Getting to Pemba

BY AIR

Pemba can be reached by air either from Unguja (Zanzibar Island) or from the mainland cities of Dar es Salaam or Tanga. Local air charter companies run daily flights most days of the week. If you are in a group it may prove cheaper per person to charter a flight privately through one of the companies. Alternatively, these same companies often have spare seats on certain charter flights and sell these to individuals for between US$50 and US$100. Flights from Dar es Salaam inevitably go via Zanzibar and may also minvolve a change of plane. There is also a direct flight between Tanga and Pemba which is slightly cheaper at around US$60. The airport tax for flights out of Pemba is US$2.50 per person and is also payable in local currency (TSh).


BY SEA

By Ship
Nearly all passenger ships coming into Pemba arrive at the town of Mkoani, on the southwestern end of Pemba Island. Very few ships or dhows actually make use Chake Chake as point of destination or departure as the old harbour is silted up and only canoes can actually gain entrance! The town's actual port is now at Wesha, 10Km west along the coast. The journey, by ship between Zanzibar and Pemba can take between 3 and 6 hours depending on the company used, and prices vary between US$10 and US$35 excluding a port tax of US$5. The only mainland city to travel to Pemba by sea is Dar es Salaam with a service running 3 times per week and still going via Zanzibar. The journey is long and runs around US$60 excluding port tax.

By Dhow
Most of the dhow traffic to / from Pemba is between Tanga on the mainland. There is very little if any dhow traffic between Zanzibar and Pemba, and those that do travel arrive in Mkoani. This is mostly due to the fact that it is illegal for tourists to travel to Pemba from Zanzibar via dhow. Dhow trips are available from Tanga but services are erratic. They arrive mostly in Mkoani or Wete and run around US$15.