Why rent your car at Zanzibar Airport?
Most visitors land at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), about 5 km south of Stone Town, and then face a long ride to the beaches in the north and east. Picking up your rental car at the airport means you skip the taxi negotiation entirely and start your holiday the moment you collect your bags.
A fixed-price taxi from the airport to Nungwi or Paje costs $50 each way, so the trip there and back alone is $100 — enough for several days' rental of a smaller car. With your own car from day one, that money goes towards a week of freedom instead — spice farms, Jozani Forest, quiet beaches and Stone Town at your own pace.
Driving away from Zanzibar Airport.
Traffic in Zanzibar drives on the left. The roads from the airport to Stone Town and out to the main beach areas are paved, and Google Maps works well across the island — download the offline map before you fly as a backup. Expect speed bumps in every village and share the road with dala-dalas, motorbikes, cyclists and pedestrians.
Police checkpoints are routine on the main roads leaving the airport. They are nothing to worry about: slow down, greet the officer and show your driving licence and Zanzibar driving permit if asked. We recommend arriving at your hotel before dark on your first day, as many rural roads are unlit.
Returning your rental car at the airport.
Choose Zanzibar Airport as your drop-off location when you book and hand the car back to our team at the terminal before you check in. For international flights, plan to arrive at the airport around two hours before departure.
Running late? Returns up to four hours after the agreed time are free of charge. You can also collect the car at the airport and return it at your hotel or the ferry terminal — or the other way round.
What you need to collect your car.
- A full driving licence from your home country, held for at least one year
- Your passport
- Drivers aged 18 to 78
- A Zanzibar driving permit — we arrange it before you land for $25 per driver
Read our Zanzibar driving permit guide for the full details. Prefer not to drive on arrival? Book an airport transfer or our fixed-price Zanzibar taxi instead, and have your car delivered to your hotel.