Week charters · Zanzibar Archipelago & Pemba
A week on a catamaranthe most relaxed way to see Zanzibar
Your own crewed catamaran for seven nights: turquoise anchorages, sandbanks, reefs and Stone Town – a new view every morning and a route planned around you.
- 7 nightsSaturday to Saturday in Jan–Feb and Jul–Aug; flexible dates (from 3 nights) the rest of the year
- Azam MarinaCheck-in 5 PM, check-out 9 AM
- Skipper or bareboatWith our skipper, or as an assisted bareboat with a local deckhand
- Up to 12 peopleOn board including the crew (sea category)
Why a catamaran holiday
Zanzibar, seen from the sea
A week charter turns the island into a string of private anchorages. You sail a few hours a day, swim, snorkel and go ashore when you feel like it – and at night your floating villa waits at anchor under the stars.
Every morning a different bay, island or sandbank – without packing a suitcase or changing hotels.
Uninhabited islets, remote reefs and sandbanks that appear only at low tide – your catamaran takes you there.
Two hulls mean a stable, level ride, private double cabins with their own bathrooms, a big cockpit and sunbathing nets.
No fixed timetable. The skipper adapts the route to the wind, the tides and your wishes – more snorkelling, more beach, more Stone Town.
Snorkelling gear on board and the reef a few strokes away. Paddle boards and wing foils are available as extras.
Stone Town’s alleys, fishing villages, spice and seafood – the Swahili coast seen from the sea, with a crew who know it.
How a week looks
An easy rhythm
- Day 1 – welcome aboardCheck-in from 5 PM at Azam Marina. Meet the crew, a safety briefing, and a short first hop to a quiet anchorage.
- Most daysBreakfast at anchor, two to five hours of sailing, then reefs, sandbanks and beaches. Some days are short hops, one or two are longer passages.
- Ashore when you likeVillages, Stone Town or a forest walk – the dinghy takes you in. Excursions can be added.
- EveningsSunset in the cockpit, dinner on board and a night at anchor – or in a marina when the route calls for it.
- Last dayCheck-out at 9 AM. We help with your airport or hotel transfer.
Example routes
Three ideas for your week
These are examples only. Every route is tailored to your group, the wind and the tides – and the skipper adjusts it day by day. Sailing times and distances are approximate.
Zanzibar: north coast, Mnemba & Menai Bay
8 days / 7 nights · Unguja · approx. 129 nm in total
- Day 1Azam Marina → Chapwani Island
Check-in from 5 PM at Azam Marina. Meet your crew, settle in and make a short hop (about 20 minutes) to anchor off Chapwani Island for a welcome evening on board.
approx. 2 nm · Night: Chapwani Island - Day 2Prison Island → Kendwa
Morning visit to Prison Island and its giant tortoises (entrance fee USD 21), then a sail north along the coast to Kendwa Beach – one of the finest beaches on the island.
approx. 25 nm · Night: Kendwa - Day 3Mnemba Atoll
A day at Mnemba: snorkelling over coral gardens, a good chance to meet dolphins, and time on the sandbank.
approx. 25 nm · Night: Kendwa or Nungwi - Day 4The long sail south to Menai Bay
The longest leg of the week. An early start – the skipper can set off while you are still asleep – down the west coast to the protected Menai Bay.
approx. 45 nm · Night: Kwale Island - Day 5Menai Bay → Pungume
Sandbanks and dolphins in Menai Bay. Optional: Kizimkazi village or Jozani Forest with its red colobus monkeys (extra cost). Afternoon sail to Pungume.
approx. 5 nm · Night: Pungume - Day 6Pungume & Coconut Forest Beach
Snorkelling and a sandbank at Pungume, then Niamembe Island and Coconut Forest Beach.
approx. 5 nm · Night: Kwale or nearby - Day 7Sandbanks → Stone Town
Nakupenda and Nyange sandbanks, then an evening in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
approx. 20 nm · Night: Stone Town - Day 8Check-out
Check-out at 9 AM. We are happy to help with your transfer to the airport or your hotel.
Zanzibar & Pemba
8 days / 7 nights · Unguja + Pemba · approx. 179 nm in total
- Day 1Azam Marina → Chapwani Island
Check-in at 5 PM at Azam Marina, then about 20 minutes to a quiet islet for the first night at anchor.
approx. 2 nm · Night: Chapwani Island - Day 2Prison Island → Kendwa
Optional morning visit to Prison Island – its oldest tortoise is said to be around 120 years old (entrance fee USD 21). Then about 5.5 hours of sailing close along the coast to Kendwa.
approx. 25 nm · Night: Kendwa - Day 3Across to Pemba – Misali Island
Sail to Pemba, arriving at Misali Island around 2:30 PM: uninhabited, with vervet monkeys, great snorkelling and a bonfire on the beach.
approx. 35 nm · Night: Misali Island - Day 4North along Pemba → Njao
Sail north to the bay of Njao Island and snorkel a hidden spot locals call “Little Thailand”. Watch out for dolphins and, in season, whales. Visit a local village.
approx. 15 nm · Night: Njao Island - Day 5Ngezi Forest & the inner islands
A free morning for Ngezi Forest and the northern beach (we help with transport). Around 1 PM sail among Pemba’s inner islands, snorkel, and anchor by an uninhabited islet – the one from the Captain Kidd treasure legend.
approx. 20 nm · Night: By an uninhabited islet - Day 6Back to Zanzibar – Mnemba → Nungwi
About 5 hours to Mnemba for snorkelling and dolphins, then on to Nungwi at sunset.
approx. 45 nm · Night: Nungwi - Day 7Nungwi → Nakupenda → Stone Town
Nungwi beach and souvenir shopping, then about 5.5 hours towards Stone Town via Nakupenda Sandbank. Evening in UNESCO-listed Stone Town.
approx. 35 nm · Night: Off Stone Town - Day 8Check-out
An early return to Azam Marina (about 30 minutes) and goodbye at 9 AM. We help with your onward transfer.
Safari & Pemba
8 days / 7 nights · Unguja, Saadani (mainland) + Pemba · approx. 217 nm in total
- Day 1Azam Marina → Changuu or Chapwani
Check-in at 5 PM, then a short sail to Changuu (Prison Island) or Chapwani Island to anchor for sunset and dinner on board.
approx. 2 nm · Night: Changuu or Chapwani - Day 2Stone Town sandbanks → Saadani
Breakfast and snorkelling, with an optional visit to Prison Island (entrance fee USD 21). Cruise to the sandbanks around Stone Town, then about 4 hours across to Saadani on the mainland – with a possible stop at Faratu Sandbank for snorkelling and sunbathing.
approx. 30 nm · Night: Off Saadani - Day 3Saadani safari → Kendwa
Safari day: start at 6:15 AM in Saadani National Park, the only national park in Tanzania that meets the sea – reached by our catamaran. Back on board around 3 PM and about 5 hours of sailing to Kendwa. Kendwa and Nungwi nightlife, if you like.
approx. 35 nm · Night: Kendwa - Day 4Misali Island → Safe Harbour, Pemba
An early start (4–5 AM) for about 6 hours to Misali Island. Explore the island, snorkel and relax on the beach, then around 2 PM sail about 3.5–4 hours to Safe Harbour. In the evening, an optional sunset trip on a traditional ngalawa outrigger (USD 25 per person).
approx. 55 nm · Night: Safe Harbour - Day 5Ngezi Forest → Funzi or Pembe Island
Optional excursion to Ngezi Forest and a local village. Around 1–2 PM a cruise of about 3 hours to Pembe or Funzi Island – or back to Misali if there is time.
approx. 10 nm · Night: Funzi or Pembe Island - Day 6Back to Zanzibar – two options
Option 1: about 8 hours to Mnemba with fishing and sailing on the way, then the sandbank and snorkelling at Mnemba and a sunset cruise to Kendwa or Nungwi – nightlife, if you like. Option 2: straight to Kendwa (about 7 hours), leaving more time in Pemba in the morning for stops and snorkelling.
approx. 50 nm (option 2: approx. 45 nm) · Night: Kendwa or Nungwi - Day 7Kendwa → Nakupenda → Bawe Island
A morning on Kendwa beach and souvenir shopping. Around 11:30 AM cruise back towards Stone Town, with a last sunset cruise and dinner at Nakupenda Sandbank.
approx. 30 nm · Night: Bawe Island - Day 8Check-out
Sail back to the marina at 8 AM and check-out.
Your own route
More snorkelling, more beach days, a night in Stone Town or the crossing to Pemba? Build it in the planner below, or tell us what you would like and we plan the week with you.
Route planner
Plan your own route
Tap the places you would like to see and build your week day by day – or start from one of our example routes and change it. Download your plan as a PDF or send it to us. Routes are suggestions: your skipper adapts them to the wind, the tides and safety.
Lines show an approximate course, not a navigation track.
Start & finishAzam Marina
Add a placeOr tap a pin on the map. Tap a day to add places to it.
Routes are suggestions only. Your skipper adapts the plan every day to the wind, the tides and safety, so stops and the order of the days can change. Distances and sailing times are approximate (calculated at about 6 knots) and not for navigation. Some places charge entrance or park fees (for example Prison Island, USD 21); they are not included.
Our yachts
Four catamarans for your week
The catamarans we operate and manage, based in Azam Marina and looked after by our local crew. Each has four double cabins with en-suite bathrooms.
Blue MoonLeopard 46
The newest yacht in the fleet, with a bunk-bed cabin for children and the most space on board.
4 double + 1 bunk-bed cabin · up to 10 guests for a weekSee Blue Moon →
Sunday KingaLeopard 48
A long, fast Leopard with a huge cockpit and a forward lounge for sunset evenings.
4 double cabins · up to 8 guests for a weekSee Sunday Kinga →
ButterflyLagoon 450 F
A classic Lagoon with wide, bright living spaces – a favourite with families and groups of friends.
4 double cabins · up to 8 guests for a weekSee Butterfly →
KnypsFountaine Pajot Helia 44
Easy and well balanced – light on the helm and cosy for families and friends.
4 double cabins · up to 8 guests for a weekSee Knyps →Compare the yachts
| Blue MoonLeopard 46 | Sunday KingaLeopard 48 | ButterflyLagoon 450 F | KnypsFountaine Pajot Helia 44 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Leopard 46 | Leopard 48 | Lagoon 450 F | Fountaine Pajot Helia 44 |
| Length | 13.87 m | 14.75 m | 13.96 m | 13.30 m |
| Beam | 7.35 m | 7.64 m | 7.87 m | 7.40 m |
| Cabins | 4 double cabins 1 bunk-bed cabin 1 crew cabin | 4 double cabins 1 crew cabin (a 2nd crew cabin on request) | 4 double cabins 2 crew cabins | 4 double cabins 2 crew cabins |
| Bathrooms | 5 toilets, 5 showers | 4 toilets, 4 showers | 4 toilets, 4 showers | 4 toilets, 4 showers + deck shower |
| Guests – week | 10 recommended | 8 recommended | 8 recommended | 8 recommended |
By the sea category, up to 12 people may sail on every yacht including the crew. All yachts
Food on board
A taste of the Spice Island
Zanzibar cooking is part of the journey: coconut and spices, seafood from the coast, tropical fruit for breakfast. Our chef cooks on board and adapts everything to your tastes and diets – or you cook for yourselves. It is entirely up to you.
Our chef plus food for the whole cruise: breakfast, lunch and dinner, fruit, snacks, juices, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. EUR 205 for up to 5 guests, EUR 275 for 6–10.
Our chef cooks on board; food is not included – you buy it yourself.
Cook for yourselves in the fully equipped galley, or eat ashore along the way.
The essentials
What’s included
Mandatory
- Transit log (mandatory) – EUR 300 per charter. Final cleaning, bed linen and towels, starter pack, dinghy with outboard, a full water tank, gas, and the first and last night in Azam Marina.
- Deckhand (mandatory) – EUR 40 per night on assisted bareboat. One of our local deckhands sails with every assisted bareboat charter – he knows the reefs, tides and anchorages.
Not included
- Fuel – charged after the charter by engine and generator hours
- Food and drinks (unless you take Chef + Full Board)
- Marine park and entrance fees
- Skipper (EUR 100 per night) and extras
- Crew tips
Refundable security deposit EUR 6,000 per yacht. The optional Damage Waiver (EUR 400, non-refundable) reduces it to EUR 600 with our skipper or EUR 2,000 on an assisted bareboat charter. It is not insurance.
Snorkelling sets, SUP boards, wing foil, fishing gear, airport transfers, Wi-Fi, check-in or check-out in Dar es Salaam and more – add them in the calculator below.
Early booking: 5% more than 180 days ahead, 10% more than 360 days ahead, 12% more than 520 days ahead – plus 5% for two weeks or more. Discounts apply to the charter price only.
Your price in one minute
Week charter calculator
Pick a yacht, your dates and charter options – see the price straight away, then download it as a PDF or send it to us.
Your offer
Indicative price in EUR, subject to availability. Discounts apply to the charter price only, not to extras; other discounts on request. Fuel and marine park fees are not included. The final price is confirmed in your Booking Confirmation.
How to book
Four simple steps
- Send your request
Use the calculator, WhatsApp or e-mail: your dates, group size and favourite yacht.
- We confirm and plan
We check availability, confirm the price and sketch a route around your wishes.
- Booking Confirmation
Pay 50% within 7 days by bank transfer and the yacht is yours. Booking less than 30 days ahead: 100% at booking.
- Final payment & sail
The remaining 50% is due 30 days before the start. Then we meet you at Azam Marina.
Questions? Talk to me directly
Dates, route ideas, food or crew – I reply on WhatsApp, usually the same day.
or e-mail office@phillipyachtsuncharter.com
Full details in our Terms and Conditions (PDF).
Good to know
Questions about week charters
How long is a week charter, and when can I start?
Seven nights. In January–February and July–August charters run Saturday to Saturday. The rest of the year dates are flexible, and shorter charters from 3 nights are possible. More
Do I need a skipper’s licence?
No – most guests sail with our professional skipper. Experienced sailors can take an assisted bareboat charter; a local deckhand (mandatory) then sails with you. More
Can we plan our own route?
Yes. The routes on this page are only examples. Tell us what you would like to see and we plan the week with you; the skipper adjusts it to wind and tides. More
What about food on board?
Your choice: the Chef + Full Board package, a chef who cooks the food you buy, or self-catering in the fully equipped galley. The food offer does not include alcohol. More
How does the deposit work?
The refundable security deposit is EUR 6,000 per yacht. The optional Damage Waiver (EUR 400, non-refundable) reduces it to EUR 600 with our skipper or EUR 2,000 on an assisted bareboat charter. More
Can we add excursions?
Yes – diving, Jozani Forest, Stone Town tours or a safari on the mainland can be combined with your charter. Ask us for a detailed price. More
Ready for your week at sea?
Tell us your dates and group – we will come back with availability, a price and a first idea for your route.