Geography
Lying in the Indian Ocean, 35km off the coast of mainland Tanzania, the archipelago of Zanzibar is one of Africa's best-known and most enticing destinations. Comprising the islands of Unguja and Pemba and a number of smaller isles and coral atolls, the name evokes images of a laid back paradise complete with coconut palms, coral reefs and miles of white sandy beaches.

The two large islands are Unguja (usually called Zanzibar) and Pemba. Unguja is about 85km long and between 20-30km wide. Pemba is about half this size.

Language
Swahili is the official national language of Zanzibar. Many locals also speak Arabic and French. English is also spoken in the main tourist areas.

Religion
The population of Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim.

Currency
The national currency in Zanzibar is the Tanzanian Shilling, but US$ is widely accepted.

Cuisine
Given the island's history it is not surprising that Zanzibar offers a mixture of culinary traditions including Bantu, Arab, Portuguese, Indian and British cuisine. Traditional dishes centre around the use of seafood and of course the plethora of spices that are available.

To Note: Effective 1 June 2019 the Tanzanian Government has introduced a ban on plastic. The ban applies to all plastic carrier bags, regardless of their thickness. Visitors to Tanzania are advised to avoid carrying plastic bags or packing plastic carrier bags or items in plastic carrier bags in your suitcase or hand luggage. A special desk will be designated at all entry points for surrender of plastic bags that visitors maybe bringing in the country.

However, plastic or plastic packaging for medical services, foodstuff,sanitary and waste management are not prohibited. In addition, plastic carrier items known as Ziploc bags that are specifically used to carry toiletries will be permitted as they are expected to remain in the permanent possession of visitors and are not expected to be disposed in the country.

Stone Town
No visit to Zanzibar would be complete without a stop in the capital Stone Town. It is not very big, and consists of a maze of narrow alleys most of which cannot accommodate anything bigger than a moped (which as a pedestrian you share so you need to walk with care). The alleys are lined with shops, bazaars and mosques. Architecturally there is a real mix of styles, but probably the most notable are the finely decorated wooden doors with their distinctive large brass studs. Doors with rounded tops are of Indian design and often include lotus flowers. Omani/Arab style doors have rectangular tops and include carvings that are often Islamic in content. Stone Town also boasts a colourful fruit and vegetable market.

Chumbe Island Coral Park
A short boat ride from Zanzibar is Chumbe Island, a private nature reserve where you can enjoy snorkelling in their fully protected and stunning coral reef sanctuary, or take a nature walk around the island where you will see an abundance of bird life and other indigenous species.
Most visitors stay overnight at the island lodge but day trips are available (subject to availability).

Changuu Island
This small island just off the coast of Zanzibar and now a popular tourist attraction was originally used by Omani Arabs as a holding station for rebellious slaves before they were either shipped abroad or taken to Stone Town to be sold. When Zanzibar became a British Protectorate in the late 19th Century, the First Minister bought the island and set about building a prison. Although fully constructed, it was never to be used as a prison, instead it became a quarantine station for yellow fever cases. And when it wasn't being used for this purpose, it became a popular holiday destination.

Today the island is home to a collection of endangered Aldabra Giant Tortoises (originally a gift from the British Governor in the Seychelles). Over the years the number of Tortoises have declined so they are now carefully protected with more being brought in from other locations to aide conservation. These beautiful creatures can now be seen wandering around the island, with the old prison being used as a convenient shelter. Visitors can also visit the prison and its cells.

Mangapwani
The town of Mangapwani is located on the north west coast of Zanzibar. the shoreline contains a number of caves thought to be used by the Arabs to hold slaves. The caves are now a popular tourist attraction.

Bikhole Ruins
The Bikhole Ruins are the remains of a large house, built in the 19th Century on a clove plantation about 20km south east of Stone Town.

The road leading to the house is an avenue of Mango Trees, planted by Princess Bikhole (daughter of the Sultan). Whilst it is known that the trees were planted under her instruction, it is less clear as to the reason why. One of the most interesting rumours is that the Princess had a liking for beautiful young men and ordered a different species of Mango tree to be planted by a different desirable slave. Again, the rumour goes that her intention was to create an avenue that lead all the way back to Stone Town. Although this was never achieved, because no two species of Mango tree are planted next to each other, the avenue now offers the visitor a wonderful opportunity to see colours and fruit through out most of the year.

On reaching the ruins, it is clear that the house was built as a private residence, away from Stone Town and close to the sea. The house appears to have had several rooms including Persian-style baths were the Princess could relax after hunting. The house and gardens were in use up until around 1920 but unfortunately is now in ruins, with only the main walls still standing.

Dimbani (Kizimkazi)Mosque
Although originally founded in 1107, the Dimbani mosque underwent a major rebuilding programme in the 18th Century. However what remains of the original structure is reputed to be East Africa's most ancient mosque and the oldest surviving building in Zanzibar.

Dolphin Watching at Kizimkazi
The shallow coastal waters around Kizimkazi, now officially a protected area, has been the home for dolphins for many years. Two species of dolphin are resident in the area, the bottlenose dolphin and the humpback dolphin. Both reside here because there is a reliable food supply and is a good place to nurse their calves. The bottlenose dolphins are resident all year and are the more sociable of the two species. Traditional wooden fishing boats will take tourists to see and even swim with these creatures.

Dunga Palace
East of Stone Town lies the ruins of Dunga Palace. The site, as well as its historical significance, offers views over much of the island. Unlike Zanzibar's other palaces, which were built by the Omani Sultanate, Dunga was the last seat of the traditional rulers of Zanzibar, the Wawinyi Wakuu. Tradition links the Wawinyi Wakuu to Shirazi settlers from Persia who arrived over 1000 years ago, and with whom Zanzibar's original inhabitants intermarried to create the Hadimu tribe.

The palace was built in the early 19th century by Hasan bin Ahmad al-Alawi. It was built around a central courtyard, and was originally two storeys high with a roof top garden and stained glass windows. Unfortunately the palace was demolished in 1910 and only ruins can be seen now. However it is worth noting that in the 1920s some excavation work was undertaken with some interesting discoveries. These included finding drums and horns, traditional emblems of power throughout the Swahili coast. Also discovered was a well, half filled with human skeletons, possibly the victims of an archaic belief that mixing blood with mortar would ensure the solidity of a buildings foundations.

Jozani Forest
South East of Stone Town lies the Jozani Forest. This 50 sq. km forest contains several habitats including swamp forest, evergreen thickets, mangroves, and salt tolerant grassland. It is also home to a variety of wildlife, including Sykes and red colobus monkeys, bush pigs, suni antelope, elephant shrews and plenty of birdlife.

Perhaps the forest's most famous and endearing residents is the red colobus with over half of the world's population residing within the National Park. This is one of the rarest monkeys in Africa, with numbers less than 2,000. Some troops or groups of monkeys inhabit low vegetation, coming close to the ground and affording the visitor excellent chances for viewing these rare animals.

Spice Tours
Spices have been present in Zanzibar for hundreds of years, but first took prominence in the early 16th century when the Portuguese began importing them from their colonies in South America and from India. However, Zanzibar didn't become a fully flourishing spice producing country until the Omani Arabs arrived some 200 years later and realised that the hot climate and regular rainfall made it a great location for spice farming. By the late 19th century (and following the abolition of slavery) spices became the main source of income in Zanzibar.

Spices are still very important in Zanzibar, they are used not only for cooking, but also to cure everyday ailments and to use as dyes and for cosmetic products.

A visit to Zanzibar should include a trip to one of the many spice farms where you will get the opportunity to walk around the plantations and enjoy the smells and tastes of some of the many spices available. It is also a great way to see the countryside.

The climate in Zanzibar is characterised by wet and dry seasons. The main rains fall from early April to the end of May and there is a short rainy season in November. The dry seasons are from December to February and from June to October. Humidity is generally quite high although this can be relieved by and winds and sea breezes. Average daytime temperatures on Zanzibar from June to October is around 26 degrees Celsius, rising to around 28 degrees Celsius from December to February. Pemba tends to be slightly cooler and can experience a little more rain than Zanzibar.

Flights to Zanzibar are all indirect with a number of transit options depending on your chosen airline.

If travelling from the UK, there are a variety of options available. Oman Air and Qatar Airways offer flights direct to Stone Town from Muscat and Doha respectively. Kenyan Airways travel to Nairobi where you can change for connecting flights to both Stone Town and Dar es Salaam. KLM offer flights from Amsterdam again transiting in Nairobi for onward journeys to both Stone Town and Dar es Salaam.

A considerable number of travellers to Zanzibar have first enjoyed a stop in Tanzania to undertake one of the many safaris on offer. Many of the local airports located in the main national parks including the Serengeti, Selous and Kilimanjaro offer direct flights to Stone Town.

It is also possible to travel to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam by sea. There are a number of passenger ferries available, with a journey time of between 1-2 hours.

If travelling to one of the other smaller islands, both Pemba and Mafia are accessible by plane. Flights to Pemba are from Zanzibar, with flights to Mafia originating in Dar es Salaam.

Health
When travelling to Africa, you should seek advice from your doctor or health professional well in advance of travel to check what vaccinations and any other health requirements may be necessary.

Further advice can also be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice and the NHS Fitfortravel website.

We hope the following information will be helpful, but if is to be used as a guide only. Again, please seek personal advice from your GP.

Malaria - Zanzibar is a high risk area for Malaria and it is likely you will need to take Malaria tablets. Your doctor will be able to advise on suitable antimalarial tablets.

Yellow Fever - A yellow fever vaccination is require on entry. You will be asked to produce proof that your vaccination has been administered and that this was done at least 10 days before arrival.

Visas
You will be required to have a visa in order to gain entry to Zanzibar.

They can be obtained on arrival for US$50 - which must be paid in cash. It is also advisable to take a couple of passport size photos with you as they are sometimes required.

If you want to obtain a visa in advance, please visit the Tanzanian High Commission (London) website for further details.

Please note, your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of your visa application/travel.

Plastic
Effective 1 June 2019 the Tanzanian Government has introduced a ban on plastic. The ban applies to all plastic carrier bags, regardless of their thickness. Visitors to Tanzania are advised to avoid carrying plastic bags or packing plastic carrier bags or items in plastic carrier bags in your suitcase or hand luggage. A special desk will be designated at all entry points for surrender of plastic bags that visitors maybe bringing in the country.

However, plastic or plastic packaging for medical services, foodstuff,sanitary and waste management are not prohibited. In addition, plastic carrier items known as Ziploc bags that are specifically used to carry toiletries will be permitted as they are expected to remain in the permanent possession of visitors and are not expected to be disposed in the country.

The islands were first inhabited by the Bantu tribes who settled there from the mainland. However, as exploration and trade routes were established, Zanzibar's location became a significant trading point in the Indian Ocean.

The first traders to arrive in around 700AD were the Persians and Arabs who found Zanzibar to be a useful base from which to trade with the large number of coastal towns on the mainland. Following a visit in 1498 by the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, Zanzibar became part of the Portuguese Empire. Portuguese rule lasted about 200 years until Arabs from Oman arrived and ended their domination.

The Omani Arabs, had by this time developed one of the most powerful navies in the Indian Ocean. The Sultans of Oman accrued immense wealth by mounting slave trading expeditions into the African interior, shipping their captives back to the Persian Gulf and selling them as household servants or plantation labourers. It was Zanzibar which became the hub of this commercial empire, becoming a handy storehouse for slaves fresh from the interior, who could be confined on the island until the ships, which were to transport them north were made ready.

In 1828 the flagship of Sultan Seyyid Said, one of Oman's most powerful and influential rulers landed in Zanzibar. This was his first visit to the island, and he was enchanted with what he saw. In contrast to the dry, rocky desert of Oman, Zanzibar was green, lush and filled with sources of fresh water. More importantly, it had many strategic advantages, safe, defensible and closer to the African mainland, his source of wealth. The impact of his visit was such that in 1849 Said moved his entire household to Zanzibar and declared it the new capital of his empire. The empire grew from strength to strength, albeit mostly from growing number of slaves that were sold at the great slave market in the middle of the capital Stone Town.

However, by the end of the 19th century, the British had put an end to this once great empire. By a combination of bribery, diplomacy and the odd naval bombardment, they had managed to abolish the slave trade in East Africa. The British then declared Zanzibar a protectorate.

The British remained in Zanzibar until 1963 when power was formally handed back to the Omani Sultans. However the reign of the new Sultan was short-lived and he was ousted in 1964 by violent revolution.

Following the revolution, the new Zanzibari government joined with the post-independence government of mainland Tanganyika to form a single state renamed Tanzania. Zanzibar was run along socialist, single party lines by the new revolutionary government and received political support and financial aide from countries such as Belgium, East Germany (as was) and China. The first presidential elections took place in the 1980s and with this Zanzibar's economy became less state controlled. The first half of the 1990s saw the rise of a multi-party system of government and the development of Zanzibar's new industry - tourism.

Zanzibar's proximity to the East African coast and in particular Tanzania makes it the perfect place to combine a beach holiday with a safari experience.

Why not immerse yourself in the wonders of the African plains at magnificent National Parks such as the Serengeti and the Selous. Enjoy the wonderful wildlife at close quarters and the hustle and bustle of traversing huge areas in purpose built jeeps. Then brush off the park dust and take the short flight over to Zanzibar and relax at one of the many magnificent beach resorts where you can laze the days away enjoying the wonders of the Indian Ocean. Not forgetting of course that Zanzibar also offers excellent opportunities for diving and snorkelling.

We would be delighted to put some exciting safari and beach holidays together for you. Please just ask us for details.