Day Trips

Historic Stone Town
Travel back in time to historic Stone Town; as you wander amongst the souk-like alleys you will see a fusion of Omani, Persian, African and European cultures. Children peer from behind ornate carved studded teak doors; tread where explorers Livingstone, Speke and Burton once walked. From the ancient steady mosques to the tiny stalls selling crafts, antiques, clothes, bags, jewellery, sculptures, paintings and material…. Mingle in the markets weaving between piles of Zanzibar’s famous spices: cardamom, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, and of course cloves.

Our tour includes a visit to the town market, the old slave market, the National Museum, High Court, Slave Chambers, House of Wonders, Old Fort, Sultan’s Palace, Livingstone’s House and the Former English Gentleman’s Club.

Jozani Forest
The forest, 35km Southeast of the capital Stone Town, is the island’s only remaining complete forest. With evergreen thickets, mangrove boardwalks, succulents and broadleaf varieties, the forest is a botanists delight.  Jozani forest has a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with a huge variety of wildlife in and around the forest. There are large troops of the rare endemic red colubus monkeys (Procolobus Kirkii) one of the most endangered monkey species in the world. Just down the road is the pioneering Zanzibar Butterfly Centre. Providing income for local farmers – who previously relied on mangoes and were over farming the forest- this small but delightful centre provides pupae to butterfly collectors globally. It generates valuable sustainable income for the farmers, and re-skills them. Next door is the Zala conservation park, a private conservation  and education project, with details of the indigenous animals of the region. A small contribution  is required on entrance to both places. The best times to visit are early morning or dusk, and the forest is at its most abundant between May- July and December – January.

Spice Tour
Zanzibar, with its strategic and geographic location East of Tanzania, has been receiving guests, invaders and traders for thousands of years. Since the abolition of the Slave Trade in the late 19th century (though it continued illegally for years after) clove export is at the heart of Zanzibar’s enterprise. Spices continue to play a key part in the island’s economy; the spice farms are a thrilling insight into a very demanding way of life; the kaleidoscope of smells, tastes and fragrances  of peppers, chilli, cardamom, the hallowed vanilla, nutmeg, mace, saffron and turmeric tell a story of hard labour and resilience.