Ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam

Ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam at a glance

Everything travellers ask about the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam in one place. Azam Marine sail the route on high-speed catamaran with air-conditioned cabins and open deck, with a crossing time of about 2 hours, several sailings a day. Boats leave from Zanzibar port, Stone Town and arrive at Dar es Salaam ferry terminal, Kivukoni. Haqqi Tours provides the ticket, and confirms the sailing, the seats and the cost on WhatsApp before you pay.

• Route: Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam (about 75 km by sea)
• Operator: Azam Marine
• Crossing time: about 2 hours
• Vessels: high-speed catamaran with air-conditioned cabins and open deck
• Frequency: several sailings a day
• Departure port: Zanzibar port, Stone Town
• Arrival port: Dar es Salaam ferry terminal, Kivukoni
• Vehicles: passengers only
• Booking: form on this page, confirmation in the WhatsApp chat, electronic ticket by message

Returning from Stone Town to the mainland by fast ferry takes about two hours and lands you at the Kivukoni terminal in the centre of Dar es Salaam, a short drive from the airport and the main hotels. Several sailings leave each day, and we can arrange a private transfer from your Zanzibar hotel to the port.

Timetable and season of the Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry

The Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry timetable is seasonal: high summer brings the fullest schedule and the earliest sell-outs; spring and autumn have fewer boats and better fares; winter runs a reduced service on many crossings. The crossing itself takes about 2 hours. Tell us the day and we send the sailings, and we flag the ones most exposed to a cancellation in bad weather.

For a connection at Dar es Salaam - a flight, a train or another ferry - let us know and we choose a sailing with a comfortable margin.

Departure: Zanzibar port, Stone Town

Zanzibar port, Stone Town is where the Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry begins. We tell you whether tickets are scanned at a gate or on board, whether an ID or passport is required, and how early to arrive for your sailing and vessel. On busy summer days the port is crowded, so the margin matters.

• Haqqi Tours can provide a private transfer from your hotel in Zanzibar to the port on request
• Ask us which gate or terminal your sailing uses - big ports have several
• Foot passengers: at the port 45-60 minutes before departure
• Keep the electronic ticket and the ID or passport used for booking together

Arrival: Dar es Salaam ferry terminal, Kivukoni

You step off at Dar es Salaam ferry terminal, Kivukoni, close to Upanga and the Ocean Road and Oyster Bay and the Masaki peninsula. The rapid bus system runs on dedicated lanes along the main corridors, dala-dala minibuses and taxis cover the rest, and the new standard-gauge railway links the city with Morogoro and Dodoma. Fast ferries cross to Zanzibar in about two hours. A private car is the simplest way to beat the long queues at the airport, to meet a ferry on time or to make the two-hour drive north to Bagamoyo. If you would rather not think about it, we book a driver to meet the ferry and take you to the door of your hotel.

Arriving late? We note your arrival and, if you have booked a transfer, the driver tracks the ferry, so a delay costs you nothing.

On board the Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry: seats, cabins and luggage

The ship makes the difference on this route: the conventional ferry has more space, open decks and a steadier ride; the high-speed boat has airline seating and gets you there faster. Children have their own fares, luggage travels free within limits, and pets are accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels.

• Children's fares by age; infants generally free
• Pets accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels - tell us if one is travelling
• Seats: economy, airline-style, lounge and business on the fast boats; deck seats on the slow ferries
• Cabins with beds and showers on overnight sailings - two to four berths

Things to do in Dar es Salaam after the ferry

The reasons passengers take the ferry to Dar es Salaam are Kariakoo market, the Mwenge woodcarvers' market, Coco Beach on Oyster Bay, Mbudya and Bongoyo islands in the marine reserve and the Kigamboni bridge and the south beaches. Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest city and main port on the Indian Ocean, the gateway to Zanzibar by ferry and to the southern safari parks. Eat madafu coconut water and fresh juices, urojo, the Zanzibar mix soup and grilled fish and cassava at Kivukoni while you are there.

We offer tours and transfers in Dar es Salaam as well as the ferry ticket - one conversation, one plan for the whole trip.

Best time to take the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam

June to October is the driest and least humid period; December to February is hot and sticky; the long rains from mid-March to May flood streets and slow traffic, and the short rains in November are brief. Ferry crossings are roughest from June to September. On the water, the season shows in sea conditions and availability more than in comfort: book early for summer, Easter and holiday weekends between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, and choose morning sailings when the wind is forecast.

Ferry or flight from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam?

Ferry versus plane between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam comes down to time, luggage and the view: the ferry has the deck, the luggage and the town-centre arrival; the plane has speed. On this route the ferry is the option Haqqi Tours recommends first for families and anyone with a car.

Return ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar

Coming back? Say so on the form. A return ferry ticket from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar booked with the outbound is often cheaper than two separate bookings, and it keeps the whole trip on one WhatsApp thread with one point of contact.

How much does the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam cost?

"How much is the ferry ticket from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam?" has several answers, because the operators price the slow boat and the fast boat differently, charge separately for vehicles and cabins, and raise fares in high season. Haqqi Tours arranges the current cost for your dates and party - foot passengers, seats or cabin - quickly of receiving the form, and tells you which sailing is the best value.

The figure we send is the total: passengers, seats or cabin and port fees. If a slower sailing an hour later is cheaper, we say so; on this route the conventional ferry is often the best value for a family.

Cheapest ferry ticket from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam: how to pay less

A cheap Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry ticket is not luck - it is the right boat on the right day. Here is how we find it:

• Travel on a weekday - Friday and Sunday sailings carry the highest fares
• Let us know if your dates are flexible; moving by a day often changes the fare
• Compare operators - on this route the cheapest company changes with the date
• Travel light - some fast boats limit luggage per passenger
• Book the return with the outbound - open returns and round-trip fares are cheaper on many operators
• Ask about children's, student and resident fares, and about vehicle offers outside high season

Send us the form with your dates and we tell you which sailing is the cheapest ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam that day and how much a different day would save.

How to book ferry tickets from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam with Haqqi Tours

Here is how to book Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry tickets with Haqqi Tours: use the booking form on this page - date, one-way or return, passengers - and send it. In a few minutes we write to you through WhatsApp with the sailings, the vessel type and the price. Once you confirm and payment is arranged in the same conversation, we issue the ticket and send the e-ticket or boarding reference.

• Step 1 - fill in the form: date, one-way or return, adults and children
• Step 2 - we message you by WhatsApp with the sailings, vessels, seats or cabins and the cost
• Step 3 - you confirm the sailing you prefer and we arrange payment in the same chat
• Step 4 - we issue the e-ticket and send it; we stay in touch until you land in Dar es Salaam

Because a person books it, we can line the Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry up with a flight or a train the same day, choose the sailing that leaves a safe margin, and warn you if the weather forecast makes the fast boat a risk.

Why book your Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam ferry ticket with Haqqi Tours

Booking with Haqqi Tours means the ferry ticket from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam is one message away, not one website away. We compare, we book, we send the ticket, and we stay reachable. Add a transfer or a tour and the whole journey sits on one confirmation. Fill out the form to start.