Zanzibar, Spice Island Packages / Excursions
Description
Zanzibar Tours, Activities and Excursions
Stone Town Tour
Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar. Very little has changed in the last 200 years. Guided tour to see the former slave market site, fish market, Sultan Palace, House of Wonders, Old Arab Fort, National Museum, Catholic Cathedral and many amazing scenery. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand old Arab houses and Palaces. A half day visit that will take you to experience the unforgettable ambiance and workmanship particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved, wooden doors all over Town with more than 500 different examples of this handiwork. Stone Town was recently deservedly declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
Spice Tour
A Spice tour takes you within local farmlands in the central parts of Zanzibar where there is abundance of vegetation. You will be introduced to most of Zanzibar's grown spices and other exotic seasonal fruits. Clients will also have a great opportunity to meet indigenous population in their traditional African dwellings. Many spices planted on the islands were introduced from different countries like Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Seychelles due to the high fertility of soil.
Among the spices grown are cloves (huge production), cardamom, cinnamon, ginger root, lemongrass, nutmeg, pepper and chili, also common exotic fruits such as, jackfruit, durian, custard apple, mangoustine, star fruit, tangerine and varieties of mango species
The tour includes a stop at Livingstone House and Maruhubi Palace Ruins for a little piece of history. Transfer back to your hotel at the end of the tour.
Zanzibar Exclusive
The tour takes you from your hotel to the former slave market site, a guided visit of the old church and slave chambers. Afterwards drive north of the island for a visit to a busy Mkokotoni fish market and dhow harbor. Leisurely photographing.
Early afternoon proceed to Nungwi village with a brief stop at Fukuchani ruins. Here a guided visit to the dhow construction yard and Swahili village followed by lunch at one of the local restaurants. Rest of the day is spent at leisure on the white pristine beaches of Nungwi, Return to your hotel at the end of the tour.
Jozani Forest
A Half day guided tour of nature trails and mangrove swamp. Home to the family rare specie of red colobus monkey and few dikdik population. The monkeys are highly endangered, numbering around 1,500. The Forest contains about 100 tree species from a total of 43 families. It has a gazzetted area over 2512 hectors that includes the whole ground water forest, coral rag forest and salt marsh area. The area together with the adjacent Chwaka Bay forest have recently been converted into a reserve known as Jozani Chwaka Conservation Area. A little paradise for nature enthusiasts
My Stone Town Heritage
A half day glimpse into the deep recipes that builds up the diverse culture and activities of the Zanzibari people. Narrow alleyways into bazaars within Stone Town. Several stops at famous places of interests such as coffee stops, a lunch at a local household, a local bakery, famous shoemaker, and much more little surprises that will arouse your cultural touch.
Kijiji Tour
The tour that provides an insight on the Island village life that allows to intermingle with local population and participate in their daily routines of life. Study of different uses of local tools that are still in use in village life. A taste of Zanzibari dishes spiced with unique Tropical tastes.
Safari Blue
Full day sailing excursion from the fishing village of Fumba aboard traditional motorized dhows. Clients are picked from the hotel to arrive at the coastal village within Menai Bay Conservation area. The bay has a number of beautiful uninhabited islands and sandbanks frequently visited by humpback and bottlenose dolphins. Professional guides are responsible to give briefings and life jacket demo before the start of the tour. Set off to explore the Menai Bay coral reef on a first stop. Coconut drink provided on a sandbank after the snorkeling session.
Later embark on the dhows to another sand bank for barbeque lunch. Lunch is a traditional Zanzibari buffet including grilled fish, lobster, calamari, chicken and variety of coconut sauces, vegetarian recipes served under the fixed shaded tents. Also on the menu is a gastronomic selection of seasonal fruits, soft drinks and beers. Later in the afternoon sail through the beautiful lagoon and mangrove forest using local outrigger canoes “ngalawa”. Return to Fumba shore by sail as sun begins to set
Prison Island
This is a half day tour on motorized boat departing from Stone Town waterfront. Also known as Changuu, the island was originally used by Arab rulers as a detention centre for disobedient slaves. In 1893, a prison was built here but instead it was used as a quarantine station for the whole of East Africa. It is endowed with natural attractive features observed while on a guided walks around the island. Apart from the ruins of the old prison, there is a large population of protected giant tortoises, brought from the Seychelles in the 18th century. The island has a restaurant and small coral reef for snorkeling and is popular with day trippers from a number of Stone Town Hotels
Chumbe Marine Park
A full day trip to on a motorized boat departure from any Stone Town Hotel. Chumbe Island situated eight miles off the coast of Zanzibar main Island. It is a small uninhabited island dominated by coral rag forest and bordered, on its western shore, by a fringing coral reef of exceptional bio-diversity and beauty.
Chumbe Island was gazetted as a Reef Sanctuary by the Government of Zanzibar in 1994 with minimum and controlled vessel movements
- Well trained rangers conduct all the excursions with great efficiency with knowledge
- Lunch is included on the tour and is served on the island’s only eco-friendly lodge
Mangapwani Caves
A short drive from your hotel to Mangapwani village famous for its coconut and clove plantations. Because of location, the tour is recommended for clients staying in Stone Town or as an en route visit to north east hotels. Visit the coconut plantations to see cultivation, processing and consumption. Also included is a visit to slave caves and chambers. Barbecue lunch is served at a beach restaurant
Rest of the day relax on the beautiful sandy beach with optional sailing, kayaking and snorkeling.
Itinerary
Day 1 JNIA Airport - Dar es Salaam
ARRIVAL: After arrival at Dar es Salaam airport you will be met by the friendly staff of transfer to ferry where you will board the morning ferry or Domestic Flight to Zanzibar, upon arrival you will be transferred to Zanzibar South East, at Ras Michamvi Beach Resort, imaginative and peaceful hideaway, the Hotel is just 1.5 hour drive from airport, overnight double view room breakfast and dinner included. There other Beach hotels options like in Jambiani or Nungwi Beaches, we can organize for you.
Day 2 Safari blue Sea
After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel at 07h30 for Safari Blue, Transfer to Fumba in the South. Traditional handcrafted boats will bring you to the island Kwale and other beautiful islands in the Menai Bay conservation area. Most likely you will see humpback or bottlenose dolphins. The boats stop at a sandbank where sun-shades are set up and you can snorkel in surrounding reef or just relax in the middle of the ocean.
Later you will taste the flavors of Zanzibar in the desert island restaurant on Kwale Island (with cold drinks including mineral water, soda and beer). After lunch, coffee and Amarlua will be served. From here you can sail with an ‘ngalawa’, a local outrigger boat, to explore the fishing traditions and visit the beautiful mangrove lagoon where you can swim in a mangrove forest, if tide permits.
As the sun sets, sail back to Fumba, transfer to your hotel, overnight double garden view room breakfast and dinner included HB. Other Beach hotels options like in Jambiani or Nungwi Beaches, we can organize for you.
Day 3 Excursion
After check out, you will be collected from your hotel at 09h00 to Stone Town for Prison Island, a small island that was used by a rich slave merchant as a detention place for disobedient slaves. It was then bought by the government of Britain.
They wanted to make this place a prison however this objective was not realized instead it was used as quarantine. Now days it is a home for the gigantic tortoises. It has also deliquescent place for snorkeling. After tour, you be dropped off at your hotel Tembo House Hotel, double view room breakfast and dinner included HB. There are also other Hotels in Stone town with more variety of services like scuba diving and snorkeling we can arrange for you.
Day 4 Departure
After check out, drive to stone town, catch the flight to Kilimanjaro airport ready for Safari and other parks around East Africa and Africa as whole.
