Zanzibar Island

Diving

Zanzibar offers many beautiful diving locations of all levels.

There are a number of famous sites such as Mnemba Atoll, the tropical fish capital of East Africa. Mnemba Atoll has a constant visibility of about 30 meters and you often see dolphins here.

At the northernmost tip of Zanzibar are also many diving locations, generally for the more experienced divers. You dive in the open sea and there’s more current. The big sport fish, tuna, barracuda and a variety of moray eels live here.

The less well-known south of Zanzibar are also beautiful diving locations; easily accessible from Fumba Beach Lodge.

Seasons on Zanzibar
In Zanzibar, diving is great all year round, but every season is different.

• March to November: these are the best months for diving in Zanzibar. There is little wind and the rains have not started yet. The visibility is good and the weather is good and warm.
• April and May: this is the official rain season on Zanzibar. It is still good for diving in general, but it can rain a lot, reducing visibility.
• June to September (wind from the south): there is more wind and thus more waves. Hence, visibility may be a little less on some days.
• December to February (wind from the north): these are the hottest months of the year and great for diving. Sometimes there can be a lot of wind so visibility under water can be less.

Mangrove canoe trip

An adventure off the beaten track. You will discover a piece of pristine Zanzibar – the mangrove forest.
Muugoni is a lush and green area in the south of Zanzibar Island. Rama, an advocate of forest conservation, shares his village and his people with you, and makes you to see what the quiet village life is like on Zanzibar Island. Ramas’ wife and her mother will prepare a delicious lunch.
The mangrove forest is a peaceful and mysterious place. Along the way, Rama will show you medicinal plants, fruit and plants.
At the mangrove, the captain awaits to sail us to the sea with his traditional wooden canoe, which is used daily by the fishermen. Along the way, you meet other fishermen catching this evening’s dinner. When the tide comes, we can visit ‘bird island’ – the habitat of thousands of different large birds.

You can also choose to join only the 2 hours canoe trip. This does not include a guided tour and lunch.

Including tour, boat, lunch and guide. Duration: 5 hours. It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.
Please bring water, swim wear and towels in case you want to swim in the mangroves.

Swahili Cooking Class

In the middle of Jambiani Village, a mere 100 m from the Indian Ocean, lies the charming restaurant Okala. Made only from wood and coconut leaves. The restaurant lends it name from Mr Okala who is not only a great swahili cooking chef, but also a marine preservation enthusiast.
With you Okala will share his skills in swahili cooking as tought by his grand mother using only local ingredients in season and traditional cooking methods.
By the end of the class you will eat together guaranteed tasty and entertaining.

This tour includes cooking class, food, fruit and drinks. Duration: 3 hours.
It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

City walk Stone Town

This tour takes you through mysterious Stone Town, where you learn about the remarkable history of this Unesco World Heritage town, its architecture and observe its life.

Stone Town is lively and it clearly shows; people live on the street, cook food there, play the game bao, keep their chickens and socialize there. You pass Jaws corner where people sit on the barazas (benches attached to buildings) and play the traditional board game bao. Then you will visit the Darajani market to experience what really goes on behind the scenes. And the alleys breathe history, you see, smell and hear it. There is an opportunity to buy spices, just like the Zanzibari like to do.

This tour includes a guide and transfer. You are picked up at your hotel. Duration: 2,5 hours. It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

Sunset Cruise

A sunset cruise on the Indian Ocean with a traditional dhow is an extraordinary experience. With the wind in your sails and a cold drink in your hand, you cruise around the gold-clad sea. A red sun, the horizon and the beautiful features of the wooden dhow offer perfect photo opportunities.

After the cruise, you can dine at Karamba Resort before returning to your own hotel (food not included). Or we can arrange a seafood BBQ on the beach for you.

The cruise takes 2,5 hours and leaves from Kizimkazi.

Fishing

Kizimkazi is where they catch the big fish: tuna, red snapper, white snapper, swordfish, shark etc.
Fami, a local fisherman from Kizimkazi, provides you with everything you need to make this a successful fishing trip.

Including boat, fishing rods, light lunch, fruit and water. Duration: 6 hours.

Sail & snorkel

Sailing and snorkeling with a traditional wooden trimaran.
These trimarans, ngarawa, are made from mango wood and are mainly used for both private and professional fishing. Because mango is hardwood, it’s water resistant, so the main structure of the ngarawa is actually the dug out mango tree. The sail is made of textile or rice bags that are stuck together.
You learn to sail on the river, which arises between the sandbanks at low tide, only surrounded by the magical blue colors of the Indian Ocean. Of course you snorkel among the most beautiful corals.

Including use of boat and snorkeling equipment. Duration: 2,5 hours. Bring swimwear, towel, sunblock and sun hat.

Pristine Uzi Island

Uzi Island is pristine and not yet involved in tourism development. Most Uzis are fishermen and farmers. The landscape of the island is lush with mangrove, banana plantations and huge mango trees.
The island can only be reached by boat or at low tide. You meet Abdullah and his family.
Once the family’s bull is attached to the carriage, the somewhat uncomfortable but very authentic journey in the primary vehicle can begin. You visit another village and taste some fruit and local sweets.
Once back at Abdullah’s home, his wife and mother have prepared a lunch. You paddle through the mangrove in a wooden canoe. After a full day of impressions you return home by car.

Including transfer, boat trip, ox-ride, snacks, lunch and guide.

Tumbatu Island

The inhabitants of Tumbatu Island live an isolated life. The island is fully powered by solar panels. All visitors need written permission from the village elder to enter the island. This trip is a rare opportunity to experience something untouched.
After a 30-minute boat ride to the island of Tumbatu from Nungwi, you are welcomed by the Sheha (the village elder).
Voodoo is still practiced on the island and the magical “Mganga” man will do the “pururu”: read your future in the sand and from the signs.
As you walk across the island, you see how people plant and harvest their beans and peas. You pass women in the water with their net around the small fish or crabs and clams on the beach. To the community of the island Tumbatu support you need to donate $ 5 p.p.
This activity is a rare opportunity to experience something that is difficult for even Zanzibaris to access.

Including transfer, guide, boat, permit to enter the island, village costs, access to the ruins and fruit. Duration: 6 hours.
It is adviced to to cover knees and shoulders.

Bawe Island

Bawe Island, just outside of Stone Town, is one of the best snorkeling sites on Zanzibar Island: a stunning colourful underwater world.
We will stay in and with the boat and will not dock on Bawe Island.

Including transfer, boat, water, local snacks and fruit. Duration: 3 hours.

Maalum Cave

Swimming in the natural freshwater pool of the Maalum cave in Paje is a refreshing natural experience.
In the natural wonder of this cave you can swim, jump from the rock, snorkel and enjoy the fresh air.

Duration: 2 hours. You will be picked up from your accommodation and brought back.
Please bring swimwear, a towel and drinking water.

Bike tour Jambiani & Cuza cave

You cycle through the village of Jambiani and view the daily life of a village on Zanzibar Island.
Cows, ducks, students during the lunch break, mosques … all accompanied by smiling and greeting children. Along the way the guide stops to show you what’s going on.
After reaching the north of Jambiani you cross the main road. The Cuza cave is located in the agricultural area. This cave is used for spiritual activities, but it also has a large freshwater reservoir, where you can swim.
The villagers come here to pray and burn incense to call the spirits and to influence them with prayers and sacrifices when someone is sick, when they want to change things or just want more happiness.
After the refreshing swim, we cycle back to Jambiani and restaurant visits Okalas. Okala’s grandmother taught him the traditional cooking methods of Zanzibar Island. He keeps the tradition alive with his restaurant and by giving cooking classes. Everything is home-made and traditional: self-harvested, picked and baked or cooked and served in the restaurant, which is traditionally built with palm-leaf walls and ceilings.

Duration: 5 hours. Including guide, bikes, lunch, entrance cave, water, fruit and snacks en route. Please bring swimwear and a towel.

BBQ Dhow cruise

A full day at sea with Mimi the dhow sailing you back in time. We sail of from Kizimkazi and after 1,5 hour sailing leaning back enjoying the sound of the waves, we reach the Pungume corals- one of Zanzibars top 3 snorkeling spots.

After the snorkeling we continue to the deserted beach or the sandbank. While enjoying the beach, the sea and the view, we prepare a delicious BBQ that is guaranteed to impress you about the local cuisine. Sea treasures together with local specialities and exotic fruit is on the menu. After lunch it’s time for a little rest, read- ing, taking a swim or just enjoy the breathtaking views.

With a cold beverage in hand and a camera to immortalize paradise it is not much more you need.

Departure is from Kizimkazi / Unguja Ukuu. This tour includes transfer, boat, snorkeling equipment, seafood BBQ with exotic fruit, water and soda. Duration: 6 hours. Please bring towel, sunblock, sun hat an swim gear.

Spice tour

This Spice Tour brings you to the most authentic spice farm, owned by the Abeids family, where you will gain an insight into local life and the many types of tropical fruits, spices and rare species of plants that grow there.

Depending on the season, this will be: vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, lemongrass, cloves, ylang ylang, cumin, garlic, ginger,
coriander, pepper, tamarind, chili, oregano and many others.
Today you will learn all about their properties, their origin and use as medicine or in food / drink. Make sure you smell and taste everything.

Afterwards, enjoy a tasty lunch prepared by the women on the farm, using ingredients from this family farm.

This tour lasts approximately 3.5 hours. Including transfer, spice tour with fruit tasting and lunch at the farm. It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

Village & Spice bike tour

We meet up at your Stone Town hotel and walk a bit before jumping on a local bus- dala-dala. We get of the bus in the middle of the lush farm area and enjoy the beautiful land- scape on our 5 min walk to pick up the bikes.

We start with a ginger tea in Suleimans home before we share life on Zanzibar. We pass plantaions of sugar cane, ba- nana, sweet potatoes and other things the Zanzibaris grow in this area. We will also see and try to make coconut roof leaves – makuti.

Abeids Family Farm is an authentic farm where you feel like walking in the forest. Here we find tropical fruits, spices and rare species of plants. Depending on the season we will see and taste vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon grass, cloves, ylang ylang, cumin, garlic, ginger, coriander, pepper, tamarind, chili, oregano and many others. Learn about the properties and origins of each spice. Be sure to smell and taste everything on offer! The lunch on the farm is cooked by the women in the family with raw material from their farm.

We take another route back passing a forest inhabited by Red Colobus Monkeys, Blue Sykes Monkeys and lots of birds. If lucky we will see them if not we have enjoyed a beautiful conservation area. We cycle back and take the bus to Stone Town.

Day trip from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
Including guide, bikes, bus ride, spice tour with fruit tasting and lunch at the farm.

Taste Stone Town

This culinary tour and tasting is also an introduction to the local population.

Be inspired by the local food, with influences from Indian, Arabic and African cuisines. Our guide will take you through the winding alleys
from historic Stone Town and share with you the local food as it is customary in this Indian/Arabic/African food inspired spice island.

Try the newly baked chapati and mandazi (local doughnut) made by the women of Stone Town’s alleys. Taste the most delicious Urojo (traditional soup). And look for the hidden homemade Zanzibar treasures; ubojo, kashata, ufuta and balfin candies. Try the ubiquitous “Mishkaki” (skewer) piping hot off the BBQ.

And visit the bakery where they bake 200 loaves a day over an open fire, stop for the best juice in town and continue for a local lunch sharing bowls of octopus, fish, vegetables, mussels – the way Zanzibars like it.

Including. tour, guide, food and fruit tasting, lunch with water. Duration: 2,5 hours.
It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

Makundichi bike tour

Discover the amazing authentic Zanzibar, untouched by tourism.
Red earth and clay huts, banana plantations, huge mango trees and a calm, tranquil life. This is Makunduchi, Zanzibar’s largest village and a typical African village where life continuous as usual. We will take you through the gardens and plantations, pass the school, look at some stunning clay huts, visit Hajis aunt that makes coconut rope, chat with the locals and try fruit and local specialities on the way.
You can view the entire area on the bikes you brought.

Including transfers, guide, bikes, fruit and local specialties and water. Duration: 3 hours.
Please bring sun hat and sunblock. It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

Jozani forest

On the way to the south-east coast you pass Jozani Rainforest – a lush and cool forest – part of the protected area of Chwaka Bay.
The Jozani forest is the largest forest on Zanzibar Island and a biodiversity hotspot in a breathtaking landscape.
The rainforest is home to the very rare red Colobus monkey. Other animals that can be seen during the 45-minute walk on the natural paths with eucalyptus and mahogany trees, are Blue Sykes monkeys, shrews and bush babies.

For an additional cost, you can extend the walk with a visit to the butterfly centre.

Including transfer, guide and parking fees.

Spiritual night in Stone Town

Voodoo is still practiced a lot on Zanzibar Island.
Zanzibaris go to the ‘Mganga’ for advice, with health problems or to enchant others. The ‘Mganga’ use different methods: incense to invoke the spirit, read the Quran or to give advice while writing in Arabic on the sand. At Mohamed’s home you experience an authentic voodoo session. You can ask him for advice about life or a health problem. If necessary, herbal treatment is offered.

After the voodoo session we head out in Stone Town.
The city changes its face in the evening. The smoke from the street barbecues rises as people come out to eat and socialize, now that the temperature has cooled.
We start in one of the many coffee corners. Then follows Jaw’s Corner, in the middle of Stone Town, where people come together to hear the latest gossip and to play the traditional board game bao. We stroll through the city to end our evening at the local food market Forodhani.

Including guide and coffee and sweets at Jaws Corner. Duration: 3 hours.
It is adviced to cover knees and shoulders.

SUP mangrove tour

Explore the natural beauty of a mangrove forest by SUP!

This SUP mangrove tour on the edge of the Indian Ocean is guided. In this beautiful area you have many different species of birds, sea creatures and eight types of mangrove trees. You paddle your way through tunnels of mangrove trees towards the sounds of the rippling water and birdsong.

A wonderful SUP adventure for both beginners and advanced. In addition, you help to raise awareness about the protection and preservation of this ecosystem. Here we work together with organizations that support the protection of mangrove forests and other environmental initiatives.

Duration: 2 hours. The mangrove forest is 15 minutes by car from Stone Town.
This tour includes transfer, sup board, guide, water, fruit and light snack. Please bring swim gear, a set of dry clothes, sunblock and towel.

Beach seafood BBQ

Imagine yourself leaning back on the cushions sip- ping a cold drink while the sun sets over the Indian Ocean horizon. In front of you Maulid prepares
the most tasty Seafood BBQ with catch of the day, rock lobster or prawns, calamari accompanied by his wifes famous and very tasty coconut sauce. Afterwards a tray of sweet, ripe exotic fruit…

Including seafood BBQ with catch of the day, rock lobster, calamari, rice, home made coconut sauce with vegetables, salad, fruit, water and soda. Duration 2,5 hours.

Shopping in Stone Town

The swirling streets of Stone Town are a shopping paradise. In the maze of streets it is full of paintings, carvings, fabrics and spices from the island, the mainland or from India. And everyone wants to sell you something.
This is a great opportunity to take a look at the local Zanzibar culture and meet the people.

The guide will take you to the places you would like to go to. But you visit some of our favorite shops, where they sell high quality paintings. And a place where you can buy herbs, the fabric street where the Ladies of project SASIK offer their handmade pillows for sale and shops with good clothing (Made on Zanzibar), beauty products … and much more.
On the way you stop for a cup of coffee on the cozy roof terrace of Zanzibar Coffee House.

Including guide and transfer.
Please bring water. It is adviced to cover shoulders and knees.

Exotic fruit tasting

The exotic fruit on Zanzibar is second to no place in the world. With a ubiquitous sun the fruit is bursting of flavors- ripe and sweet.

If you are lucky enough to visit Zanzibar Island during the fruit season, you come across 15 variations of mango, and the pineapples are so intense in taste, they are comparable to coconut flavor. The rest of the year, there is a lot of juicy fruit. Fruit you’ve probably never seen before.

Juice is the best drink for a Zanzibari and is always freshly mad: mango juice with a hint of ginger, passion fruit juice packed with vitamins, avocado juice with lime (yes, avocado is a fruit!). Add coconut milk and you will get a true Zanzibari milkshake.
In this exotic fruit tasting we will pick out all that is available at the moment- and make some magic. For sure you will try fruit you have never tasted before. There will be juice and some other nice things that can be made of fruit.
The tasting takes place in a private lush garden in Jambiani.

Including transfer. Duration: 2 hours.

Marriage

Getting married in Zanzibar … with your feet in the sand. Explore Tanzania takes care of everything for your unforgettable day.

View all the options for getting married in Zanzibar here.

Cycling from west to east

A lush and green bike ride for the experienced cyclist, with a lot of attention for nature and culture.
You can start in Stone Town and go to Pongwe.

You start at Kholle House in the heart of Stone Town. After a short bike ride through Stone Town we load the bikes into a dala dala, a local bus (to avoid the hectic traffic in the city), which will take you to the area with lots of spice farms.
You will tour our favorite authentic spice farm. You will see many fruits and spices, such as garlic, cumin, pepper, tamarind, ginger, coriander, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ylang ylang, turmeric, lemongrass, chili, oregano and many others.
Lunch is prepared with fresh farm products, cooked by the women in the family.
After this nutritious visit you will cycle towards Pongwe through Zanzibar’s main agricultural area. You will cycle through villages, sugar cane fields, rice and bean fields where you can follow farm life on Zanzibar. In other words, a green day. In any case, we stop for a drink along the way.
Pongwe is a traditional village known for its seaweed farms which are taken care of by the women.
Optionally, we can stop at Seasons Lodge for dinner or a snack. After this tour, you will spend the night in Pongwe or Stone Town. A fantastic ride where you leave the car and explore the country by bike. It is also possible to start in Pongwe and cycle to Stone Town.

This day trip includes: guide, bicycles, local bus tour, spice tour with fruit tasting and lunch, water, fruit and snacks on the way.

Beauty workshop

Mrembo is a small and unique Spa, specialized in traditional Zanzibar beauty products and treatments. Her beauty products are 100% natural and made from locally grown herbs, plants and flowers (most grown by themselves). Founder Stefanie has learned everything from the Zanzibari women over the years, collecting beauty recipes through the generations and studying the island’s plants.

In this workshop you learn to make traditional beauty products, you only use natural products and oils from the neighborhood.

The workshop lasts about 3 hours.
Spice mix, tinga tinga painting and batik workshops are also available at the Mrembo Spa.
This workshop can be combined with a Stone Town tour or Spice tour.

Short Safari

From Zanzibar it is quite possible to take a short safari on the mainland of Tanzania. A short break from your beach holiday that you will remember for the rest of your life. We have two options for this, which we are happy to organize for you:

3 – 5 days to the Nyerere National Park. Here you can enjoy the many different animals and safaris by boat, on foot and by jeep. You will experience a few unforgettable and adventurous days among wild animals, in the middle of nature. View the example trip here.

4 days to the Serengeti National Park. In Serengeti National Park you will stay in the middle of nature and among the wild animals and experience the impressive great migration of millions of ungulates in this wide landscape. View this example trip here.