And we come to the most enjoyable article to write: Places to Visit and Activities to Do in Zanzibar. There is no limit to the tour and activity options offered to tourists in Zanzibar.. When you start researching, what goes into you can’t get out again, and naturally people have the following anxiety: “It won’t be enough!” No problem! I am sure that you will have unforgettable moments in Zanzibar whether you stay for three days or a week.. I’ve listed everything we’ve done in this post, along with the time you should spare.. You can create a Zanzibar itinerary by qualifying or changing the times according to your own taste.. At the end of the article, I mentioned the activities that are popular but we do not do, along with their reasons.

1. Day 1: Stone Town Tour / Zanzibar Places to Visit

Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, is very interesting because it contains elements of Arab, Indian, European and African cultures.. You will find it difficult to understand whether you are in the Middle East or Africa while you are wandering among the houses made of coral stone in the natural structure of the island.. You need to spend a day here to wander around the food, market, beach, gates and other historical structures.. For more detailed information and the daily trip plan I recommend, you can refer to the “24 Hours in Stone Town” article.

2. Day 1: Prison Island and Spice Tour / Zanzibar Attractions

Prison Island Tour

I put Prison Island tour at the top of Zanzibar Attractions list. This is the island where slaves were kept before they were taken to the big island during the slave trade.. It was also used as a quarantine island for a while.. It is now known as the island of giant tortoises.. His story is also interesting: 20. At the beginning of the century, the king of Seychelles sent 2 breeding Aldabra Tortoises to Zanzibar as a gift.. I think these two turtles fell in love with the island just like us.. They began to mate and multiply on the island, and from that day on, they adopted this place as their new habitat.. Currently, there are around 100 on the island.

When you join the Prison Island tour, you get the chance to see these sweet giant tortoises up close.. Spectacular view of the island. While you’re here, I highly recommend snorkeling at the reef right near the island.

How to get to Prison Island? You can reach Stone Town in half an hour by boat departing from the beach.. If you are ready to visit the vendors one by one and bargain, just deal with the small boats you see between the ferry port and Forodhani.. Even when you start walking there, lots of people will come to you.. You pay $5-8 per person for boats shared by 8 passengers on average.. The entrance fee to the island is $4. If you want to take a ready-made tour from the hotel or Stone Town without any hassle, the cost starts from $25 per person.. A plan that includes the snorkel tour will take 3-4 hours on average.. I recommend you to be prepared to swim in the sea and get wet while on the boat.

Spice Garden Tour

The spice garden tour is a very touristic yet enjoyable part of Zanzibar. activity. One of the sources of wealth of the island, which is the former colony and even the capital of Oman, is the spice production gained through the initiative of the Sultan of Oman.. Although there is no more spice production as before, you can see the trees of various fruit and spices, how spices are obtained from these trees, and taste tropical fruits in the spice gardens created for tourists.. Watching a nimble Zanzibarian climbing a coconut tree and transforming into a king&queen with a ring, crown and similar accessories made from palm leaves is a must for a spice tour.

How to organize a spice tour in Zanzibar? All of the spice gardens offer more or less the same things, but in some, the tour can take up to 5 hours with transportation.. If you are very interested, you can arrange something like that, but I think a 2-3 hour tour is enough.. All you have to do is to go to a spice garden and visit it with a guide.. If you have a vehicle or directly reach the garden by any vehicle, you can arrange $5-10 per person, otherwise you can join tours including transportation from the hotel or Stone Town.. After the tour, I think it’s time to go to your hotel in the coastal area you have chosen.. (If you want to shop for spices, remember that the prices are more affordable at Darajani Market in Stone Town.)

Tip: If you book your overnight stay in Stone Town, you will have to spend the whole day after sightseeing. You spend the night in the city center, and in the morning you walk to the beach where the boats to Prison Island leave.. Thus, you get rid of one day’s transportation cost.

3. Day 1: Jozani Forest – Butterfly Center – Muungoni Village & Mangrove Canoe Tour / Zanzibar Attractions

Jozani Forest Tour

Jozani Forest is located in the middle of Zanzibar island, covered with giant trees, under protection a forest taken. You can think of it like a national park.. The most important feature of this forest is that it is home to the Red Colobus monkeys, which are in danger of extinction and are now only seen in Zanzibar.. Trekking in Jozani Forest was one of the most enjoyable activities in Zanzibar.. That’s why I recommend you to include it in your list when you come to the island.

You can’t tour Jozani Forest alone, you can only visit in groups of about 10 people with the guide provided by the park.. But there is a disadvantage: Since everyone comes only to see the monkeys and take pictures, as soon as the monkeys are seen, the group disperses and the trip ends.. Luckily for us, the monkeys were right near the entrance.. Therefore, as we entered the forest, we saw the monkeys and then “Come on, it’s over!” we were called and taken to the Mangrove Forest. However, we came for the purpose of trekking.. When we objected, at the end of the tour, the guide only took us into the forest and showed us around.. Normally, the trip should take around 2 hours in total, including the Mangrove Forest. It’s up to you to see and leave in 15 minutes or to travel for 2 hours.

Magrove trees are fed only with salt water and act as a natural barrier because their roots absorb water.. It protects the island against floods that may occur with the rise of the sea.. That’s why it’s been banned for a while. The vast majority of visitors bypass the Mangrove Forest side.. I think it is one of the most beautiful and fascinating places in Zanzibar.. You should definitely stop by this forest, which is the lifeblood of the island, where no daylight falls and no living creatures live, and see that atmosphere.

How to Go to Jozani Forest? If you try to arrange a tour with transportation, the prices start from $40 per person. Even if you arrange the tour individually, you will visit the forest in groups of 10 and with the guides assigned by the national park.. We drove directly to the National Park entrance.. It’s rambling in front of you. You can also come by taxi if you wish.. $10 per person (20,000Ths) when you come by yourself. It’s not a requirement, but it would be appropriate to give the guide a small tip.

Butterfly Center

We have no intention of going to the Butterfly Center as we don’t find it necessary. but it was so close to Jozani Forest that we couldn’t help but stop by when we saw it.. Although we stopped for a very short time, like half an hour, “I’m glad we came.” we said. This is a place opened as part of a social responsibility project.. Here you can closely examine all aspects of butterflies that are different from each other and that you may not have the chance to see elsewhere, from birth to death.. At the same time, you contribute to the people of the village.

So, how does this happen? Since the people living in the surrounding villages had no source of income, they were taught how to raise different kinds of butterflies.. Villagers involved in the production phase come and deliver the cocoons they grow to this center.. The entrance fee collected from the tourists who come to see the colorful butterflies here is transferred to the village fund.

How to Get to the Butterfly Center? Access to the butterfly center, which is on the same road as Jozani Forest, is the same as Jozani.. Most of the tours already include this place in the program.. If you want to come individually, the entrance fee is $6.

Muungoni Village & Mangrove Canoe Tour

When we evaluate the conditions in sub-Saharan African countries, we consider Zanzibar’s fertile We can say that it is a settlement. But still, a life far beyond the standards we are used to is being led here.. That’s why I think a village visit here will give you a different perspective.. If you have a time problem, you can stop by the villages there when you go to Paje or Jambiani.. Otherwise, a long-term village tour with a guide will be quite impressive.. You not only see but also learn about their lifestyles.

As a result of my research, I found it appropriate to tour Muungoni Village with Love Zanzibar company.. At the end of the tour, which lasted about 5 hours, we had the opportunity to do a canoe tour in the mangrove forest.. $40 per person, excluding transportation, including lunch. You can find more detailed information in A Zanzibar Village Among Banana Trees: Muungoni”.

Tip: Since Muungoni Village is close to Jozani Forest, you can find all of them. I have put it in the plan of the same day, but if you wish (if you do not intend to tour the village, for example), you can change your route to Paje and Jambiani beaches after visiting Jozani Forest.

4. Day 1: Kendwa – Nungwi – Sunset Cruise / Zanzibar Attractions

You can’t miss swimming until you come to the tropical island and get shriveled up! It’s time to devote a whole day to the sea. Kendwa and Nungwi beaches are very suitable for this purpose, as they are little affected by the tide and there is swimming opportunity at all hours of the day.. That’s why the most touristic and crowded areas. It is ideal for a nice sea holiday to spend at least one night in your accommodation on one of these beaches.

If you want to do something different in the evening after spending a day lying on these sides, you can visit the old style sailboat (dhow) to witness the beautiful sunset of Zanzibar. ) you can go to sea with. This activity was much more fun the first year we came to Zanzibar, but this year it was a bit disappointing.. Since it is cheaper and practical to use, fishermen have started to use fiber boats gradually and the number of dhows has decreased significantly.. Likewise, sunset watching activities with dhow have decreased.. We barely found one dhow in Nungwi but they said there are more options in Kendwa. 4 people got together and we arranged a 2-hour tour, including 1 beer, for $15 per person.

5. Day 1: Mnemba Island – Paje – Jambiani / Zanzibar Attractions

Mnemba Island

Mnemba Island, the first place that comes to mind when snorkeling or diving in Zanzibar. Located on the north side of the island and surrounded by dozens of colorful fish, this island is now the private property of Bill Gates.. For this reason, it is forbidden to set foot on the island, but you can snorkel in the reefs around it.. There are different alternatives for the Mnemba Island tour: you can arrange a half-day tour with 2 snorkels or a single snorkel + lunch included tour.

We have arranged tours for Mnemba Island with lunch included.. We paid a fee of $25 per person (including beer, negotiable) for the dhow ride with approximately 40 people.. (The half-day tour we will arrange from the hotel was $45.) I can’t say that I enjoyed our last visit too much because it was very crowded around the island.. The number of people in the water also affects the number of fish underwater.. For this reason, it will be much more enjoyable to arrange an individual tour for a more lively view and set out before everyone else in the morning, although it will be more costly.

Paje – Jambiani – The Rock Restaurant

Paje and Jambiani are some of the most beautiful beaches in southeast Zanzibar.. I gave detailed information in Zanzibar Travel Guide. Let me write briefly here; Here are the places where you can catch the famous white beach + coconut tree + turquoise water view of the island. There is not much difference from each other in terms of beach beauty, but it is a bit difficult to swim because Paje is a kitesurf place.. If you have arranged your accommodation on the Kendwa-Nungwi side and say “Oh dear, same sea, no need to go.” if you say you are wrong. You should also see this area.

The iconic restaurant of the island, The Rock Restaurant, located in the sea, is also located in this region.. Signs will direct you when you head north from Paje. Unfortunately, we missed the road and did not want to go back, so we bypassed the restaurant.

Tip: The advantage (or disadvantage) of these beaches is that there are no facilities on the beach.. Since theft cases are also very frequent, there is not much chance to leave the belongings and go into the sea.. Instead, you can use the sun loungers of hotels or restaurants.. We preferred Blue Oyster Hotel in Jambiani and Bounty’ in Paje and we were very satisfied with both the service and food of both places.. You can take advantage of this type of place by paying an average of $20 for 2 people with food and beer.. If you have arranged your accommodation from this region, of course, you will not have such problems.

6. Day: Blue Safari / Places to Visit in Zanzibar

Before going into the details of Blue Safari, let me talk about what a sand bank is.. It can be roughly translated into Turkish as sand dune / great wall. When you look at the map or satellite image of Zanzibar, you will see other large and small islets around the main island that are not inhabited.. The height of some islets above sea level is not homogeneous; that is, some remain above sea level while some remain below.. The sand dunes that appear a little far from the main islet and look like an independent island, but are actually an extension of the main islet, are called sand banks.. The most attractive features of these sand benches are that they disappear as the sea rises and reappear as it descends, and when they stay above water, they stand like an untouched island in the middle of the ocean. go out and snorkel and see one of these sand benches. Blue safari is an all-day and somewhat costly activity that differs from company to company in details.. In general, the program goes like this: You set sail by boat from the south end of the island around 9:00 in the morning.. First stopping for snorkeling on the reef, then a lunch break on the sand bank (or the beach of the islet to which it is an extension), and finally entering the mangrove forest.. The average cost of such a tour is $100 per person, including transportation. we agreed to be. In the morning they came and took us from the sea of ​​the hotel. We did everything in the program except to go to the mangrove forest, but unfortunately, I do not recommend this method to anyone as our journey was a nightmare.. The sea is very choppy and you move on the fiber boat as if you are about to topple over.. If you agree with a decent company, I think it will be relatively comfortable because you travel by dhow.

Leaving all the travel troubles aside, the sandbank is one of the most beautiful nature formations I have seen in my life and I think it is the star of this activity.. That’s why it’s very important to look at the tide times when arranging this tour.. If you do it when the sea is high, you won’t be able to see the sand bank.

Other Activities in Zanzibar

Scuba Diving

Zanzibar is a popular destination for scuba diving one of the points. Although the most well-known spot is Mnemba Island, Mafia Island, which is located in the south of the mainland and offers accommodation, is also among the places that can be evaluated.. Diving prices vary between $100-$165 depending on equipment rental, meals and number of dives.. On our first visit to the island, we were included in a group of 5 people arranged by the diving school at Kendwa Sunset Hotel.. On our last visit, unfortunately, we could not arrange diving from anywhere.. As a matter of procedure, if your last dive is more than a year old (as we were), regardless of your experience, your bachelor’s degree, they require you to have a refreshment session in the pool the day before the dive.. This session costs an extra $30. We had to cancel this plan, both because the price was too high and we could not spare 1.5 days for diving.

Mnarani Marine Turtle Conservation

Mnarani, located in Nungwi, is known as a sea turtle conservation area.. According to their claims, especially sea turtles that get caught in the fishermen’s net and cannot survive in the sea are kept in a small pool here.. I did not go and did not see it, but as a result of my previous research, I did not like it.. The fact that the pool is too small and dirty, the visitors can hug the turtles and I saw a few crocodiles in some photos gave me the impression of a zoo that was created for the purpose of attracting tourists rather than a conservation area.. I may have approached it with too much prejudice, but I chose not to go.. If you think about it, you can squeeze it into a day planned in Nungwi.

Kizimkazi Dolphin Watching

Dolphin watching in Kizimkazi is one of the most famous activities on the island.. Since I have read so many negative comments about this subject, I did not include it in our plan anyway.. In addition, I had the opportunity to follow closely, as we spent 4 days in a hotel in Kizimkazi, where dolphin tours are organized.. I think that all of the negative comments have a grain of truth and I ask you not to participate in this activity.

Although dolphin watching is marketed as an activity that offers the opportunity to see dolphins in their natural environment, since there are too many boats doing this job at the same time, the event goes out of nature and gives the animal the opportunity to swim in the water. It could turn into torture.. About 20 boats, which set out to sea early in the morning, gather in the area where the dolphins are, and completely surround them and prevent the dolphins from advancing.. They are very likely stressing the animals too much.. Whale/dolphin watching activities are held in many different parts of the world.. There are alternatives that are made in a way that does not harm the animal.. If you really want to see it, I suggest you make your dream come true in a place other than Zanzibar.

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