Zanzibar: attractions that see on the island

Zanzibar is a large archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which consists of many islands. Of course, for many tourists this place is associated with snow-white beaches, soft rustling waves and palm thickets. However, the sights of Zanzibar retained no less fascinating and noteworthy. There is definitely something to see here.

Zanzibar Attractions

A large number of architectural and historical monuments have been preserved on the island, of course, the nature of Zanzibar is a unique attraction that needs to be mentioned separately. Going on a trip to the island, be sure to bring along a map of attractions with photos and descriptions in order to make the best route that will allow you to see as many interesting places of Zanzibar as possible.

Stone town

The main historical and architectural attractions of Zanzibar (Tanzania) are concentrated in Stone Town - the capital of the peninsula and the ancient city. It is here that between the eastern mosques, noisy, colorful bazaars and old houses, narrow streets wind around. So narrow that the car will not pass through them. In Stone Town, it is best to walk, carefully consider the sights.

Interesting fact! The area of the city is only 1.5 to 2 km.

Official sources indicate that the city was built in the 19th century, however, mention of settlements in this part of the island dates back to the 8th century. In those days, it was a fairly large port, where spices, coconut oil and slaves were actively traded. Thanks to its unique architecture, Stone Town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Probably, a special atmosphere in the city arose due to the fact that residential buildings and other buildings were erected randomly, without a plan. Stone Town is randomly built white houses, the doors of which are decorated with carvings, and balconies, as if woven from lace.

"House of Miracles"

The main attractions of the island of Zanzibar, which can be seen in the capital:

Arab fleet;
Sultan's Palace - "House of Miracles";
the ruins of Mruhubi and Mtoni;
St. Joseph's Cathedral;
mosque of malindi.

For more information about Stone Town and its attractions, see this page.

The Cheetah Rock Preserve

What to see in Zanzibar for nature lovers? There is a place on the island where you can chat with cheetahs and see how these flexible and fast cats live in their natural environment. It is noteworthy that in the reserve there are cheetahs who were saved under different circumstances. Decent, comfortable conditions are created for animals, they are trained daily to communicate with people.

Good to know! The owner of the reserve - Jenny - personally conducts excursions for guests in English. During a walk, she tells in detail the stories of each cheetah’s salvation, how they are cared for and trained. The duration of the tour is 4 hours.

In addition to cheetahs, you can see lemurs, zebras, a lion, hyenas, peacocks, roe deers and monkeys in the shelter. They can be fed, played and ironed. At the end of the tour, hospitable Jenny offers tourists a glass of champagne.

Practical information:

the cost of the tour is $ 160, this price includes a transfer from anywhere in Zanzibar;
payment is made only in cash, the tour can be paid in advance;
if you live on the southeast coast, the transfer costs $ 20 both ways;
the reserve can be visited by people over 15 years old;
To visit the shelter, choose clothes and shoes of neutral colors and without decorations, so as not to attract too much animal attention;
Book an excursion in advance on the official website www.cheetahsrock.org.

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Mnarani Aquarium

What to see on the island of Zanzibar if you want to combine sightseeing with outdoor activities? Fortunately, there are still places in the world where life flows according to the laws of nature. Here, a person can plunge into a world filled with colors and creatures that still trust people. Such a place is in Nungwa on Zanzibar. We are talking about an artificially created lagoon, where thousand-year-old trees grow, sharp rocks go up, among which the caring hands of man created a turtle farm. People come here to chat with slow cute turtles.

The aquarium was built in the northern part of the island in 1993. In essence, this is a shelter whose main goal is the rescue and rearing of turtles in Zanzibar. When pets reach a certain age, they are released into the wild. During the tour, you can feed the turtles, pick up and even swim with them. Impressions are complemented by the purest water in the lagoon, picturesque nature and the sounds of nature.

It is important! There are two aquariums with turtles on Ningvi Beach. In the one that is located closer to the shore, animals can only be fed. If you want to swim with turtles, you have to go a little further, turning right from the beach.

Practical information:

address: Nungwi Beach, Nungwi, Tanzania;
cost of visit: $ 30 - the price includes a guide’s story, sea kale for feeding turtles, the opportunity to swim with them;
be careful - turtles can bite their legs, taking them for food;
come on a tour by 9-10 a.m. until there is a large influx of tourists;
website: www.mnarani.org.

The main feature of the reserve is that it is not a traditional aquarium, but a natural habitat for animals.

Natural Turtle Aquarium in Nungwi

The aquarium is located directly on the shores of Nungwi Beach. You can’t swim with turtles, but you can feed and listen to fascinating stories about raising animals - as much as you like. The price of the issue is $ 5. In addition to turtles, which are funny clapping fins, you can see the skeleton of a small whale, visit the plastic processing station and see bright fish.

Interesting fact! Volunteers from around the world work here. The duration of the tour is 20-30 minutes.

Note: Nungwi is the best resort in Zanzibar.

Butterfly garden

If you are heading to the Josani Forest, be sure to visit the Butterfly Garden. This is part of the tropics, surrounded by a net so that butterflies do not fly apart. Here you can see the full path of butterfly development - from a caterpillar to a chrysalis and a wonderful transformation. On the territory there is a place where dolls hang. Monkeys live in the trees nearby.

Good to know! To visit the garden, it is enough to allocate one hour of time. The best time to visit is from August.

Walking paths are equipped on the territory, benches are installed. The garden is more reminiscent of an ennobled park, where you can spend time observing the beauty of nature. If you are lucky, you can take a photo of a newborn butterfly - it is very slow, so the pictures are clear and bright.

Interesting fact! The garden contains all the butterflies that live in Zanzibar.

Practical information:

address: Pete Village, Jozani, Tanzania;
it is better to plan a visit in advance on the official website;
ticket price: $ 5;
official website: www.zanzibarbutterflies.com.

Jozani Chwaka National Park

Experienced tourists know what to see in Tanzania on Zanzibar. Of course, this is the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park. Once Zanzibar was completely covered with impenetrable forests, where mangroves towered, and the interweaving of powerful roots created a magical atmosphere. Gradually, forests were cut down, cultivated lands, spices were grown on them. For many years, Zanzibar has supplied spices to many countries of the world. Josani Forest is the only place where authentic nature has been preserved. The national Josani Chwaka Bay is located in the southeast of the island. This is an area of 44 square kilometers, which consists of three natural zones:

mangrove forest;
jungle;
shrubs.

Interesting fact! The park has trees that are over one hundred years old. Such lush vegetation attracts a large number of animal birds.

The national park is inhabited by monkeys, chameleons, snakes, antelopes, genets (small predators resembling ferrets). More than forty species of birds live in the crowns of trees. Until 2003, a unique Zanzibar leopard could be found in the forest, but today this species is considered extinct. You can also meet the colobus monkeys listed in the Red Book. They are distinguished by a special shade of fur - red-brown. The underwater world of the Josani National Park is no less diverse - sharks, marlins and dolphins live here. As for the plant world, there are cloves, creepers, ferns, palm trees, ficuses and mahogany in the forest. For the convenience of tourists, hiking paths and wooden bridges are laid in the forest.

Good to know! The best time to visit the national park is from June to October. The rest of the year, the island rains heavily. For an excursion, take a guide.

Practical information:

You can visit the forest only during daylight hours;
for maximum comfort, it is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and sports shoes;
clothing should completely cover the body, the head should be covered and carry a supply of water;
at the exit of the national park there is a souvenir shop;
a park is located in the central part of Zanzibar, next to the Gulf of Chwaka Bay;
You can get into the forest by taxi or by minibus - Dala Dala;
ticket price $ 10.

Mtony Castle Ruins

What to see on Zanzibar yourself? Mtoni is an ancient palace that used to be the residence of the Sultan. Translated, the name of the castle means "a place by the river." The ruler’s daughter describes the palace as a large building with a courtyard, a bathhouse and a mosque, as well as a separate part where the sultan and his wife lived. From the memoirs of the daughter of the Sultan, historians learned that about one thousand people worked in the palace. So that the ruler could observe his fleet, they built an observation tower.

Interesting fact! In the second half of the 19th century, the castle was abandoned, and during the war years it was completely demolished. Today, tourists can admire only part of the walls and the roof of the palace.

Practical information:

there is a castle near the ruins of the Maruhubi palace complex;
You can get to the castle ruins as follows - you need to move north along the main highway, the Maruhubi castle field you need to drive a few more kilometers and turn onto a side road, then you can easily follow the signs.

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Spice gardens

The cultivation of spice gardens is not just a branch of agriculture, but part of the history of Zanzibar and the culture of local residents. Spice farms are a fairly new and fashionable phenomenon, popular among tourists, because many do not even know how ginger looks, how clove grows. A tour of the spice garden will give a lot of discoveries, during the walk you can touch, smell and try a variety of seasonings. In addition, each such farm has a store where you can buy lemongrass, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric.

Practical recommendations:

be sure to bring small money with you, the fact is that farm employees often give guests gifts, expecting a small reward in return;
the quality of spices on farms is very high, but the price is consistent, so many tourists prefer to buy seasonings in local markets;

Sights of Zanzibar - this is an amazing mixture of natural beauties, African color, seasoned with the aroma of spices. Want to fully enjoy this place? Visit the disappearing island of Nakupenda, swim with dolphins, feel like a prisoner of a prison on one of the exotic islands. Such a journey will leave a lot of vivid impressions and emotions.

The sights of Zanzibar island described on this page are marked on the map in Russian.