Ferry to Zanzibar

We would like to go from Arusha to Zanzibar via Tanga in one day. We know it will be a loooong day of traveling but want to know if it's even possible to catch a ferry in Tanga after the long bus ride? Where can we get ferry tickets? Should we buy them in advance? (Will be traveling August 5.)

Also open to tips on the bus ride and bus companies for the Arusha to Tanga trip.

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Thanks for this information, @Cath1010. Guess we'll have to go via Dar. I read the bus ride from Arusha to Dar is about 10 hours (which is why we wanted to go via Tanga). Is that accurate? What is the latest ferry from Dar to Zanzibar? are some ferries better than others? Should we book tickets in advance or will we be fine showing up at the port and buying a ticket then?

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

I just did this two days ago and I'm in Zanzibar now. Some notes:

Yes, the bus from Arusha to Dar is about 10-12 hours depending on how many stops your bus takes. Kilimanjaro was recommended to me as best and the cost was about $15 USD. I booked my seat the day before and was glad I did as the bus seemed to fill up when we got to Moshi. (Tip: be sure to dehydrate as there are only about 2 short stops for using the toilet). I took the bus that left at 6:15am and arrived in Dar around 5pm. The last ferry leaves around 4pm so it was too late to catch it. I HIGHLY recommend doing some research on a decent place to stay in Dar for the night as the place I stayed in was a last resort and not in the best part of town (although very cheap and suitable for a one night layover).
As for the ferry...book your ticket in advance. You can do it online or in person. I went to the booking office yesterday at around 8:45am thinking I could catch the 9:30am ferry only to find that it was full and I had to wait in the departure terminal for 3 hours till the next one left at 12:30. Also highly recommend booking VIP/1st class. It's on only about 10,000 more each way and after the chaos of boarding you will probably be glad to have a quiet place to enjoy the 90 min ride. (Bonus: seats are plush, there's a movie and a complimentary food cart).

Best of luck.

We would like to go from Arusha to Zanzibar via Tanga in one day. We know it will be a loooong day of traveling but want to know if it's even possible to catch a ferry in Tanga after the long bus ride? Where can we get ferry tickets? Should we buy them in advance? (Will be traveling August 5.)

Also open to tips on the bus ride and bus companies for the Arusha to Tanga trip.

If comfort is what you seek during your overland journey, I highly recommend Modern Coast bus. I used them all the time during my journeys. Tahmeed and Mash is very uncomfortable and stops everywhere.

Thanks for the tips @toroamwithloveblog. We will definitely purchase our tickets in advance. Which ferry do you travel on?

Having endured the bus from Dar to Moshi and experienced the crush of the ferry terminal (admittedly when arriving from Stone Town) I would suggest investigating advance purchase air fares. When you take in the coach cost, over night accommodation and then the ferry - flying is not that much dearer - and it gives you an extra day to enjoy the island paradise.

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.