Overview
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania consisting of Zanzibar Island (locally Unguja), Pemba Island and many smaller islands. Zanzibar Island itself is approximately 90km long and 30km wide.In 1896, Zanzibar is historically recorded as the location of the world’s shortest war where it was surrendered to Britain after only 38 minutes of naval bombardment.
Cities
- Stone Town – the vibrant and somewhat enchanting capital
- Nungwi – a popular small resort town on the northern tip of the island
- Kendwa – a small fishing village a couple of miles from Nungwi, a great place for reading on the beach or scuba diving.
- Matemwe – a small traditional village in the North East.
- Paje – a small village on the East coast known for excellent kiteboarding conditions.
- Jambani – a small fishing village on the southern coast.
- Uroa Village – a small fishing village on the east coast with resorts on the northern and southern side.
Get in:
There are several good buses for a low budget purpose that can take you from Arusha to Dar es Salaam to catch a boat.
By Boat:
There are many ferries and catamarans that can take you between Dar es Salaam and the Island. Most ferries schedules allow you to do the return trip the same day. For instance, leave Dar es Salaam ay 07:30 and return from Zanzibar on the 16:30 ferry. That leaves plenty of time to explore the Stone Town, the museum and have a nice lunch. The trip is beautiful and lasts about two hours approximately. However, if the weather is bad it can take much longer and the trip can be very unpleasant.
If you suffer from seasickness you are advised to take some anti-seasickness pills prior to boarding. Then onboard personnel hands out free sickness bags at the start of the journey.
You may be able to hire a private boat for cheaper, but the trip will take considerably longer and unless you know something about boats, you could be on a vessel that is not equipped for bad weather conditions or an emergency. Remember: you get what you pay for.
Passport
Although Zanzibar is part of the union it maintains its own immigration service and you need to have a valid passport to enter, even if you come from mainland Tanzania. This farcically means you must fill out a Tanzania arrival card for your arrival in Stone Town, and a Tanzania departure card when you leave.
By plane
There are several flights from Arusha to Zanzibar. Air Excel, Regional Air, Precision Air, Zan Air, Coastal Aviation, and Fly540 etc.
Excursions
 1-STONE TOWN (THE CAPITAL CITY OF ZANZIBAR)
After arriving in Stone town, you will be introduced to all the buildings of interest and famous viewpoints. Stone town and its buildings are full of history and stories of the old times of Zanzibar during the era of Sultans (Arabs), Europeans and Missionaries. A Stone Town excursion affords you the opportunity to see many of the important sights of the town. On this excursion, you will visit the former Slave Market, the Anglican Cathedral, the House of Wonders, the Sultan’s Palace Museum, Tip Tip’s House, Forodhani Park, the Old Arab Fort – and of course the famous Zanzibar Doors in narrow streets and other sites that may be of interest to you. This city tour is flexible and can easily be customized to your requirements. Before heading out on the tour, you will be picked up from the hotel and commence your journey in an air-conditioned mini-van with your local guide as you explore this historic city. You’ll re-trace the steps of past explorers on this tour that also provides a window into modern Stone Town life. Amongst the key things to explore are markets from where to see seafood and fish piled high, fresh loaves of bread in wicker baskets and stacks of fruit as well as vegetables from traders who sell their goods from market stalls. An optional stop is the Zanzibar Coffee House, where you can take a rest from the hustle, bustle and the heat. There’s a selection of drinks on offer including local sweets and seasonal fruits.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim Island and so please respect this when in or around Stone Town.WomEn are asked to cover their knees and shoulders.
- Please ask for permission through your guide before taking pictures of people.
- Please do not purchase any large shells or corals from local vendors as it promotes the destruction of the island’s fragile marine eco system.
- This is a walking tour and you are therefore advised to wear comfortable shoes.
2-PRISON ISLAND OUTSIDE STONE TOWN
Hop onto a small motorized boat on the shores of Stone Town and set sail for the historic Prison Island of which name is as a result of the prison having been built to condemn Zanzibar citizensto an isolated island. The Island is now home to the infamous prison ruins and a Tortoise Sanctuary which is popular for its giant tortoises.
Here, you will observe these intriguing creatures leisurely shuffling through the treeswhile adventurous children can enjoy a slow ride on the powerful backs of the tortoises. In addition to tortoise viewing, your four hours visit to the island gives you plenty of time to explore one of the hiking trails apart from snorkeling in search of colorful tropical fish through the reef. Alternatively, you may just opt to soak up some sun on the powder white beach.
3-NAKUPENDA ISLAND TOUR (JUST OFF STONE TOWN)
Nakupenda (is to say ‘I LOVE YOU’ in Swahili) and is the name of an amazing sandbank located just off Stone town. Normally, you snorkel off Prison Island as you go about viewing a stunning array of colored corals and tropical fish of the islands before reaching your dream place of Nakupenda Island.
This is the place where brilliant birdlife exists with white sand, limpid and crystalline water. Here, you live in the natural reserve that is hospitable with natural and proper pearls of the Indian Ocean. While here, enjoy seasonal fruits and Sea food lunchwith sunbathing too. Also, you may choose to relax on the sandbank or discover marine life around the sandbank before riding on the motorboat or sailing back to Stone town.
4-SPICE FARM TOUR
We will take you on a tour of a farm and explain each and every spice you can find in Zanzibar. You wouldn’t believe itif you haven’t seen it yourself. For example, did you know that the Cinnamon Tree has 3 different smells? Or green, red and black pepper is the same plant? Would you recognize vanilla and why it is so expensive?
After you have finished your tour, fully packed with nature’s secrets, you have time to buy spices, soaps and crèames which are all hand made by the community within the farm apart from enjoying a fun lesson on traditional weaving.
5-JOZANI FOREST & Offer BUTTERFLY CENTRE
Traverse through Zanzibar’s last remaining natural indigenous woodland on an enchanting three hours exploration of the magnificent Jozani Forest. During a guided journey through the forest, you will quickly learn about the different species of monkeys unique to Zanzibar (and yes, without a thumb).
After your forest tour and a short hop to the other side of the national park, there is an opportunity to uncover the magical world of the Zanzibar Mangroves. Walk along the wooden trail and you will see thousands of crabs at work under the mangroves and if you’re lucky enough, you might even be able to hear the mangroves talking.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Please be mindful that Jozani forest and the butterfly Centre are conservation areas. Therefore, you arerequested not to do anything to disrupt the eco system or animals
- Do not leave any waste or damage any plant life
- Be sure to wear comfortable shoes
6-SAFARI BLUE IN THE SOUTH OF THE ISLAND
For an unforgettable day in Zanzibar visit Fumba Village after breakfast by hopping on a traditional dhow boat to sail to the breathtaking Menai Bay which is home to a cluster of beautiful, uninhabited islands. Once you reach this destination, the dhow boat will be anchored in an idyllic spot allowing you to swim around the island, snorkel along the rich coral reefs, spot the frolicking dolphins or explore the pristine islets.
The reefs surrounding the sand bank make up for your second snorkeling stop whereby the underwater world will seem very different compared to your first stop. Enjoy another short trip with the boat towards your last stop at the beautiful island of Kwale.There will be crew on this secluded uninhabited island from where you will enjoy lunch befitting Kings and which comprises of slipper lobsters, grilled fish, calamari, chicken and rice plus a variety of vegetables. But that’s not all! After your main course follows a fruit journey with up to 15 different fruits.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Please pack your sunscreen and a hat for the boat excursion because you will out in the sun all day
- Please bring a towel and your swimwear since you will possibly be tempted to swim and snorkel during the trip
- Please do not purchase any large shells or coral from local vendors as it promotes the destruction of the island’s fragile marine eco system.
- It is advised to wear shoes that are easy to slip in and out and that don’t get damaged by water
- Be aware of sea urchins when standing barefoot at the beach (they are not dangerous but can be painful)
7-KIZIMKAZI DOLPHIN TOUR SOUTH OF THE ISLAND
A scenic drive from the hotel to the small village of Kizimkazi will transport you to an incredible adventure. You will board a speed boat and head for the popular Kizimkazi channel which is home to several wild bottle nose and humpback dolphins.
While in the waters, you may swim as close as possible to the dolphins since they are very friendly and playful! If you are a keen snorkeler, you may easily explore the marine rich reefs too. Also, a 12th Century Mosque is found here and it contains the famous Kufic scripts on its walls which is evidence of Islam in East Africa in those early days thereby making it a place worth visiting for cultural interest.
8-DHOW SUNSET CRUISE
The best way to experience the glorious Zanzibar sunset, is on a traditional wooden dhow with the wind in your sail and a glass of wine in your hand as you cruise along watching the setting sun cast gold and amber hues on the Northern coast of Zanzibar.
Whether you would like a romantic moment with your partner or just a fun evening with family or friends, there are different boats to accommodate you. The sunset cruise leaves at 16:30 hrs from the beach at Nungwi, and returns at around 18:30 hrs just after the sun has set. Firstly, you head for Kendwa reef where if you so desire, you will be treated to a glimpse of Zanzibar’s underwater bounty on a guided snorkeling tour just before the sun sets.
When you have had your fill of snorkeling, get back on the boat, crack open the ice box and dig in to the wonderful liquid and edible treats that it holds as the sun dips below the horizon as the boat leisurely sails back.
9-MNEMBA ISLAND TOUR NORTH OF THE ISLAND
Mnemba Atoll is a protected oceanic area off northern east coast ofMatemwe with excellent visibility depths ranging from ten to thirty meters. This tour includes the small Mnemba island and a reef area comprising of an area that measures2 by 4 miles.
This breathtaking marine ecosystem is famous for sightings of green turtles and dolphins that will most certainly join you as you snorkel or dive while the seasonal migrating whale sharks and humpback whales announce their presence with an occasional spout of water.
On your dive tour of Zanzibar, you will learn of the five main diving locations around Mnemba Island. Kichwani place with its many shaded leaf like fish, frogfish and nudibranchs are perfect for both beginners and veteran divers where a gentle incline of the coral wall slopes to thirty meters. And if you were to visit the Sandbanks while diving on the Indian Ocean Island holiday in Zanzibar, you are likely to spot eagle rays, frogfish, batfish, seahorses and snappers among others.
Then there is the Aquarium where you will find garden eels, white tip reef sharks, green turtles, groupers and surgeonfish to name just but a few. Wattabomi also called Eel City is suitable too for all levels of divers and it offers glimpses of anthias, moray eels, lionfish, scorpion fish and many more marine creatures.
Veteran divers can try their skills at the Small Wall and be rewarded with sightings of Spanish dancers, Napoleon Wrasse, sting rays and Butterfly Fish that are native to this location but usually a challenge to spot. Octopi, moray eels, egg cowries and other marine life awaits you at another famous site called Kokota Reef.
