Unveil the Best of Zanzibar

Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar City. It is located on the west coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago. It was the former capital of the Sultanate of Zanzibar and the flourishing centre of the spice and slave trade in the 19th century. When the United Republic of Tanzania was formed, Zanzibar maintained a semi-autonomous status, with Stone Town as the seat of local government. A city of considerable historical and artistic importance in East Africa, its architecture, much of it dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences behind the Swahili culture, providing a unique blend of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements.

Tips: t-shirt, shorts, long skirt and covered shoulders for women, comfortable shoes.

Visit to a spice plantation, accompanied by qualified staff who will introduce us to the origins and savour the aromas; nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, coffee, lemongrass and many others. Certified staff will explain all the remedies, characteristics and curiosities related to these intense and exotic aromas.

Tips: t-shirt, shorts or trousers, mosquito spray.

It is about 800 m long and 230 m wide. It was used as a prison for rebel slaves in the 1860s and also functioned as a coral mine. The British Prime Minister of Zanzibar, Lloyd Mathews, bought the island in 1893 and built a prison complex there, but no prisoners were ever housed and it became a quarantine station for yellow fever cases instead. The station was only occupied for about half the year and then became a popular tourist destination. More recently, the island has become a government-owned tourist resort and is home to a collection of endangered Aldabra giant tortoises originally donated by the British governor of Seychelles.

Tips: t-shirt, short or long trousers, mosquito spray.

We will reach a beautiful stretch of sand where you can relax, sunbathe and snorkel. A succulent local lunch of delicious grilled fish and shellfish will be offered in the beautiful landscape of Kwale Island, surrounded by the scent of tamarind trees. We will explore the natural pool in the mangrove bay and visit the majestic 500-year-old baobab tree, the oldest specimen. Menai Bay is also a marine protected area where, with a bit of luck, we may spot cute dolphins.

Tips: swimwear, beach towel, t-shirt, shorts, coral shoes, sunscreen (50 SFP recommended).

This half-day excursion will take us to discover the Red Colobus, an endemic species of monkey with a curious red back, typical of Zanzibar and other fauna such as the Sykes monkey, bush babies, more than 50 species of butterflies and 40 species of birds. The Zanzibari nocturnal hyrax, which has four ‘fingers’ on its front limbs and three on its hind limbs, is said to be the first hyrax species to acclimatise to the forest. The seagrass meadows of Chwaka Bay, lined with mangrove forests, are important breeding grounds for marine organisms, including fish species that live in the open sea. The mangroves are also an important nesting area for birds. Because of these characteristics, it has been included in Tanzania’s provisional list to recognise its unique natural and cultural heritage.

Tips: t-shirt, short or long trousers, mosquito spray.

Mnemba is a small island located about 3 km off the northeast coast of Unguja, the largest island of the Zanzibar archipelago in Tanzania, opposite Muyuni Beach. It has a roughly triangular shape, a diameter of about 500 metres and a circumference of about 1.5 kilometres. It is surrounded by a seven-kilometre by four-kilometre oval reef and has a variety of corals and associated species, as well as occasional sightings of larger species such as turtles and dolphins and has been declared a marine conservation area. Mnemba Island is a popular scuba diving site; being a private island, non-guests are not allowed to land on the island.

Tips: swimming costume, t-shirt, shorts, beach towel, sunscreen (50 SFP recommended).