Ferry to mafia | Vehicle Shipping

November 20th, 2023 by Joelle_Overseas

Ferry costs TZS 16'000 pp/way and it takes about 5h. The schedule is according to the tides and varies. When I took the ferry, it was only running a few days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. This may change again. Contact Shabaan (see storage place) for detailed information. You can bring your car if booked in advance but I wouldn't recommend it. You can buy some food and drinks on board but best bringing your own snacks.

January 29th, 2023 by TETravels

Ferry is now 20000 for government ferry or $25 for the private ferry.
The schedule is only released the day before - and can vary dramatically. Most of the time now they are leaving around 3pm.
Be careful with getting confused on swahili vs international time. We used Shabaan for help (number in the Nyamisati storage entry) who helped us to buy tickets and coordinate. Highly recommend govt ferry over the private one as it had better chairs, a few tables if you get early, fans and they sell drinks etc. plus its bigger. Beware of extremely strong winds and it can be very bumpy and rocky as well as crowded, hot and pretty scary!
The first day we were meant to leave 2pm from Nyamisati and left at 5pm - took almost 6 hours to Mafia on the private boat MV Captain and the weather was awful so it was terrifying plus way crowded and diesel fumes etc. Mafia back to Nyamisati was much better on the government boat Songo Songo. It was due to leave 3pm but we were told to wait at the port from 10am as could leave at any time! Started getting the busses over the jetty at 1.30pm and left on time.

January 12th, 2023 by lausteen

Big / car ferry is out of order for repairs, currently no possibility to bring a car to the island. Paid 20000 TZS / person. This day departure was at 4pm from Nyamasati but as said the schedule varies with the tides. In general the boat leaves somewhere in the afternoon from Nyamasati and early morning from Mafia.

November 30th, 2021 by jopdietz

New schedule! Big ferry alternates with small very every other day. Departure is now 15:00 pm! If you want to take your overland vehicle you need the big ferry or leave it Swedish Mission which is the church. We were at a Tuesday, that day the big ferry went.

December 4th, 2018 by walkonthewildside

Tickets are TSh16.000 pp. the owner of the old swedish mission got them for us. departure time was schedulded at 03:00 but the boat did not leave before 04:40.
we have been told that the actual departure time depends on the tide and the winds and can be anytime between 02:00 and 05:00.

make sure that you visit the immigration office right after you set foot on Mafia Island!!!!

July 28th, 2018 by anna.pepper27

16,000pp
We bought our tickets around 5/6pm the night before, ferry is supposed to leave at 3am but left around 4.30am.
We went up top which was less crowded and we were able to lie down, just bring warm clothes! Trip takes about 4hrs.

February 11th, 2018 by ed_llewellyn

16.000 for boat to MAFIA FROM HERE. Leaves 4am. We left our car at the Swedish mission down the road and stayed there the night we gave 25,000 and said we'd give another 25,000 when we'd return in a weeks time.