Quad Bike Adventure from Kendwa and Nungwi
4.9 (1,795 reviews) from travellers who booked this experience
Overview
Quad biking in Zanzibar is the easiest way to see the countryside behind the beaches of the north coast. In about four hours you ride a new automatic quad along sandy and red-earth trails between Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti, stop in a local village, and reach two beautiful beaches for a swim and photos. A multilingual guide leads the ride after a full safety briefing, helmets are provided, and unlimited soft drinks and fruit keep you going. The default booking is one quad for up to two riders with hotel pickup in Nungwi, Kendwa or Kidoti; a two-quad option for groups of up to four and a version with a jet ski session are also on the booking panel. Great for couples, friends and families with older children.
Highlights
- Ride a new automatic quad on sandy trails through the north of Zanzibar
- Visit a local village and hear how the community lives from the people themselves
- Reach two beaches on the north coast for a swim and photos
- Full safety briefing, helmet and a guide leading the ride
- Unlimited soft drinks and fresh fruit during the stops
- Professional photos of your ride handed over at the end
- One quad carries up to two riders, so couples can share
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti included
Full Description
The trails between Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti
The northern tip of Zanzibar is a flat triangle of coral rock covered in coconut palms, mango trees and small farms, with the villages of Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti strung along its coast. Away from the hotels, red-earth tracks and sandy lanes link the farms and villages, and this is where the quad adventure from Kendwa and Nungwi takes you. After a short practice you follow the guide in a line through groves of palms and fields of cassava and sweet potato.
The quads are automatic, so there is no gear changing, and the pace is set by the guide to suit the least experienced rider. Each quad takes up to two people, so couples and parents with a teenager can share one. Is quad biking in Zanzibar worth it? For anyone who wants to see village life beyond the beach without a long walk in the heat, it is one of the best things to do in Nungwi.
A local village in the north of Zanzibar
The longest stop of the ride is in a village a few kilometres inland, where the families are used to visitors and happy to show their world. You see houses built of coral stone and palm thatch, the communal well, the small mosque and the school, and you learn how coconuts are husked, how seaweed is dried and how the day is organised around the tides and the calls to prayer. The guide translates between Swahili and your language, so you can ask questions and the children will certainly ask you some.
The village visit is also where the fruit and soft drinks come out: fresh mango, pineapple, passion fruit or watermelon depending on the season. Because Zanzibar is a conservative Muslim island, we ask you to cover shoulders and knees for the ride and the village; shorts to the knee and a T-shirt are fine. Respectful photos are welcome, but please ask before photographing people.
Two beaches on the north coast
The route reaches the sea twice. One stop is a quiet stretch of white sand facing the sunset side of the island, where the water is turquoise and shallow at low tide and perfect for a dip after the dusty ride; the other is a fishing beach near Kidoti or Nungwi where wooden dhows are pulled up on the sand and the fishermen mend nets in the shade. Nungwi is famous for its dhow builders, who still shape boats by hand with the same tools used for generations.
Bring swimwear under your clothes if you want to swim; towels and a change of clothes stay with the guide or in your backpack. The beach stops are also where the photographer takes most of your professional pictures, with the quads lined up against the sea. Expect about twenty to thirty minutes at each beach, and the best light for photos on the afternoon departure.
The base, the briefing and getting there
How to get to the quad base from your hotel is taken care of: pickup and drop-off are included for hotels in Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti, and our team confirms the pickup time on WhatsApp after you book, usually ten to forty minutes before the activity start time. Guests staying elsewhere on the island, for example in Stone Town or on the east coast, can still book; we arrange a transfer on request and tell you the time it takes.
At the base you sign the waiver, receive a helmet and listen to the safety briefing in your language, which covers braking, distance between quads and what to do on sand. No driving licence is required for the guided ride, but the driver must be an adult; children ride as passengers behind a parent. Starts are in the morning at nine and in the afternoon at two, each ride lasting about four hours including stops.
Itinerary
- Hotel pickupOur driver collects you at your hotel in Nungwi, Kendwa or Kidoti at the time confirmed on WhatsApp; a short drive to the quad base.
- Briefing and practiceHelmet fitting, safety briefing and a few minutes of practice on the quad; about twenty minutes.
- Trail ride through farms and palm grovesFollow the guide along sandy and red-earth trails inland; about an hour of riding with short photo stops.
- Village visitStop in a local village to meet the families, see how they live and enjoy fruit and soft drinks; about forty minutes.
- First beach stopReach the coast for a swim or a walk on the sand and professional photos; about twenty to thirty minutes.
- Second beach and return rideRide to a second beach near the fishing village, then back along the trails to the base; about an hour.
- Photos and drop-offReceive your photos and return to your hotel; about fifteen minutes.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti
- One quad bike for up to two riders
- Multilingual guide
- Safety briefing and helmet
- Unlimited soft drinks and fruit
- Professional photos taken during the tour
Not included
- Transfers from outside the Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti area (arranged on request)
- Meals
- Tips
Not suitable for
- Pregnant women
- People with back or neck problems
- Children as drivers (children ride as passengers with an adult)
Meeting point
We pick you up from your hotel in Nungwi, Kendwa or Kidoti. After you book, our team contacts you on WhatsApp to agree the exact pickup time, usually ten to forty minutes before the ride starts, so please give a phone number with your country code. Wait in the lobby or at the hotel entrance at the agreed time; after the ride we drive you back to the same hotel. Pickups from other parts of Zanzibar are arranged on request.
Important information
- Wear closed shoes, long shorts or trousers and a T-shirt that can get dusty; cover shoulders and knees for the village
- Sunglasses or a scarf help against dust and sun; a helmet is provided
- Swimwear under your clothes and a small towel if you want to swim at the beaches
- Sunscreen and a hat for the stops; soft drinks and fruit are provided
- The driver must be an adult; no licence is needed for the guided ride, but ride within the guide's instructions
- Photos are included; bring a phone or camera in a dust-proof pouch for your own shots
- Provide a WhatsApp number with your country code so we can confirm the pickup time
- Children are welcome as passengers behind a parent; tell us their ages when booking
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private activity?
You book by quad, not by person, so the quad itself is only for your party of one or two riders, and the two-quad option covers a group of up to four. The guide leads a small convoy; if you would like the guide for your group only, tell us on WhatsApp and we will check availability.
How long is the quad adventure?
About four hours including the briefing, the village visit and both beach stops, with roughly two hours of actual riding. The option with the jet ski session takes about six hours.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup and drop-off are included for hotels in Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti. From other areas we arrange a transfer on request.
What is included?
One quad for up to two riders, a multilingual guide, safety briefing and helmet, unlimited soft drinks and fruit at the stops, professional photos and the hotel transfers in the Nungwi, Kendwa and Kidoti area. Meals and tips are not included.
Do I need a driving licence?
No licence is required for this guided ride, but the driver must be an adult and must follow the guide. The quads are automatic and easy to handle after the practice session.
Can two people ride one quad?
Yes, each quad seats a driver and one passenger. Couples usually share, and children ride behind a parent. If everyone wants to drive, book the two-quad option or add a second quad.
Is the price per person or per quad?
The price is per quad for up to two riders, or per pair of quads for two to four riders. The booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option for your date.
Is it suitable for children?
Children from about six years enjoy it as passengers with a parent driving, on quiet trails at a gentle pace. It is not suitable for babies or for anyone with back or neck problems, and children cannot drive.
What should I wear and bring?
Closed shoes, long shorts or trousers, a T-shirt you do not mind getting dusty, sunglasses, sunscreen and swimwear under your clothes. A scarf or buff against dust is useful in the dry season.
Morning or afternoon: which is better?
The nine o'clock ride is cooler and the villages are busy with morning activity; the two o'clock ride ends with softer light at the beaches and great photos. In the rainy months of April and May and in November the trails can be muddy, which many riders enjoy.
Can we add a jet ski session?
Yes. The option on the booking panel combines the four-hour quad ride with a thirty-minute jet ski session off the beach, including a life jacket and drone footage.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose the option, date and start time on this page and send the booking. Our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes and agrees your pickup time with you.
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