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How Far Is Zanzibar From Dar es Salaam?/Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Ferry Distance/Distance from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Boat/Distance from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Ferry/Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Distance
The distance from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by ferry is 81 kilometers.
If you would like to book flight or ferry tickets to cover this distance, click here.
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It is easy to travel between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. You can do so by either boat or plane.
Ferries shuttle the distance from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by ferry several times a day.
For reasons of safety and excellence of service, I recommend using Azam Marine.
There are regular flights between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, with the duration of flight being only about 20 minutes.
You can fly between these destinations both on international airlines as well as local Tanzanian ones—both options being quite safe.
Given the distance and traffic between Dar es Salaam airport and the rest of Dar es Salaam, as well as the distance between Zanzibar airport and Stone Town, it might be more pleasant and time-efficient to travel between these cities by boat rather than by plane.
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Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam Ferry/Zanzibar Dar es Salaam Ferry/Dar es Salaam Para Zanzibar City Ferry
As mentioned above, if you would like to travel from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by ferry, I strongly recommend the marine division of the Tanzanian company Azam, also known as Kilimanjaro Fast Ferries.
Their offices are located on Sokoine Drive, in downtown Dar es Salaam at the waterfront, almost diagonally opposite St. Joseph’s Cathederal. You can buy a ferry ticket there, but you can also buy it online here.
If you would like to book ferry tickets as well as transfers from wherever you will be departing from in Dar es Salaam to wherever you are headed in Zanzibar (or vice versa), click here.
The prices for Tanzanian citizens (and residents) and foreign non-residents are starkly different, and Azam Marine requires identification to confirm which category you fall in (and they actually check every time!).
For foreign non-residents, ferry tickets must be paid for in foreign currency. The preferred currency is US dollars, though Azam Marine also accepts British Pounds and Euros.
The travel time between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam on the ferry depends on the vessel you travel on and the state of the ocean at the time of day you travel.
The shortest travel time available currently is one hour and forty minutes but can go up to six hours. Pay attention to this when you are booking your ticket.
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How to Get to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam/Getting to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam by Air
The actual flight from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar is extremely short but getting to and from the airport at either end of your journey can add up such that it would be much quicker to take the ferry.
If for whatever reason you choose to fly between these locations (perhaps because a flight is at a more convenient time or you are prone to sea sickness), you can check out available flights here.
Airlines that ply this route include Air Tanzania, Precision Air, and Coastal Aviation.
The airport in Zanzibar is 7.5 km from Stone Town (whereas the ferry lands directly in Stone Town), so you will likely have to arrange transportation from the airport to wherever you will be staying on the island.
To find out more about transportation in Zanzibar, click here.
The safety record of flights across the Zanzibar Channel (which you have to cross to travel between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar) is very good. I have not heard of any accidents in the the time I have lived in Dar es Salaam, i.e, the last 14 years.
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Distance From Dar to Zanzibar/Dar to Zanzibar KM
The distance between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar City (Stone Town), as the crow flies, is 70 km.
Photo Credits: Monda Africa Tours & Safaris Ltd.