Tanzania
Zanzibar in December
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Hot, humid and often rainy.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics
Why December scores 7.8What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.5
- ✓Hot (33°C highs / 23°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 23.9°C)
- !Wet: ~143 mm rain, ~3 heavy-rain days
- Air quality9.7
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~7 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline6.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.8 Very good | 9.0 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 33° / 23° | 29° / 21° |
| Rain | 143 mm | 45 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 24° | dew pt 21° |
| PM2.5 | 7 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Zanzibar City weather-station normals. Rainfall: Zanzibar City weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Independence and Republic Day (9 Dec)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ZanzibarEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyAn archipelago off Tanzania known for the historic Stone Town, spice plantations and white-sand beaches on the Indian Ocean.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Zanzibar Revolution DayEvery year12 January every year
Public holiday marking the 1964 revolution, with official ceremonies.
Why go: Government offices and some businesses close.
Where: Across the islands
Long rainsDate variesUsually March to May
Heaviest rain of the year.
Why go: Some hotels close.
Where: Island-wide
Stone Town
A UNESCO-listed old town of Swahili, Arab, Indian and European architecture.
Spice tours
Plantation tours to see cloves, nutmeg and other spices.
Prison Island (Changuu)
An island with giant Aldabra tortoises.
Jozani Forest
Home to the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey.
Nungwi and Kendwa beaches
Beaches in the north where the tide goes out less than on the east coast.
Mnemba Atoll
A protected reef off the north-east coast used for snorkelling and diving.
Zanzibar pizza
A stuffed, folded crepe-like snack.
💡 Forodhani Gardens night market
Urojo
A tangy, slightly spicy soup with bhajias and potatoes, also called Zanzibar mix.
💡 Street stalls
Biryani and pilau
Spiced rice dishes.
💡 Local restaurants
Seafood
Grilled fish and octopus.
💡 Forodhani Gardens
Spices
Cloves, vanilla and cinnamon.
💡 Darajani Market
Kanga
Printed cloth with Swahili sayings.
💡 Stone Town shops
Zanzibar doors replicas
Small carved wooden items inspired by Zanzibar's ornate studded doors.
💡 Craft shops
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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