» Beginner « | » Advanced « | » Hydrofoil « |
Zanzibar Wind conditions |
The tropical island of Zanzibar with her blue ocean and white beaches offer the best conditions for kitesurfing in paradise. Ten years ago we started the first kite school on Zanzibar, Kite Centre Zanzibar – the original. Since then we have gathered a lot of knowledge which we would like to share with you. In this article we will share everything we know about the wind on Zanzibar for kitesurfing.
The conditions for kitesurfing are usually perfect during the season. Which is from June 10th until October 10th and December 10th until March 10th. The reef protects the inside waters, so the lagoon inside the reef is flat, with shallow knee-deep water, perfect for beginners and experts. Read more about Kitesurfing Lessons and Hydrofoil Lessons.
Zanzibar Wind
The best months for beginners are from mid-June until mid-October and the end of December until mid-March. The wind is always side onshore. From June until October the Kusi blows from the south-east, in December the Kaskasi blows from the north-east.
The best months for experts are from mid-June until mid-September and the end of December until the end of February. While the above listed time-frames are the norm, variations do occur. Therefore we do recommend you to check the wind history on the island.
The average wind speed is around 16 knots, usually increasing towards the end of the day in the late afternoon and early evening. The most commonly used kite sizes are 12, 10 and 9 meters, with some occasional 7 meter kiting, depending on your body weight and the wind speed.
Temperature
The water temperature is always over 24 degrees so your wetsuit can stay at home, unless you are easily prone to coldness which can occasionally happen in Africa’s winter months (June-September). At most you would need a 2mm shorty.
Lagoon
In the lagoon, in front of the Kite Centre, you will find a perfect kite heaven, with shallow water for beginners and flat water for freestyle / freeride experts. Sandy bottom everywhere, the lagoon is split up into 2 parts, separated by a seaweed farming area, very easy to see and to pass to the other part.
Booties / shoes can be brought, but are not used a lot, except for learning how to fly kites, and for body dragging in the lagoon. Then they can be handy for protection against the odd sea urchin that escapes from the nearby farming operation. For the most part the sea floors are sandy and soft.
Reef / waves
The reef for surfing waves is 1.5 kilometers off-shore with perfect breaks… Launch and surf out to the waves with a minimum of three people for safety considerations, or take a surf trip-downwinder with wave master Ruben. When the tide is halfway to full tide it’s time to explore the amazing waves which can be very good. The waves on a normal day are around 1-1,5 metres up to 3,5 metres.
Conclusion
Zanzibar is the place to be for kitesurfing in the right season! Warm water, constant winds, flatwater lagoon and amazing waves on the reef. What more do you need? Keep reading and check out our different packages for Kitesurfing Lessons and hotel options.
