Paje is a village on the south-east coast of Zanzibar, facing the Indian Ocean. A shallow lagoon runs out to the reef, and the tide changes the spot through the day. Two trade winds make the seasons: the Kusi, which blows from the south-east between June and October, and the Kaskazi, from the north-east between December and mid-March.
Here WindChaser’s record and the schools part company. In the record’s best months, June and July, about one day in four clears 12 knots for three daylight hours, with a mean of about 13 knots over those hours, building from the morning to a peak in the early afternoon. From September to April such days are uncommon, never more than about one in nine. Kite Centre Zanzibar, on the other hand, describes more than 250 kiteable days a year. The record comes from a 9 km global model that has not yet been checked against a station on this coast, so read its figures as a guide, and read the schools’ as theirs.
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is about 50 km from Paje by road, around 50 minutes.
Not yet checked against a weather station or an independent model, so treat these figures as a guide.
At a glance
Is it for you?
Skill levelGetting there
WaterMillpond
Wind · JulHit and miss
Crowds · JulHeavy in season
Local vibeFriendly enough
Water qualityUsually clean
NightlifeA bar or two
CostMid
Geek analysis
July in the record
28% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
In July the wind most often sits at 8 to 11 kt (58% of daylight hours). No daylight hour is over 12 kt on at least half the days. The best hour is 2pm, on 31% of days. See both charts in the full report
No weather station near enough to check these figures against.
July on the record
The month's own figures, not the year's average.
Rideable days9 of 31Ten Julys in the record
DirectionSSE 159°
Wind, rideable hours13 ktMean over daylight hours at 12 kt+
Air26.6°CMaximum
Waves0.9 m0% of days run big
Take it with you
The full Zanzibar - Paje report
Seven sections over six pages, built from the same record as this page. A PDF you can read on the plane.
01Hour-by-hour & month-by-month wind02The month's own records03Full stays, schools & kit04Per-launch tide notes05Coral, urchins & the seaweed farms06Getting there, packing & best months07Sources, and their limits
WindChaser spot reportZanzibar - PajeZanzibar, Tanzania · July28% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
When it gets busy
Crowds
Jul · High
Busiest from July to September, according to compiled research rather than a count. KiteActive calls the water lively and busy in high season and much more relaxed outside it.
On the water
What July usually does
Wind directionSEThe Kusi, June to October. The Kaskazi blows from the north-east from December to mid-March.
Wind strengthAbout 13 ktThe mean over rideable daylight hours, June and July, in the record, a 9 km model with no station check. Schools describe stronger.
When it blowsAfternoonThe share of windy days builds from the morning to a peak in the early afternoon.
Your playground
Launches & safety
Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.
Launch
Hazard
Parking
School
Stay
Webcam
We haven't found published rules for this spot.
Local intel
Getting there & on the ground
Nearest airportZanzibar (ZNZ)Abeid Amani Karume International, about 50 km by road, around 50 minutes.
