Zanzibar is paradise on earth.
White sand beaches, breezing palms, easy hammocks, and the gentle lull of the Indian ocean lapping at your feet bring ultimate bliss & relaxation. Your senses heightened, your mind cleared, and your soul refreshed, you’ll feel like a whole person reborn with every island sunrise. This is where relaxation is defined.
Zanzibar is an explosion of cultures brought together through different times and places. Arab traders came to the island in the 1200s as a sultanate, leaving Arabic influences in culture, religion, and architecture. British colonialism lasted from 1890 until 1963, leaving in its wake English colonial architecture that has integrated into the present day landscape.
Renowned as a historic capital of spice trade, its aromatic underpinnings tinge with colonialism and a dark history as a long ago slave port. Stonetown with its winding cobbled streets is a white coral stone maze of history.
Explore
Stonetown Slave Trade
Commemorated in the Christian Church in the heart of Stonetown is a memorial to the 50,000 slaves who were traded out of East Africa in the 19th century. Zanzibar was East Africa’s major slave trading port until the British finally ended the slave trade in Zanzibar. The memorial and tour through the church where slaves were hidden is an emotional and powerful remembrance of Zanzibar’s dark past.
Gizenga Street
Get lost wandering through the streets of Stonetown to explore the hundreds of craft vendors selling colorful fabrics called khangas, handmade jewelry, spices, carved Arab and African styled statuettes, and tinga-tinga paintings. Get ready to explore and bargain!
Forodhani Gardens
A beautifully remodeled park along the water next to the Old Fort is a great place for sunset viewing and to enjoy the daily delicious outdoor food festival beginning at sundown. Food vendors serve up mouthwatering fresh seafood, grilled or cooked on the spot. Don’t forget to try the Zanzibar pizza — you’ll need to make room for 2 or more.
Snorkeling
Zanzibar, and especially Pemba, is considered a snorkeler’s paradise with offshore coral reefs and a wide variety of tropical fish.
Spice Tours
See the process of making spices, which generated the major economy of Zanzibar for centuries. This fascinating tour takes you into the tropical forests of Zanzibar to see another side of life. ¬Trips can be arranged upon arrival.
Temperature: mid 20’s to low 30’s year round.
Along the North and East coasts are cooler with sea breezes constantly blowing through. Evenings and nights are cooler but not cold. Humidity, especially in Stonetown or more inland areas add to the heat during the hotter months of November and December.
Rainfall: The rainy season is April and May, and fewer showers during November and December. Even during the rainy season there are still 20 or more days of sunshine.