Kitesurfers glide across the shallow turquoise lagoon under a bright coastal sky.

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Six Barefoot Days on Zanzibar’s South-East Coast

Six days centred on Paje's reef-protected lagoon on Zanzibar's south-east coast, with a Jozani Forest day and two nights in Stone Town.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration6 Days / 5 Nights

Group size2 – 8 travellers

Best monthsJune – October for the strongest, most consistent kitesurfing wind; December – February for calmer swimming conditions

From$1,180 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

Paje sits on Zanzibar’s south-east coast, facing a reef far enough offshore to keep the lagoon calm and shallow at low tide, which is exactly why it has become the island’s kitesurfing centre. This trip spends most of its time there, doing very little beyond swimming, walking the sand at low tide and, for anyone who wants it, a kitesurfing lesson.

A day trip to Jozani Forest and two closing nights in Stone Town round it out, so the trip is not purely inert, but the centre of gravity is clearly the beach.

Official visitor information for Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania is published by the Tanzania Tourist Board.

Highlights

Wide, shallow lagoon at Paje, ideal for children and non-swimmers
Optional kitesurfing lessons
Low-tide sandbar walks
Jozani Forest red colobus monkeys
Two nights in Stone Town to close the trip
A quieter, less built-up alternative to Zanzibar's northern beaches

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1

Arrival, transfer to Paje

Day 2–4

Paje beach days

Day 5

Jozani Forest, transfer to Stone Town

Day 6

Stone Town, departure

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Paje

Airport pickup and the drive across the island to Paje, on the exposed south-east coast, arriving with the afternoon free to walk the beach and get oriented to the tides.

Day 2 to 4: Paje Beach Days

Three unstructured days. The lagoon here is shallow and reef-protected, safe for children and confident non-swimmers, and consistently windy enough that most visitors try at least one kitesurfing lesson. Others simply read, swim and watch dhows work the horizon.

Day 5: Jozani Forest and Transfer to Stone Town

A morning at Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park for red colobus monkeys and a mangrove boardwalk, then the drive to Stone Town for two closing nights in the old quarter.

Day 6: Stone Town and Departure

A final morning free to explore Stone Town's lanes or the Forodhani seafront before transfer to the airport.

From

$1,180

Enquire about this trip

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What the Price Covers

Included

Airport transfers
Ground transport between Paje and Stone Town
Jozani Forest guided visit and entry fee
5 nights accommodation (Paje and Stone Town)
Daily breakfast
English-speaking guide for Jozani and Stone Town

Not included

International flights
Kitesurfing lessons (bookable locally, not included)
Lunches and dinners not stated
Tips and personal expenses
Travel insurance

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Before You Book

Is Paje safe for children to swim?

The lagoon is shallow and calm at most tide states, which is why it suits families as well as kitesurfers: check tide times locally, as low tide exposes a wide sandbar rather than swimmable water.

Do we need kitesurfing experience?

No: several schools along the beach offer lessons for complete beginners, arranged and paid for locally rather than pre-booked.

How does Paje compare with Nungwi or Kendwa?

Quieter, windier, and more spread out, with fewer large resorts: Nungwi and Kendwa on the north tip have calmer water and a livelier evening scene.

Is there anything to do besides the beach?

Stand-up paddleboarding, dhow trips and the Jozani Forest excursion built into this itinerary are the main options beyond swimming and kitesurfing.

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Where This Trip Goes

Stone Town

Zanzibar · City

Zanzibar's UNESCO-listed old town, a maze of coral-stone buildings and carved doors built on centuries of spice, ivory and slave trade.

Mnemba Atoll

Zanzibar · Island

A small coral atoll off Zanzibar's northeast tip, its protected reef holding the best diving and snorkelling within reach of the island.

Zanzibar

Country

A spice-trade island off Tanzania with a UNESCO old town, beach towns on three coasts and the best diving in the region at Mnemba Atoll.

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Six Barefoot Days on Zanzibar’s South-East Coast