Zanzibar Taxi & Transfer Services – från flygplats till alla resorter

As a solo female traveler, I specifically paid $460 USD for private transportation because I wanted safety, reliability, convenience, and peace of mind. Instead, I got arguments, excuses, poor communication, and a company that seemed far more concerned about protecting its profit than providing the service that was already paid for. The first red flag happened immediately upon arrival. My flight landed around 1 AM and during the hour-long drive to my hotel, our vehicle was stopped by military personnel on a dark road. As a woman traveling alone in a foreign country, that naturally made me nervous. Unfortunately, my driver spoke virtually no English and could not explain what was happening, reassure me, or communicate with me at all. The entire reason I booked private transportation was to feel safer. At that moment, I felt anything but safe. I requested a driver who could communicate in basic English moving forward. The package I purchased included airport transfers, hotel transfers, and 2–3 hours of transportation daily. On the first day, I barely used the service. The destinations I wanted to visit were only a few minutes away, so rather than constantly waiting for a driver, I paid for tuk-tuks myself. In total, I used the company’s transportation very little outside of transfers. The problems started when I attempted to use the service I had actually paid for. I requested transportation to a wildlife attraction approximately one hour away. Suddenly I was met with resistance, excuses, and a bizarre debate about why they couldn’t accommodate the request. The transportation package was sold based on hours, not distance. At no point before payment was I told there were geographical limitations or that I would be restricted to certain areas. Yet when I attempted to use the service, I was told: “That will be impossible.” I was then told that providing the transportation would force them to use money “from their own pocket” for fuel and driver expenses. Then came the most unbelievable statement of all: “Fuel is very expensive right now. I have spent $250 since your arrival until today.” This was after I had only taken a 12 minute ride and 1 hotel transfer. I genuinely had to laugh. I spoke with locals during my trip who confirmed exactly what I suspected: these numbers were absurd. It felt like they were trying to guilt-trip me into not using a service I had already paid hundreds of dollars for. What should have been a simple scheduling request turned into pages of defensive messages and arguments. The entire exchange gave the impression that once they had my money, actually providing the service became an inconvenience. To make matters worse, the next day my driver was rear-ended while I was in the vehicle. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, but I already have trauma from a previous car accident, so that was enough for me. At that point I was counting down the days until I could leave. Then came the final display of disorganization. My return flight departed at 12:20 AM on June 20. I had already communicated that I needed airport transportation on the evening of June 19. Yet on June 19, I received a message asking what time I wanted to be picked up tomorrow because they were following a schedule showing my airport transfer on June 20. When I corrected them, instead of simply acknowledging the mistake, the conversation somehow turned into another unnecessary back-and-forth. For a company providing transportation to international travelers, having basic awareness of overnight flights should not be a challenge. Other issues: Different drivers appeared throughout the trip despite me booking private transportation. Communication was consistently unprofessional. Customer service felt argumentative rather than helpful. I was repeatedly made to feel like a burden for trying to use services I had already paid for. The company seemed more focused on explaining why they couldn’t do things than finding solutions. The only reason this review is not even lower is because of Omar. Omar was professional, personable, easy to talk to, had great music, and was genuinely pleasant to be around. He was the only person who made the experience feel like actual hospitality. Unfortunately, one good driver cannot make up for a company that operates this way. If you are considering booking private transportation for peace of mind, especially as a solo female traveler, save your money and look elsewhere. The most stressful transportation experience of my trip should not have been the transportation company itself, but somehow it was. ⭐ 1/5. Never again.

Driver was very professional and on time. Arrived 15 minutes early and waited for us patiently. Newer van and very comfortable with ice cold AC.

Fantastic taxi service, would highly recommend them and will use them again. They were waiting at the arrivals hall with my name on a board, helped with our luggage and drove us straight to our villa safely and efficiently.

Very professional, punctual, the courtesy was at the appointment. The driver is clean and quiet. I highly recommend

Airport transfer. I was picked up at the hotel on time and taken directly to the airport.

Right on time, good communication and great service. Cars were clean and well kept. We used them twice. Highly recommend

I got picked up savely from the Airport and the Drivers were really friendly. Everything was clean. It was easy to plan all the Tours and the prices were fair. I really enjoyed the Trip. I went solo to Paje for three Days and then Stone Town. I always felt save and the Island was beautiful! I will totally recommend it to my Friends:)

We used this service to travel from the airport to our hotel in Nungwi. We were picked up on time in an air conditioned vehicle and delivered efficiently to our destination. The driver spoke English and answered our many questions about Zanzibar, including both about tourist attractions and more complex local politics. We also used the same service for another trip and for luggage storage while exploring on our own.

Used this company twice so far on holiday. Fantastic experience so far. Picked up from airport with our names on a board, helped with bags and provided water. Second trip all arrived on time, air conditioned cars. Great service. Thank you

Highly recommended! He picked us up at the airport at 3am & we felt very safe the moment we got in his van! If I was solo traveling as a lady I would recommend him. Very nice guy. He made us feel very relaxed. We even took a nap!