Kite & Surf Camp in Zanzibar: 7-Night Ride & Stay at Ebb & Flow, Paje

Ebb & Flow sits a few minutes' walk from Paje beach. It's a guesthouse with a pool, a breakfast kitchen, a small bar and several shaded spots to sit after a day on the water. Rooms come in different categories, from simpler doubles to larger options, so you can pick based on budget and whether you want a private bathroom. Breakfast is served on site; lunch and dinner you either cook, eat in Paje, or arrange with the camp depending on your package.

The riding programme depends on which package you book. The Kite & Stay packages include kitesurfing — lessons if you're new, supervised riding or gear rental if you're not — plus storage for your equipment and transport to the launch spot if needed. The Surf & Stay packages are built around surfing, with sessions timed to the tide and swell, and boards provided. If you want both, you can add sessions or build a custom Ride & Stay package around your own dates and mix of activities.

Paje is on the south-east coast, about 50 minutes from Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport. The village is a mix of local life and a small kitesurf scene — there are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance, plus dive shops, a few supermarkets and ATMs. The beach runs for kilometres in both directions, and at low tide you can walk out onto the sand flats. Jozani Forest, with its red colobus monkeys, is a short drive inland, and Stone Town is around an hour away if you want a day off the water.

Wind in Zanzibar is seasonal. The kaskazi blows from around December to February and the kusi from June to September; both give dependable 15–25 knot days. The flat water inside the reef makes Paje one of the better places in East Africa to learn to kite, and the outside reef passes give more experienced riders waves to play with. Surf is smaller and more inconsistent, but there are rideable waves at certain tides, particularly around the reef.

Because the camp is small, groups tend to be mixed — solo travellers, couples and small groups of friends, mostly in their twenties to forties, from Europe, South Africa and further afield. It's a social setup: people ride together during the day and eat together in the evenings. If you want a quieter trip, you can also keep to yourself without it being awkward.

What's included

- Accommodation at Ebb & Flow, Paje (5, 7, 10 or 14 nights depending on package) - Breakfast daily - Kitesurf or surf sessions as per your package - Instruction for beginners - Equipment hire (kite gear or surfboards as applicable) - Equipment storage - Access to pool, bar and chill-out areas - Airport transfer can be arranged on request

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (unless arranged separately) - Lunches and dinners - Travel and medical insurance - Personal spending and souvenirs - Alcoholic drinks beyond the bar menu - Optional excursions (Jozani Forest, Stone Town, snorkelling trips) - Additional lessons or extra water sessions outside your package