Excursion in Zanzibar

This is a walking tour which takes you through Stone Town, where history appears to stand still. With visits to the House of Wonders, the former slave market for East African Slave trade, and the Arab Fort amongst others, it is a fascinating look at the essence of Zanzibar. The architectural style of Stone town buildings is a unique mixture of various influences and culture. You will see Zanzibar’s bustling market, winding alleyways, ornately carved and studded doors, two cathedrals and countless mosques! Stone Town has some excellent gifts shops with plenty of souvenirs and handicrafts to choose from. A guided walk through this colorful and alternating city with tour knowledgeable tour guides, who knows not only funny of Stone town, but also cruel stories to tell about life of the old times in Stone town.

This is a morning excursion, the main attraction of the Dolphin Tour Zanzibar being able to swim close to the dolphins, actually its swimming with the dolphins. Being very social themselves you can even get to play with them. Kizimkazi fishing village is home to several schools of the Bottle-nosed dolphins and Humpback dolphins, which are sighted following a short boat trip from the village. The dolphins are very friendly and playful. The best part is getting into the water and play with them.

Spices and herbs were originally introduced to Zanzibar by Portuguese traders in the 16th century, brought from their colonies in South America and India. This tour is a walking tour in a spice farm (shamba). While there, you shall see how the spices, herbs and fruits grow and are cultivated. Your tour guide will describe how the crops can be used. You will be smelling and tasting spices, herbs and tropical fruits such as clove, lemongrass, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, vanilla, coconuts, papaya, chili, black pepper, jackfruit, cardamom, cassava and oranges. After the tour you will enjoy a traditional swahili lunch at the farm. Here is when you can really taste the different ways of using spices. On request Zanzibar Cars can also take you to an essential oil distillery where you can also create your own fragrance! The tour finishes with a stop at a spice stall selling fresh packaged spices (cash only). The tour price already includes tips for farm workers, so you don’t need to worry about it.

Changuu Island, also known as Prison Island, is just off the coast of Stone Town, Zanzibar. Now a tourist attraction, Prison Island was once a place where slaves were detained and at one point, it also served as a place of quarantine. The boat ride from Stone Town takes 20-30 minutes and the seas at times can be a bit rough. Arriving on the island, there is a mysterious rustic wooden bridge that hovers a few meters above the water, jetting out into the sea. On one side of Prison Island is a refuge for giant sea tortoises, originally a gift from the Seychelles. A 5 minute walk across the island leads to the former prison ruins. Though in their successful days it was a torturous place to be, nowadays the ocean cliffs, the overgrowth of the plants on the stone walls, and the view of the turquoise ocean is gorgeous! If you would like to snorkel, the boat will take you a few meters off shore where you can disembark into deeper water with an small area of coral. The time I went, the snorkeling was’t that great as the current was quite strong.

This is a boat tour (trademark by Eleanor Griplas) in traditional hand-built sailing dhows finished to the very highest standards of comfort and safety. Safari Blue (Zanzibar) is the most popular excursion in Zanzibar and has been running great days out since 1996. Mangrove Lagoon Explore the mangrove lagoon hidden inside Kwale Island. Climb the tree and get a great view from the top! If lucky you'll find massive coconut crabs living inside its hollow trunk. Explore safe snorkeling and enjoy relaxation under the shade. More snorkeling on a dedicated snorkeling trip. See dolphins on 90% of our water excursion (Indo-Pacific Humpback and the Bottle-nose dolphins). See more dolphins on a dedicated Dolphin Tour.Served at our desert island restaurant, includes a delicious Zanzibari seafood lunch with grilled fish and slipper lobster, gastronomic fruit tasting, coffee and Amarula.

The Jozani Forest is located in the centre 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 including the Zanzibari Red Colobus Monkey; unique to Unguja this species of wild monkey live on 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, Aders Duiker Antelopes, Elephant Shrews, Chameleons and numerous birds and butterflies. The best time to see the wildlife of Jozani is early in the morning when nature is at its most lively and man-kind at his least. Visitors are advised to keep three meters between themselves and any wildlife and asked not to visit the forest if suffering any cold or flu like symptoms. The monkeys, though susceptible to human diseases, have practically no resistance to them. This area of National Park offers a great way of seeing a very different side of Zanzibar. Rather than just white sand, blue sea, and crumbling palaces, Zanzibar is also very green.

Mnemba Island, 2 miles (3.2km) to the north-east of the island of Zanzibar (Unguja), is surrounded by a vast coral reef measuring several miles in diameter. Listed as a marine reserve, it is the most popular snorkeling spot in Zanzibar. Moorish idols, blue tang and clownfish are easy to see in a few feet of water, above a colorful, well-preserved reef. You reach Mnemba Island by boat, mainly from Nungwi, which is a 1 hour 30 min drive from Stone Town. It takes about twenty minutes to reach the snorkeling spot from Nungwi. Mnemba Island is a privately owned island with access restricted to guests of the luxurious &Beyond Mnemba Island. Tour guides will drop you off directly at the reef, which lies a few hundred yards from the small island.