Private charter
Zanzibar & Dar Coastal Yacht
A private coastal charter between the mainland, Zanzibar and the Pemba Channel. This is a concept, not a product: no vessel is named or specified until one is contracted in writing.
About this journey
A private coastal charter between the mainland, Zanzibar and the Pemba Channel. This page is a concept rather than a product: no vessel is named, specified or photographed until one is contracted in writing.
Best months. June to October and December to February. The kaskazi and kusi monsoons set what is comfortable, and we will route around the swell rather than through it.
Pace. Gentle. Everything happens from the deck or the water.
Who this journey suits
You are a party of four to eight travelling together and want the whole thing to yourselves.
A boat appeals more than a hotel, and you would rather wake up somewhere different.
You want a sandbank lunch and an empty anchorage rather than a resort beach.
You can be flexible about the route, because the weather will decide some of it.
Highlights
- Your party alone on the vessel, with the itinerary set by you and the weather
- Sandbanks that appear at low tide and are gone by evening
- Snorkelling straight off the back rather than from a shared excursion boat
- The Pemba Channel, which is deep, clear and almost empty
- A sunset that nobody has arranged for you
Route
| Stop | Nights | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dar es Salaam coast | 1 night | Board, provision, and the first short leg out to the islands. |
| Zanzibar and the channel | 2 nights | Anchorages, sandbanks, and a run up the west coast. |
| Pemba Channel | 1 night | Deep, clear water and very few other boats. |
How the journey flows
Every point below is a real place at its real coordinates. The coastline is simplified — this is a route diagram, not a survey map.
- Boat
Boundaries and protected areas are OpenStreetMap data, stored with this site. The dashed line is the order of the route, not the road taken.
In order
- Dar es Salaam (DAR)Arrive
- SaadaniBoat
- Stone TownBoat
- PembaBoat
- Zanzibar (ZNZ)Boat
Day by day
A starting point. Every day here can be moved, shortened or removed — open one to read what it holds.
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Day1 Board on the mainland coast WhereDar es Salaam coast OvernightOn board Meals LD
Met at the airport and transferred to the mooring. Briefing, provisioning done before you arrive, and a short first leg out to a nearby island anchorage so that you wake up at sea rather than in a marina.
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Day2 Islands and sandbanks WhereZanzibar archipelago OvernightOn board Meals BLD
A run across to the archipelago, with snorkelling and a sandbank lunch depending entirely on the tide. The tide is the schedule on this journey; we will explain that before you book rather than apologise for it afterwards.
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Day3 North along the coast WhereZanzibar OvernightOn board Meals BLD
Up the west coast, with time ashore at a fishing village or Stone Town if the anchorage suits. Afternoon under sail if there is wind.
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Day4 The Pemba Channel WherePemba Channel OvernightOn board Meals BLD
The channel is deep and clear and holds very little traffic. Diving by arrangement with a licensed operator; the vessel is not a dive centre.
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Day5 Ashore and home WhereZanzibar or Dar es Salaam Overnight— Meals B
Disembark mid-morning and transfer to the airport. We leave a wide margin: a boat arriving late is normal and a missed international flight is not.
The places this journey goes
One photograph for each place on the route, in the order you reach them.
These are licensed photographs of the places themselves, credited on our photography credits page. They are not photographs of a Montero departure, vehicle or camp — we have not run this journey yet, and a gallery that implied otherwise would be worth nothing to you.
Where you would stay
Open any of these for rooms, power hours, hot water, Wi-Fi and the honest access position.
What it costs
Indicative $12,500 – $22,000 per party, subject to vessel and season. No price on this site has been approved, and nothing here is a quotation.
| Season | 1 | 2 | 3–4 | 5–6 | 7+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PeakJuly – October, 20 Dec – 3 Jan | On request | On request | On request | On request | On request |
| ShoulderJanuary – February, June, November | On request | $12,500indicative | On request | On request | On request |
| GreenMarch – May (long rains — we will say if it is a bad week) | On request | On request | On request | On request | On request |
Per person sharing, US dollars, two people unless stated. Excludes international flights. A single traveller pays more and a larger group pays less per head — we will tell you how much before you ask twice. No figure here has been approved: see what it costs.
What moves the price: season, how many of you there are, whether you fly or drive the long sectors, and the standard of camp. A single traveller pays more; we will say how much before you ask twice.
Access and comfort
Each line is either confirmed by our own measurement or it is not. “On request” means we will plan and cost it and nobody has measured it yet.
| Provision | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Published vessel access detail | Not offered | None, and there will be none until a vessel is contracted and measured. Guide section 8.8 forbids publishing specifications we cannot evidence. |
| Boarding assistance | On request | Depends entirely on the vessel, the tender and the state of the sea. We would assess it and tell you what we found. |
| Step-free cabins | Not offered | Not claimed. Most vessels of this size have a companionway, which is a staircase in a small space. |
| Shore excursions | Partial | Some anchorages have a jetty and some have a beach landing from a tender. |
| Medical and power needs | On request | Tell us early. Charter boats have limited power and no medical facility, and that changes which vessel is suitable. |
We do not ask for a diagnosis — only for what you need. How we plan accessible journeys.
The detail
What is covered, what it involves on the ground, and the changes people most often ask for. Open whichever you need.
What is included, and what is not
Included
Private 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof and a professional English-speaking driver-guide, for your party alone
Accommodation as described, on a full-board basis
All park, conservation and concession fees
Airport and airstrip transfers, met at the aircraft rather than at the kerb
Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
24-hour local support while you are in the country
Private use of the vessel for your party, with crew
All meals on board and soft drinks
Snorkelling equipment and a tender
Transfers between the airport and the mooring
Not included
Diving, which is arranged with a separate licensed operator
Fishing licences and tackle, where applicable
Marine park fees, which vary by area and are quoted at proposal stage
International flights, visas and travel insurance
Tips, premium drinks and personal expenses
Optional activities such as a balloon flight, unless listed above
Emergency medical evacuation cover — strongly recommended, and not something we currently provide
Practical detail
| This is a concept page | Guide section 8.8: no vessel specification, cabin photograph or access feature is published until a named vessel is confirmed with written supplier documentation. |
|---|---|
| Weather | The monsoons set what is comfortable. We will move the route rather than press on, and we will say so in advance. |
| Passenger limits | Set by the vessel's certification, not by us. The number quoted in any proposal is the certified number. |
| Safety | Life jackets for every person on board, including children's sizes, and a stated man-overboard procedure. We will ask the operator to put both in writing. |
| Price basis | Charter prices are per party, not per person, which is why the range is wide. Nothing here is approved. |
Ways to personalise this journey
The changes people actually ask for, with what each one does to the shape of the trip. Prices for these are quoted in your proposal, not here.
This itinerary is a draft. It is written to real logistics but has not yet been checked by a guide who works this circuit, and no price here has been approved. Treat every figure as indicative until we confirm it in writing.
Questions about this journey
Which boat is it?
We are not going to tell you, because we do not yet have one under contract. Publishing a vessel we cannot deliver, or somebody else's photographs of one, is the kind of thing this site exists not to do. When a vessel is contracted, this page will name it and specify it.
Is the price per person or per boat?
Per boat. That is why the range is so wide and why a party of six is far better value than a couple on this journey.
Can we choose the route?
Within the weather, yes — that is most of the point. The captain has the final say on where the boat goes, which is as it should be.
What if the weather is bad?
The route changes. On rare occasions a charter is cut short or does not sail, and what happens then is in the charter terms.
If this one is not quite it
Journeys that share a region or a style with this one, and the background reading for the places on the route.
Tell us what you have in mind.
One conversation with the person who would plan it, and an honest answer about whether we are the right company for the trip.
Free, and with no obligation. A real planner replies within 24 business hours, East Africa Time. No payment is taken to enquire.