Zanzibar

The Historic Spice Island. Zanzibar is a unique little island lying off the coast of mainland of Tanzania. The Zanzibar Archipelago consists of more than 50 islands, most of which have a long history and a rich cultural mix. Out of all, Zanzibar is the best known and the most visited. Visitors love to relax on beach after spending several days on safari.

With a deep-rooted history on the trade route, Zanzibar offers travelers a wonderful and unique experience. Stone Town is a UNESCO world heritage site. Visitors lose themselves for the day in the small alley ways or quaint coffee shops and restaurants. Combined with a visit to the beautiful beaches on the coast for some R&R or ocean adventures.

Zanzibar’s beaches are stunning, with powdery white sand, shaded by palm trees. The sea is shallow, but venture further out into the sparkling, turquoise water to the coral reefs for great snorkeling and diving. The larger islands are lush and highly fertile. Everywhere the air is infused with the aroma of fruit and spices: it’s an intoxicating, exotic atmosphere.

Stone Town

Zanzibar’s capital, Stone Town is busy with a vibrant, exotic atmosphere. Even more enticing is the fact that it’s UNESCO World Heritage site. It may not have a particularly romantic name, but this old town and cultural heart of Zanzibar has changed little in the last 200 years.

It’s an easy place to explore on foot, through the small winding alleys. Bustling bazaars with many tiny shops selling dotted tinga-tinga paintings, Zanzibar clocks and the beautiful, adorned Zanzibar chests. Historic palaces, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with each other over the extravagance of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved, wooden doors. There are more than 500 different examples of this handiwork.

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Historical Stone Town Tour

To immerse in the charm of Stone Town, take a walking tour where history appears to stand still. Every nuance of its vibrant history is evident in the beautiful buildings. Some buildings whisper about the Omani advent in Zanzibar and others that speak about the origins of Swahili architecture fused with a Persian Shirazi influence. The narrow streets are lined with many residential houses that preserve their original Swahili-Omani themes with exquisitely carved doorways.

The 3-hour walking tour through the maze of alleys will take you to the palace museum, the House of Wonders, the former slave market where slaves were traded, catherdrals and mosques and the market where locals buy their fish, meat, vegetables and fruits.

The Spice Tour

The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without the spices. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and many other spices which are now essential ingredients in a Zanzibari’s everyday cooking. Zanzibar and Spice is a romantic entanglement that dates back to the 16th century. Apart from being an important commodity on the trade routes. They can be seen in the plantations just outside Zanzibar town.

The tour is also a fantastic opportunity to see the countryside and rural areas of Zanzibar and also connect with local people. A special Spice Tour to the local farms with in-depth information not only about spices, but also organically grown herbs. Visitors enjoy detailed descriptions about the use of spices and herbs in traditional dishes, as cures for ailments and even for dying traditional ceremonial outfits for weddings and festivals.

Prison Island

In 1893, Lloyd Mathews built the prison with the idea to send violent criminals from the Tanganyika mainland to the Prison Island. The Prison Island earned its name as a former prison for slaves and a quarantine station for Zanzibar and the mainland. Nowadays the island gives you the chance to escape for some peace and quiet. The island lies off the Old Stone Town, and is home to giant land tortoises.

Prison Island is home to Zanzibar’s Giant Aldabran Tortoise colony, some of which are over a hundred years old! This endangered species came to Zanzibar as a gift from the government of the Seychelles. Once on the island, you have the opportunity to feed and pet the tortoises. If you have time you may also like to take a stroll through the forested interior where you will see a wide variety of birds, colorful peacocks, bats, and beautiful butterflies. Keep your eyes peeled too for the shy and elusive Duikers – an unusual tiny antelope species.

The island is fringed with a beautiful coral reef, ideal for snorkeling. It also has a lovely white beach for sunbathing. This tour is a great way to see some history and wildlife, and also to see Stone Town from across the sea, as many old maritime legends would have done.

Jozani Forest

The Jozani Forest is in the center of the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park, 38 km south-east of Stone Town. The forest is a great place to encounter many indigenous varieties of flora and fauna. Unique to Zanzibar and endangered, the Zanzibari Red Colobus Monkey is in the forest. This species of wild monkey have survived despite the best efforts of the former British rulers to bring it to extinction. Other species that you might catch a glimpse of include Blue Sykes’ Monkeys, Bush Pigs, Adders Duiker Antelopes, Elephant Shrews, Chameleons, many birds and butterflies. The best time to see the wildlife of Jozani is early in the morning when nature is at its most lively.

Sailing Trip

The Zanzibar archipelago is a stunning collection of 50 islands sprinkled across the Indian Ocean. Each island has a dazzling array of coral reefs to snorkel, rainforests to explore and fishing villages to visit. Choose to bliss out on deck on a chartered boat, dive into the crystal waters or cast a line overboard. With most meals served on deck and lazy days by the water, all that needs to be done is to drop anchor and pick up a cocktail.

Dolphin Tour & Safari Blue

The most popular dolphin spotting location in Zanzibar is in Kizimkazi village located on the Southern coast of Zanzibar Island. This is where you can see both bottle-nose and humpback dolphins. The shallow coastal waters around Kizimkazi are a favorite hangout for dolphins. They frequent the area due to the reliable food supply and to nurse their calves, rest and socialize. Several bottlenose dolphins stay at Kizimkazi all year-round. There are also rather shyer humpback dolphins that put in an appearance here, although their schedule is a little more erratic. Dolphin tour is best very early in the morning when it is cooler. During the day, as the sun rises and the waters become warmer, dolphins dive deep down the sea bottom to escape heat.

Best time to visit

Being a beach destination, Zanzibar can be visited anytime. However, the more popular months are from June to October during the cool, dry months of spring. Another popular time to visit this tropical island is from December to February when it’s hot and dry.
For scuba diving off the coast of Zanzibar, the ideal time is July and August and in February and March. Diving off the north coast is particularly good from June to October and off the south coast between November and March.
Zanzibar has two rainy seasons, from mid-March to late May and again in November.

Discovering Stone Town

Zanzibar

Zanzibar

Stone Town

highlights

Historical Stone Town Tour

The Spice Tour

Prison Island

Jozani Forest

Sailing Trip

Dolphin Tour & Safari Blue

Best time to visit

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