Power cuts and infrastructure — the reality of Zanzibar

Those who come to Zanzibar expecting a seamless experience like a Swiss hotel will be surprised, because the infrastructure on the island follows its own rules, and those who accept that will experience Zanzibar as it really is.

Power cuts are part of everyday life. Not every day, not always for long, but they happen, usually when you least expect it, in the middle of the night, during dinner, or exactly when you wanted to charge your phone. We have generators, we have solutions, but we have no guarantees, and that is the honest truth.

Water comes from tanks, not from a central supply. When there is no power there are no pumps, and when no pumps are running there is no water. That sounds more dramatic than it is, because in practice our guests rarely notice, but it is the reality behind the scenes that we manage every day.

The roads in Jambiani are what they are, narrow, sandy, sometimes bumpy, and after heavy rain it can take time before they are passable again. A rental car with good ground clearance is not a luxury but a necessity.

Why do we write this? Because honest guests deserve honest information, and because those who know all this and still come are exactly the guests we want, curious, open, ready for a journey that is more than a hotel room with a pool.

Zanzibar is not perfect, that is exactly what makes it so special!

Karibuni Zanzibar.