Zanzibar 2026 Calendar — month by month

The Zanzibar 2026 calendar follows the four Swahili seasons. Notable cultural and seasonal events across the year include:

• Sauti za Busara — Feb 5 – 8 2026, Stone Town. Four nights of East African music at the Old Fort.
• Zanzibar Gathering — Feb 2 – 9 2026, Paje Beach. Daytime beach parties, late-night club sessions, sandbank madness — a tribe of music lovers gathered in paradise.
• Calm-sea diving — Dec – Feb 2026, Mnemba & east reefs. Visibility at its yearly peak.
• Embe in flower — Apr 2026, Near Jozani. The mango trees bloom before the long rains end.
• Low-season quiet — Mar – May 2026, Island-wide. Most east-coast hotels close. The island feels private.
• World Travel Awards — Aug 28 2026, Zanzibar. The industry visits the island.
• Embe Estate table — Aug 29 2026, Near Jozani. A long table at Embe Estate. By invitation.
• Season opens — Nov 2026, Island-wide. Hotels reopen, embe ripens, the year begins again.
• Embe harvest — Oct – Nov 2026, Near Jozani. Mango weeks. The first ripe fruit of the year.
• Embe Foundation Artist Residency — Nov 2026, Embe Estate, near Jozani. A month-long residency hosting invited artists in studio across the estate. Open studio evenings by invitation.
• Zanzibar Revolution Day — Jan 12 2026, Island-wide. National holiday. Marches in Stone Town, quiet beaches.
• Ramadan — Feb 7 – Mar 8 2026, Island-wide. The fasting month. Days quiet, evenings unfold after iftar.
• Eid al-Fitr — Mar 9 – 10 2026, Island-wide. The end of Ramadan. Stone Town fills, family days, new clothes.
• Zanzibar International Film Festival — Jun 24 – 28 2026, Stone Town. Cinema on the seafront at the Old Fort.

Seasons

• Kaskazi (December – February) — Hot. Still air. Clear water. Kaskazi is the northeast monsoon season. The calmest sea conditions usually occur during this period.
• Masika (March – May) — The long rains. The island goes deep green. Masika is the main rainy season. Heavy rainfall, lush landscape, slower travel period.
• Kuzi (June – September) — Wind rises. Cooler air. The kite season. Kuzi is the southeast monsoon. Dry, breezy, cooler temperatures — best for kitesurfing.
• Vuli (October – November) — Brief afternoon storms. Mornings stay clear. A transitional period. Brief rainfall, quieter island, glassy seas returning.