Beach Excursion Tours

  • Home
  • Beach Excursion Tours
Beach Excursion Tour

Zanzibar Island

Untouched white sands gleam in the sun, dhows drift on clear aquamarine waters, and rustling vegetation reveals the whereabouts of Kirk’s red colobus monkeys. The Zanzibar Archipelago may seem like a simple place to visit for some relaxation, but our specialists have looked beyond the obvious and can help plan in lesser-known places to go on your Zanzibar holiday.

In Zanzibar Island’s interior, spice farms and coconut plantations reveal its industrious side. Cinnamon and vanilla waft from market stalls in Stone Town, where winding streets link tall houses and intricately decorated sultan’s palaces. The less-developed Pemba Island has gentle green hills and coral reefs that offer some of East Africa’s best diving, while the remote Mafia Archipelago comprises islands dotted with quiet fishing villages and giant baobabs.

Popular places to visit in Zanzibar Archipelago

BEACHES

Water based excursions offer a very different take on safari, but some are restricted to areas with a large water source. Beaches in Tanzania are filled with life, some of which you will see nowhere else! The enchanting island of Zanzibar is the most visited, and for good reason – with its miles of beaches, profusion of beachfront accommodations to meet any taste, and relaxed welcoming vibe. With its centuries of history, famous spices and beach life, Zanzibar is a gem in the Indian Ocean that provides an excellent opportunity to photograph and all sorts of relaxation.

NORTH COAST

An hour’s drive from Stone Town, northern Zanzibar is characterized by its small guest houses, vibrant nightlife, and youthful visitors, as well as its pleasant white-sand beaches, modest tides, and excellent dive spots. Centered around Nungwi Village on the northernmost tip is one of the island’s busiest beach destinations.  Off the beach, the north offers a range of other sights and activities, including dhow builders, an active fish market at Mkokotoni, the Mnarani and Baraka “natural aquariums,” and 16th century ruins at Fukuchani and Mvuleni. If you seek quieter resorts in the area, head about 4km southeast of Nungwi to the the tiny village and golden sands of Kendwa, or select one of the top-end resorts concentrated on the northeast side, the most picturesque section of northern Zanzibar.

EAST COAST

The whole length of the eastern coast is a nearly unbroken powder-white beach lined with palm trees and protected by offshore coral reefs – an idyllic paradise for those seeking relaxing beach time.  However, ocean swimming on this coast is tide dependent, as the water recedes several hundred meters at low tide, revealing rich coral flats.  Most resorts here have beachside swimming pools to enjoy during low tide.

The large tidal swings allow for the harvesting of seaweed – you will see local women collecting and drying it for export.  On the northeast section of the coast are the small fishing villages of Pongwe, Kiwengwa, and Matemwe.  Inland from these is the Kiwengwa Pongwe Forest, rich with the biodiversity of a coral rag forest.

While this stretch of coastline remains intimate and calm, there are pockets of activity, especially around Paje Village in the southeast, known for its kite-surfing due to the steady breezes.  Also in the southeast, the village of Makunduchi is the site of the lively Mwaka Kogwa festival every July, highlighted by what can only be called a free-for-all battle with banana stalks between teams of local men while women stand on the sidelines singing bawdy songs and hurling insults at the combatants.

SOUTH COAST

The south is the most populated part of Zanzibar and offers more opportunities to engage with the locals.  Kizimkazi Village was once the capital when the island was under the rule of the Shirazi settlers (known as the Wawinyi Wakuu, who preceded the Omani Sultans).  It is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited part of the island.  The nearby Dimbani Mosque dates from the early 12th century, and the Miza Miza Caves are the source of many legends, as is expected in a region with a millennium of cultural history.

While the small beaches and low cliffs of the southwest are quite pretty, the main attraction here is to see the dolphins cavorting in the surrounding waters.  Scuba diving within the Menai Bay Conservation Area is also a popular activity.  The Jozani Forest Reserve, where the rare red colobus monkey can be spotted, is in the south central part of the island.

Fewer lodges are found in the south; consequently, most tourists who venture here come down just for a day visit.  But for those seeking picturesque bungalows tucked amongst the trees overlooking azure waters, the southwest makes for a perfect hideaway.

WEST COAST

The west side of Zanzibar is dominated in its central coast by Stone Town, the only city on the island.  Beaches to the north and south of Stone Town are not as pristine as elsewhere, though some isolated tourist resorts on this coast have established themselves as peaceful getaways.

To the southwest is the Fumba Peninsula, a very laid-back and friendly corner of the island.  Chumbe, Prison, Bawe and other small islands worth visiting for the day or overnight sit invitingly off the west coast and within sight of Stone Town.

STONE TOWN

Stone Town is the heart of Zanzibar, a maze of narrow streets and alleys complete with ancient palaces, mosques, open air market, and tiny shops. A place not to be missed in your tour!

Omani Sultans ruled Zanzibar for many centuries, with Stone Town the capital of their empire for much of that time.  The island was also under the control of the Portuguese and British for shorter periods before gaining independence in 1963 and merging with mainland Tanzania in 1964. Arabic, African, Indian (and to a lesser extent, European) influences are still very strong in Stone Town’s architecture and culture from these rich diversity people that have called the island home.

Walk through the streets and back alleys, visiting Stone Town’s famous and infamous historical sites, including the slave market, Sultans’ palaces, Beit el Ajaib (House of Wonders), Old Fort, artists’ studios, and more. Feel the rhythm of life in the main marketplace, alive with the chatter of locals bargaining in Swahili and the vibrant palate of colors from the fabrics, tropical fruits and vegetables, spices, and intricately carved wood.

If spending an overnight in Stone Town (ideally in one of the converted palace accommodations), you can enjoy the evening relaxing on a rooftop lounge as the sweet smell of cloves breaths in on the cool Indian Ocean breeze and the quiet murmur of men playing bao, the centuries old African board game, rises from the street below.

We recommend a private guided walking tour as your first activity in Stone Town to orient you to its confusing array of streets and to see, hear, touch, and smell its rich history and contemporary culture.

 

CHUMBE ISLAND

Chumbe is a 16-acre island and ecological haven 12km (45 mins. by boat) off the south-west coast of Zanzibar.  For many years Tanzania had a military base here and strictly restricted access to the surrounding ocean, even by local fishermen.  Consequently, the area’s coral reef has remained untouched and contains over 400 species of fish and a diversity of coral rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

The island is now home to the Chumbe Island Coral Park, an exclusive and secluded 7-bungalow accommodation in the heart of a stunning natural wilderness and conservation area. The landscape is covered in natural forest, and though the beach areas are small, the size of the resort means over-crowding is never an issue.

PEMBA ISLAND

Pemba is known as the “Green Island” for its fertile hilly terrain, lush with fruit and spice trees.  It lies 45km north of Zanzibar’s main island (Unguja) and is reachable by light aircraft from there and Dar es Salaam.

Pemba remains largely undiscovered by tourists and offers a more authentic tropical experience than Zanzibar’s main island.  Tourist infrastructure is not highly developed – a small number of high end resorts are almost the only tourist accommodations, and it is not considered a beach destination as much of its coast is lined with mangrove.  What Pemba offers is world class scuba diving around its healthy coral reefs, along with an abundance of fish.

MAFIA ISLAND

The Mafia Archipelagois 100 kilometers south of Zanzibar and just beyond the Rufiji River Delta in central Tanzania.  The main island is approximately 50km long and 15km wide.  It is surrounded by a barrier reef teeming with marine life throughout the bright turquoise water, while the island’s coastline alternates between dense mangrove stands and white-sand beaches.

In 1995, the Mafia Island Marine Park was formed to protect the archipelago’s reefs.  More than 460 species of fish and 5 species of turtles have been recorded in the waters around Chole Bay. Within Chole the shallow reefs are perfect for snorkeling and the outside bay attracts experienced scuba divers.  The rare and magical experience of swimming with whale sharks may be done during a period from November to April on the west side of the island.

With only a handful of small eco-friendly resorts, the essence of Mafia is less about mass tourism and more about conservation and minimizing human impact.  Mafia can be reached via a 30-minute light aircraft flight from Dar es Salaam.

MNEMBA ISLAND

Mnemba is a small privately owned island 3km off the northeast coast of Zanzibar, reachable only by boat.  This exclusive beach paradise offers a romantic private hideaway – assured by its lofty prices.

While you may not manage an overnight on the island, the unspoiled reefs surrounding Mnemba are a popular scuba and snorkeling site, with a wide variety of corals, abundant fish life, and common sightings of turtles and dolphins.

Zanzibar Beach Holiday

Explore Our Beach Excursion Tours

If you have the time, adding some days in Zanzibar is a great way to finish a Tanzania holiday. In just over one hour flight time, you can get from Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) with mulitple flights daily. It is also possible to fly from the Serengeti (Seronera – central Serengeti) to Zanzibar through Precision Air. To make the travel there worthwhile you should allow at the very minimum 3 nights there. During high season some resorts impose a minimum of 4 night stay for their bookings.

    Pre Sales Request

    Fill free to contact us for any additional informations

    Zanzibar Beach Vacation – 3 Days

    Welcome to mesmerizing Zanzibar, the perfect location to relax and enjoy the ‘downtime’ you deserve. With three nights on the exotic Spice Island

    From

    800 $

    Discover the World, one Full Adventure at a Time!

    Our Contacts

    Address

    Tanzania, Region Kilimanjaro, District Moshi CBD, Ward Soweto, Postal code 25114, Sabasaba street near Aman Catholic church

    Email

    info@kijaniafricansafaris.com

    Phone

    "Tour Consultant" : +255762947187

    Follow us

    Best Travel Theme

    Elementor Demos

    With Love Travel WordPress Theme you will have everything you need to create a memorable online presence. Start create your dream travel site today.