an Indian Ocean island of white sand, turquoise water and historic Stone Town, where the sea reaches +28…+30 °C at the height of the season. A safari on the mainland, in the Ngorongoro Crater or the Serengeti, is easy to add to a beach stay. There is no direct service from Kyiv, so tours depart on charters from Chisinau and from Poland, around 9 hours nonstop. Ukrainians get their visa on arrival.
Packages include charter seats, an airport welcome with transfer, accommodation (the island has plenty of all-inclusive hotels) and insurance, while getting to the airport of departure and the visa cost extra. Hotels with vacancies for your trip show up in our tour search. Which beaches keep enough water at low tide? Our managers will tell you.
Flights from Kyiv
| Departure | Flight | Reaching the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Charter from Chisinau | ≈ 9 h nonstop | On the Bessarabia overnight train or a coach; Moldova sits outside the Schengen zone, so there is no EES check |
| Charter from Poland | ≈ 9 h nonstop | Departures from Warsaw and Katowice; travel to Poland by train or bus, with EES formalities on entering the EU |
Planes land at Zanzibar airport, next to Stone Town. The island is small, about 90 km long and 30 km wide, so hotel transfers take 30 to 90 minutes, the longest being to Nungwi and Kendwa in the north.
Where to Stay on Zanzibar: Beaches and Tides
Tides matter more than anything else when choosing a hotel. On the east coast the ocean retreats hundreds of metres at low tide, and over a kilometre at Uroa: you can stroll across the seabed then, but not swim. In the north the water barely moves.
| Coast | Low tide | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| North: Kendwa, Nungwi | Slight, 10–20 m | Swimming at any hour: the island's best infrastructure, ocean sunsets, nightlife in Kendwa and diving from Nungwi |
| North-east: Matemwe, Kiwengwa | 100–500 m | Couples and families: quiet hotels close to Mnemba Atoll, one of the island's finest reefs |
| South-east: Paje, Jambiani, Michamvi | 200–400 m | Kitesurfers at Paje, lovers of empty beaches in Jambiani, romantics heading for The Rock restaurant at Pingwe |
| South: Kizimkazi | 200–300 m | Nature lovers: jungle with red colobus monkeys and boats out to see dolphins |
More about the island is on our Zanzibar resort page.
Sights on the Island
- Stone Town. The UNESCO-listed old quarter, with carved doors, narrow lanes and a spice market.
- Spice farms. Guided visits show cloves, vanilla and cinnamon growing, which is why Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island.
- Prison Island. Giant tortoises well over a century old, plus snorkelling on the reef.
- Jozani Forest. A reserve that is home to the endemic red colobus.
- Mnemba Atoll and Nakupenda. Snorkelling among reef fish and a picnic on a dazzling sandbar far from shore.
Safari from Zanzibar
A one-day or multi-day safari combines easily with the beach. Small planes fly from the island to Arusha, Kilimanjaro or Selous in about an hour, followed by 2–3 hours by road to the parks. The Ngorongoro Crater has Africa's highest concentration of wildlife and all of the Big Five, while the Serengeti hosts the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. Prices usually cover the flight, transfers, lodges with meals, park fees and a ranger guide; the driver's tip is extra. Pack a warm layer, as dawn in Ngorongoro can be close to 0 °C. Children of any age may join, though four and over is the most comfortable.
When to Go
- December – February. High season: +30…+33 °C by day, water at +28…+30 °C, little rain.
- March – May. The rainy low season, cheaper and less crowded.
- June – August. The driest spell without punishing heat: +26…+29 °C, water at +25…+27 °C; it's also peak safari season.
- September – November. +28…+32 °C, brief showers lasting minutes and the start of mango season.
Money and Handy Tips
What you pay for a Tanzania tour varies with the dates, the hotel and which coast you pick, and spring, the rainy season, is the cheapest. Hotels charge a tourist tax of 2 to 5 USD per person per night, depending on their star rating. US dollars printed in 2013 or later are the most convenient; change some into shillings at the airport, as euros are a poor choice. Bring a plug adapter for British-type sockets. Zanzibar is a Muslim island, so cover shoulders and knees in villages and Stone Town. Plastic bags may not be brought in, and the sun is strong enough to demand maximum-protection sunscreen.
Visa, Insurance and Health
- Visa. Issued on arrival after you fill in a visa form and a migration card; it costs about 50 USD, payable by Visa or Mastercard or in exact cash.
- Passport. At least six months must remain on the day you return, with one blank page or more. Passports with extended validity are refused on flights from EU and Baltic countries.
- Zanzibar insurance. Since October 2024 the island has required local insurance of about 44 USD per adult; ask your manager how to arrange it for your trip.
- Vaccinations are not compulsory: discuss yellow fever vaccination and malaria prevention with a doctor, and bring insect repellent regardless.
- Leaving Ukraine. Departing from Poland, you register in EES when crossing into the EU. Rules for families with children and for men liable for service change often, so confirm them before booking.
Zanzibar Holidays: Travellers' Questions
How do you fly from Kyiv to Zanzibar?
On direct charters from Chisinau or from Poland, out of Warsaw and Katowice. The flight lasts about 9 hours with no stops.
What visa do Ukrainians need for Tanzania?
A tourist visa, granted on landing for about 50 USD. Your passport must remain valid six months after the return date, and Zanzibar's mandatory insurance is paid separately.
Where on Zanzibar are the tides weakest?
In the north, at Kendwa and Nungwi: the water pulls back only 10–20 metres, so you can swim at any time of day.
Which months suit a Zanzibar holiday best?
December to February and June to October. From March to May frequent rain sets in, but holidays cost less.
Can I combine the beach with a safari?
Yes: small planes take you from Zanzibar to Ngorongoro, the Serengeti or Selous for one or several days, while your main luggage stays at the island hotel.
Another long-haul winter beach is covered by tours to the Dominican Republic from Kyiv, and for a short flight there are tours to Egypt from Kyiv.
