Zanzibar is a short hop away from the Tanzania mainland with easy flight connections to all the major tourist centres.

With picture postcard beaches, superb diving and deep sea fishing, a traditional Swahili culture steeped in history and the atmospheric alleyways of Stone Town, this Spice Island has something for everyone and makes the perfect beach destination to relax after your Tanzania safari on the mainland or as a Tanzania Safairi destination in its own right.

There is accommodation to suit all budgets, a variety of excursions easily arranged from Stone Town and a good infrastructure.

Stone Town (Zanzibar Town) itself can be a hive of activity with traders demonstrating timeless negotiating skills along the narrow shopping streets or can be the sleepiest town imaginable depending on the time of day.

Worthwhile excursions for Tanzania safari visitors include a city tour which brings home the true horrors of the days of slavery, visits to spice farms, outlying islands such as Changuu island with its giant tortoises, the endangered red colobus monkeys at Jozani forest and swimming with dolphins at Kizimkazi in the south.

There are several festivals throughout the year in Zanzibar, notably Eid el Fitur at the end of Ramadhan (usually end of November but depends on the full moon), the Sauti Za Busara Swahili Music Festival in February and the Zanzibar International Film Festival in July.  All fascinating experiences for Tanzania Safari visitors.

The beaches and surrounding Indian Ocean waters of Zanzibar are superb for Tanzania safari visitors, whether you are the outdoor water sports enthusiast, or someone looking for some R&R. Personal favourites include Kendwa and Nungwi beaches, Matemwe, Kiwengwa, Bweju and the private islands of Chumbe and Mnemba.

Contact us at Aurthentic Tanzania Safaris and ask for recommendations for beach hotels and resorts and the very best diving options. A good idea to gain a greater insight into the island is to split your time on Tanzania safari between different beaches and Stone Town. Full suggested itineraries available on request for all budgets.  Visit our Authenic Tanzania Safaris itineraries page for example Zanzibar holidays.

Pemba is the northernmost of the two Spice Islands lying off the East African coast and is the world's major clove producer, although Pemba has now additionally adopted its more traditional role of being a Tanzania Safari island paradise with small inter-island trade. Pemba Island is a contrast to Zanzibar with lush valleys studded with paddy fields, twisting roads meandering up and down the hills and the smell of cloves lingering in the air.

The pace of life is relaxed, the island has a bewitching desert island atmosphere and the marine life is exceptional.  Pemba offers enthusiasts an amazing Tanzania diving safari.

Diving

Pemba is now listed as one of the top dive spots in the world and diving is still the major attraction for Tanzania Safari visitors. The warm Indian Ocean waters surrounding Pemba Island are home to thousands of species of tropical fish and exotic marine life. The shallows around the numerous islands of Pemba offer stunning snorkelling in aquamarine waters lush coral gardens which stretch far ahead and then suddenly plunge into the dark blue depths of Pemba's incredible drop offs. Not only is Pemba renowned for its pristine and unspoilt coral reefs but also for its vertical coral cliffs which plummet to depths of more than 800 metres. Underwater visibility often reaches 40 meters or more.

Mesali Island

The jewel of Pemba, Mesali Island is a highlight of every Tanzania Safari visitor's stay. As Pemba's only marine sanctuary, its protected reefs provide a home to an exceptional range of sea life. Pristine corals attract vast numbers of reef fish and animals coming in from deeper waters including manta and eagle rays, barracuda and other game fish and reef sharks. For Tanzania Safari sun-lovers and dry land-lovers, the Mesali beaches are superb and you can go for nature trails with trained wardens through the island including a walking safari on turtle nesting beaches

Ngezi Forest

Ngezi forest in the North of Pemba is a beautiful area of natural rain forest populated by large numbers of birdlife, the vervet monkey and full of spectacular trees. At the forest a local Tanzania Safari guide will help you follow a walking safari nature trail

Getting There

The best method of reaching Pemba is to fly. There are daily scheduled flights between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Pemba.
Or take the ferry via Zanzibar. Ferry from Dar to Zanzibar takes roughly 90 mins. The ferry from Zanzibar-Pemba takes about 3 hours depending on weather conditions and runs 5 times/week.

When to visit: 

Best time to visit is June to January