Read FAQs about our programs in Zanzibar.

You book a flight to Zanzibar (ZNZ). At the airport we will pick you up and bring you to your accommodation (if included in your package or booked separately). Please share your flight details with us.

From some countries, flights to Dar-es-Salaam (DAR) might be cheaper. From DAR you might book a separate connecting flight to ZNZ.

Participation in this program is possible for up to 90 days with a regular tourist visa, which most nationalities can purchased for 50 USD directly upon entry at the Zanzibar Airport. Only US Americans have to pay 100 USD for the visa. Some nationalities (e.g. South Africans) do not need a visa to enter Tanzania.

Some nationalities might need to apply for their visa in advance and might need supporting documents that we can provide.

For entry into Zanzibar, a mandatory health insurance is required, for which a one-time fee of 44 USD applies for any duration of stay of up to 90 days.

Shared Accommodation

We operate two World Unite! shared apartments in Zanzibar Town. If you choose shared accommodation, we will assign one to you based on availability and proximity to your internship or volunteering location. Both flat shares offer a comparable standard of accommodation. One apartment is located in Baghani, and the other one is in Migombani.

Migombani

The spacious apartment in Migombani is located on the 2nd upper floor with views of the blue ocean. It has its own kitchen, toilets, bathrooms, and a communal living room. There is also a spacious garden. You can choose between 4-share rooms (each with 2 bunk beds), double rooms, and single rooms. The 4-share rooms have their own en-suite bathrooms, while the double/single rooms share a bathroom and toilet with other residents. The beds/bedrooms are equipped with mosquito nets, a wardrobe or chest of drawers, and a fan. Bed linen is provided, but please bring your own towels. The bathrooms have western flush toilets and cold showers, which can be refreshing given the temperatures in Zanzibar. The shared kitchens are equipped with electric or gas stoves and a basic set of kitchen utensils for cooking and eating. The shared living room has a sofa and dining table. There is also a communal washing machine in the house. For security purposes, the windows are barred, and a night watchman is present at night. Shopping and dining options are within easy walking distance.

Baghani

The Baghani apartment is located on the first floor of a historic building in the Baghani area of Stone Town. It offers four fully furnished bedrooms suitable for single and double occupancy. The kitchen is equipped with a gas and electric stove, refrigerator, and functional kitchen equipment. There are two bathrooms with cold showers and western water toilets. Bed linen is provided, but please bring your own towels. Each room has a ceiling fan and mosquito nets. There are many dining options available in Stone Town.

Host Families

Staying with a host family provides you with a unique opportunity to gain a more in-depth insight into the culture and society of Zanzibar. We collaborate with several host families in Zanzibar Town who can be described as belonging to the upper-middle class of Zanzibar. Most of our participants consider their houses to be absolutely suitable to be accommodated at. The houses often have two tiled bathrooms, one for the use of the parents of the family, and another one for the children and guests like yourself. Please note that hot water may not always be available. The houses are equipped with either Western-style toilets or Arab squat toilets with flushing water.

The host families provide two meals per day, typically breakfast and dinner, which usually consist of Zanzibari-Arabic dishes. Breakfast may include deep-fried donuts and chapati, while dinner often features pilau rice and biryani, accompanied by tea, boiled water, or homemade fruit juice. Vegetarian meals are available upon request. The families typically employ domestic helpers to assist with cooking, cleaning, and laundry. They usually have a fridge that you can also use. In the living rooms of these families, you will often find decorative Arabic curtains, ornamental objects, a stereo system, and a large flat-screen TV. Additionally, the families may own a used Japanese car. However, in order to purchase those items, the family often had to make savings during many years, and the family may, even though it might not look like that, still face financial difficulties, such as financing their children's higher education. They often only use the car for absolutely necessary journeys as petrol is expensive.

Mother Nature Tropical Rain Forest Conservation Camp in Jozani

Our World Unite! Forest Camp is located right next to Jozani Forest National Park in southern Zanzibar, within the area of Kitogani village. It offers exclusive accommodations for volunteers in our Mother Nature Program. The camp is set within a pristine forest environment.

There are three comfortable safari tents (6m x 3m x 3.5m high), each accommodating up to six participants in three bunk beds with mosquito nets. The tents are built on an elevated platform and are protected from sun and rain by a fixed thatched roof made of palm leaves. Large screened windows allow for good ventilation, creating a comfortable indoor temperature. Each participant has a lockable storage cabinet inside the tent.

Attached to each tent is a separate building with a toilet and a shower offering both hot and cold water. In front of each tent, participants can relax on a wooden veranda with chairs made from coconut wood, enjoying the natural surroundings. Additionally, the camp features a large communal terrace for relaxing, working, and dining.

The camp kitchen prepares three meals per day for participants, and a filtered drinking water station is available. The camp’s garden is home to fascinating tropical ornamental plants and fruit trees.

Volunteers also have access to a washing machine. Tent lighting and phone charging stations are powered by solar energy, while solar water heaters provide warm water for showers. Shower wastewater is filtered through a small wetland system with layers of gravel and plants, including rushes and yam roots, before being absorbed into the ground or evaporating. Creative recycling ideas, such as lampshades and curtains made from recycled plastic bottles, can be found throughout the camp—crafted by World Unite! volunteers.

The camp employs three security guards who ensure safety around the clock. A safe is available for storing valuables.

The camp is located only a 3-minute walk from one of the most beautiful beaches in Zanzibar, where sea turtles also lay their eggs. The grounds of our camp were designed according to the principles of permaculture and sustainable construction to maintain and restore biodiversity on the site.

There are eight permanent tents, each equipped with two bunk beds. The tents can be booked for double or 4-share occupancy. Each tent has wardrobes with a lockable compartment for each participant, a small refrigerator, a fan, electric light and sockets, including USB ports. All tents are located under a fixed thatched roof covered with palm fronds on an elevated wooden platform, designed in a rustic African style. Mosquito nets are provided.

Sanitary facilities are located in a building between the tents and are shared by the participants. They include six showers with solar-heated hot and cold water and six environmentally friendly evapotranspiration toilets. Our solar collector is supplemented by an electric heater during the rainy season, so hot water is available year-round.

The roof terrace of our main building and the covered terrace in front of it are used as communal areas for meals, project work and leisure. Meals are prepared by our two chefs in a fully equipped restaurant kitchen and meet international hygiene standards. Chilled drinking water is available from a water filter device. Volunteers can use our office space for work that requires a computer. Free, unlimited Wi-Fi and a washing machine are provided, and there is 24-hour security personnel. Valuables can be stored in a safe.

In collaboration with our permaculture expert, we have developed a system to optimize water consumption as much as possible. We collect rainwater from the roofs, which is used, for example, as a backup for the showers. The gray water is filtered and used for our plants. We use an evaporation toilet system, which is a simple but effective solution for the biological treatment and reuse of black water as fertilizer for our banana garden. We also have an aquaponics system on the premises.