8 Days, Multiple Departures
Surf Trips for all Levels
We surf different spots suited for all level surfers.
Wide Range of Gear
From beginner soft tops to shortboards and everything in-between, we got you covered.
Experienced Guides
Our experienced surf guides and surf instructors will ensure a safe and fun surfing experience in Zanzibar.
All inclusive
All our surf trips include a free shuttle, boat ride, gear rental, surf guiding or group surf lessons, Marine Park Entrance Fees, snacks & water
Why is Zanzibar still an unknown surf destination?
Waves in Zanzibar are not easy accessible, you can not surf all day long, winds and tides play a huge role in the quality of waves and the list goes on. Zanzibar as a surf destination has not yet peaked major interest because surf times are restricted and consistency is not guaranteed. The island archipelago of Zanzibar is also quite chancy for waves, which means the knowledge of where to go is an essential and surfing without a guide not really much of an option. Swell and wind directions are vital to get any form of decent wave to surf as well as tides and moon faze. Different sections on the reef break on different conditions and some are really worth the boat trip out for a surfing session and others not at all.
What else should I know about surfing conditions in Zanzibar?
Surfing lessons and surf trips need to be well timed, as surfing in Zanzibar is limited to 1.5 – 3 hours of good surf a day. The reason being are the big tidal changes on the island. Surfing lessons need to be timed to the pushing mid tide to get the beginner surf spot working at its best. The more advanced surfing spots start to work with the last hour of the dropping tide and best over low tide and the first push after the tides change but again this depends on the moon phase as the drop can have heavy currents.
So should you really choose Zanzibar as your next surfing destination? Yes and no. Yes for anyone who is a beginner up to low level intermediate who wants to learn and improve in a beautiful warm water destination with consistent beginner friendly conditions and no hustling huge crowds. Yes also to all the intermediate and advanced surfers who are chasing fun waves and good vibes and are up for a mix of surfing, relaxing and exploring holiday. No for all those who want to surf from morning till evening, have an easy accessible wave and can just grab a board and paddle out whenever they feel like.
We offer top-class customer service and courses for Kite Surfing, Wave surfing, and Stand Up Paddle boarding as well as a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that represents the “Surfer” lifestyle. The team is made up of professional water men/women from Tanzania and all around the world with specialized skills and several languages to cater to a diverse clientele.
If you have a short time frame we recommend to opt for a surf trip. You won’t be a good surfer after a short course but you will be able to have a ton of fun without breaking the bank. Another alternative for shorter time frame is Stand Up Paddle Boarding.
Kitesurfing can not be learned in a day but you are able to find out if it is a sport you would like to continue in a few hours speed / crash course. Just let us know your time frame at time of booking and we can advise for the best option also depending on conditions and your budget.
The main Kitesurfing Season is from mid December to mid March and again from June to mid September.
The main surf season is from the start of December until the middle of March and again from June to the end of October.
We sometimes offer lessons outside of the main seasons for example Kitesurfing is offered from beginning of June to end of October (condition permitting) and from mid December to mid March. Wave Surfing Lessons are offered from Beginning of December to end of March and from June to the middle of November.
Our Center in Paje is open from mid December to mid March and from June 1st to October 31st. In the off season we accept bookings via WhatsApp, Mail or Instagram only.
The center in Jambiani has shorter seasons and we open there from mid December to mid March and from mid June to mid September.
We include hotel transfers on all wave surfing trips from any hotel in Jambiani, Paje or Bwejuu. If you are staying in a different location on the island, we are happy to help you arrange a driver at reasonable cost.
For all other activities (kiting and SUP) we don’t include transportation and you can meet us at our center in Paje for the scheduled appointment.
Prebooked Spots are paid via a secure online Credit Card Link.
On the spot we accept payments in cash in USD, TSH, € as well as payments via credit card (Visa, Master & Amex).
Please note that a 5% banking fee will be added to your bill when paying via card.
Depending on the time of year we can get very busy and booked up quickly. For example over Christmas and New Years Spots are often booked up weeks in advance. The earlier you sign up the better to make sure to get spots on your desired dates.
Not where we kite & surf.
If you go diving and are lucky you can spot some small reef sharks. But the scary big ones haven’t been seen around.
The gear used during surf & kite lessons has a basic insurance since you will be with our instructor. When renting SUPs, kitesurfing gear or fiberglass surf boards we do not include insurance and recommend to buy a worldwide gear rental insurance to cover you in any case. We recommend the VDWS Safety Tool.
We offer Surf Trips on a daily basis almost all year around (except of the months of April, May & last half of November) if conditions allow. Our official surf season starts from 15th of December until 15th of March and then again from 1st of June to 31st of October. Throughout the season the conditions are great for beginners on a daily basis. For more intermediate / advanced surfers we get the most consistent swells in January and February as well as from June – September with bigger waves.
Average swells are between 1.1m – 1.5m in season. This means that our beginner spot will provide waist high waves on average and the intermediate / advanced spots on the outer reefs chest to head high waves. We can get bigger waves than that although conditions are generally most fun and cleanest with medium sized swells.
The surf trips are scheduled with the tides and conditions and times are changing daily. Please check with us at least one day in advance to find out about the schedule and availability for the next day (this way you won’t miss an early morning session as well)
Surfing on the island is very tide dependent, which means that we only get one window of good surf in the day. Tide timing depends on the spot we surf and other conditions such as wind strength and direction as well as tide phase. For those reasons we run only 1 surf trip per day and after the trip is finished the waves are as well and unfortunately there is no chance to keep practicing after a lesson and we will have to wait for the next day.
No. All surf spots in Zanzibar are out on the reef and only accessible by boat.
We provide all the gear including reef shoes as well as snacks on the boat. You should bring lots of sun lotion (make sure it is extra waterproof one), a towel and dry clothes for after the surf and that’s it. If you want to bring a camera make sure to have a waterproof bag to keep it in the boat.
We have a wide range of surf boards. For beginners we provide the beginner soft top boards. For intermediate and advanced surfers we have a good range of fiberglass and epoxy boards between 5’8 and 9′.
The amount of guides depends on group size and level of surfers. All lessons are group lessons and usually no more than 7 students per instructor. We are the only ones in the spot which means even in a bigger group you will be able to catch a lot of waves and progress nicely.
It is always difficult to give an accurate answer to this question, as the conditions depend on a lot of outside factors (tide & moon phase, wind strength, wind direction, spot choice of the day). Zanzibar is not listed on MagicSeaweed, but you can check out the swell forecast on Windguru or Windy to get a better idea of what the surf could be like over the next days.
Here’s a helpful guideline on how to read the forecast:
– Wave Hight: 0.6 – 1m Knee to Waist High / 1m – 1.5m Waist to Head High on the outside (waves on the beginner section are always around knee to waist high)
– Wind Strength: 15 knots and less: Glassy, Clean Conditions / 15-20 knots and more: A little bumpy / 20 knots and over: Bumpy with strong currents
Yes, we allow spectators on the trips for a small cost covering fee. However, this depends on the availability of the day and can only be confirmed last minute as spots are first of all reserved for our surfing guests.
The kite season is a bit shorter than the wave season and starts from 15th of December to 15th of March and then again from beginning of June to end of September. The best and most consistent months with highest chances of wind every day are January and February as well as June, July & August.
Kite sizes used most in Zanzibar are 10m – 14m kites. If you bring a size between 9-11m and one bigger size you should cover most days. Small kite sizes are hardly used on the island.
Well, this really depends on each and everyone's individual learning curve. The average person takes around 9-12 hours in a semi private group course or 4-6 hours in a private course to have the first success riding both directions. A few more hours can get you to a level of confident riding, doing transitions and being able to rent gear on your own.
Again, every student is different and some pick it up quicker and others may need a lot more hours. Our instructors will be able to adapt the course to your individual learning curve and go in the speed that is most productive to get you riding and independent as soon as possible.
If you had board sports experience such as wake boarding, snowboarding or surfing you will probably pick it up quicker when it comes to the board riding. Any experience with wind sports such as sailing or windsurfing will help you understand the kite a lot quicker. No experience at all is also not a bad thing, since you won’t have bad habits from related but different sports
Most of our instructors come from all over the world and change seasonally. First language on lessons is English, but if you need lessons in a different language ask us and we can have a look if we have an instructor available who speaks your mother tongue.
The tides have a big influence on kiting conditions. As an experienced kiter you can kite all day if there is wind. The water goes flatter on mid and low tide and choppy on the high tide. Best teaching conditions are over mid and low tide when the water is shallower. We will advise you on best schedule throughout your stay when booking lessons with us.
We use the latest Liquid Force & Lacuna Kite Equipment at our center and keep the gear in great condition and change it regularly to offer you the best quality possible.
Check out Windguru or Windy (Paje) for an idea on how the wind will be like. Generally the wind forecast is quite reliable for 1-3 days ahead.
If you see white and light blue in the forecast (10 knots and under) the wind is really light or non existent and chances for lessons low. Any green color means conditions of 10 – 19 knots, which means chances to kite are very good. Orange, red and purple colors indicate strong winds and happy kiters.