This introductory guided tour of Zanzibar, provides living evidence of a rich cultural heritage, where Arab, Indian, Persian and European influences blended with local African tradition. Historic buildings with elaborately carved wooden doors, shaded by balconies, loggias and verandas line the narrow winding streets. The tour include a visit to a Town Market, Slave Market, National Museum of Zanzibar, High Court Building, Slave Chambers, Old German Consulate, Africa House (former English Club), Tip-Tip House, Kelele Square, Old British Consulate, Orphanage Home, Old Fort, Forodhani Gardens, House of Wonders, Sultan Palace (now a Museum), Custom House, Old Dispensary, Old Harbour, etc.
City Tour - 1Hour
This guided tour begins by taking a leisure walk through the narrow streets of the Stone Town (old part of Zanzibar Town) where most of the houses date back to more than one hundred and fifty years. You will have a chance to see a lot of exotic small bazaar, design of Zanzibar doors and doorsteps, leisure centres and evening life. You will then walk to Forodhani garden to see open spiced food sellers (kebab barbeque) and House of Wonders and Palace Museum by night.
Spice Tour - Half Day
This guided tour offers a look at small farms in the rural area that grow cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom and other spices, medicinal and ornamental plants, and tropical fruits. This tour provide a rare experience to prove why Zanzibar is referred to as the “Spice Island”. It also include a visit to the Persian Baths build in 1850 by Seyyid Said bin Sultan (first Sultan of Zanzibar) for his wife Princes Shehrzard (grand-daughter of Fateh Ali Shah of Persia).
Prison Island - Half day
This tour include a visit to the historic Prison Island with its giant land tortoise. The island was formerly owned by an Arab and used for confinement of refractory slaves. It was bought by General Mathews and the jail (goal) which still stands was build in 1893 and hence the name “PRISON ISLAND”. While on the island you will be able to swim, sunbathe and snorkel. Dolphins tour – Full day This tour will take you to one of the earlier capital of the Island (KIZIMKAZI) where traces of an Old Shirazi settlement (probably a fort) may be seen in an enclosure surrounded by a wall near the seashore. Near the walled enclosure is an ANCIENT MOSQUE where an inscription records that the mosque was built in A. H. 500 (A. D. 1107) by a Sheikh Seyyid Abi Amran, who appears to have been a local ruler. Out-side the mosque is a well and graves of Sheriffs (descendants of the Prophet). You will then proceed to a small fishing village where you will be taken for a boat ride (in a motorized local boat) in search of dolphins (85% chances). Lunch will be served at Kizimkazi.
Chumbe Island – Full day trip
The trip in a motorised boat will take you to the secluded island of Chumbe which manages nature reserve, with forest and marine nature trails, one kilometre of totally protected and untouched reef, a historic lighthouse (built in 1904) and an old mosque. The biggest attractions of the island is the peaceful and natural environment. You will journey through the special nature trails passing a tunnel of fascinating indigenous undergrowth, listening to birds and small animals going about their uninterrupted business. More than 40 species of birds have been identified on the island, including the endangered Roseate Tern. Snorkelling in the Reef Sanctuary is amazing; an uninterrupted coral garden stretches right from the shallow beach to a drop-off to about 16 metres deep, teeming with thousands of colourful fish belonging to 370 families, which is among the highest diversity found anywhere along the East African Coast. Turtles and dolphins regularly visit the reef, and spiny lobsters peed out of their hostels confident that nobody will hunt for them, and you may even seen a huge grouper living only a few metres under the surface on the drop-off.
Jozani Forest - Half Day trip
This guided tour will take you to Jozani natural forest; the smaller trees and shrubs make several sub-canopies under the highest canopy. You will walk through the nature trail of the forest which is a habitat for many species of animals, and birds. It is famous for its Red Colobus Monkey; the rare specie. The Zanzibar RED COLOBUS has been isolated from its mainland counterparts for at least ten to fifteen thousand years, thus producing a distinct sub-species with different calls, eating habits and coat patterns. Jozani Forest has become the last stronghold in the world for this particular type of colobus. |