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CONTACT & BOOKING

DISCOVER ZANZIBAR

CULTURAL FRIENDLY

ECO+Culture Tours

Here is a brief overview of of the expeditions at ECO+CULTURE TOURS a local alternative tour operator, with strong ecological and cultural-friendly orientation and principles.

One thing in advance: If you seek buzzing places with shops and nightclubs – better stay away from Jambiani! Here you get the unique opportunity to get a DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE CULTURE and daily living of Zanzibarian people and their beautiful and untouched nature.

If you want to take a look beyond the borders of your room, if you like to GET IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL PEOPLE and even learn from them, or if you maybe just want to have some quiet and peaceful days under the sun Jambiani is the place for you to be for sure!

The local CULTURAL VILLAGE TOUR through Jambiani is exclusively offered by Eco+Culture Tours and can be booked directly at Villa Bahati.

Ecoculture

For more detailled information and booking oportunities visit their WEBSITE.

DHOW SAILING

Dhows are traditional sailing vessels with one to three one-piece masts with large trapezoidal sails. Come aboard one of these traditional boats and sail towards the sunset with the skilled local fishermen crew. Once about 1km away from the shore by means of an engine, once out in the sea the engine is shut off and during a tense moment the skillful crew put up the sail, once the sail is in favor of the wind, the guest can sit back, relax and enjoy the peacefulness of the ocean as you hear the ripple of water on the sides of the dhow as it glides swiftly through the clear turquoise water.

Jozani and Chwaka Bay National Park is the only national park on the island of Zanzibar. It is home to the RED COLOBUS MONKEY, which is found only on this is- land worldwide and of which there is an estimated population of 1,000 animals. The park was declared a nature reserve in 1960. The area, which covers about 50 km2, is home to a groundwater mangrove forest and vegetation types that are rarely found on other parts of the island. Four different habitat types can be distinguished in the park: the groundwater mangrove forest, the coastal evergreen thicket, the salt marshes and the seagrass beds.

JOZANI FOREST

STONE TOWN

Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar. It is a fascinating old town, with small meander- ing streets in which you can easily loose orientation but will soon discover orienta- tion and points of interest like the House of Wonder, the old post Office, the Sultans Palace and some interesting and exotic shops. Its architecture shows Arabic and Indian influences. Many Festivals take place in Stone Town staged in front of an unforgettable scenery like Jahazi – The JAZZ AND LITERATURE FESTIVAL (October), The INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL July) or SAUTI ZA BUZARA, African World Music Festival (February) .

Zanzibar is a dream destination for all diving and snorkeling fans. Only rarely can the di- verse underwater world of the Indian Ocean be explored and discovered as uniquely as on the reef off the coast of Zanzibar. Whether on a diving trip with an experi- enced and licensed guide or taking your first steps in a PADI COURSE, with a little luck you might see sea turtles, dolphins and even sharks in their natural environment. Even without an oxygen tank you can mar- vel at the colorful diversity of the reef when local fishermen take you out to SNORKEL ON THE REEF where you can put your feet in the white sand on the sandbank.

SCUBA DIVING

Travel Tips

Zanzibar is located off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, just south of the equator. The archipelago consists of the main island Unguja (often called Zanzibar), Pemba and several smaller islands. Unguja is about 1500 km2 in size, while Pemba measures only about 870 km2. About 1,9 million people live on the islands.

Attention, this information is only non-binding tips based on our personal experiences and estimations. Please inform yourself compre- hensively before you do anything.

The official language in Zanzibar is Kiswahili, but – especially in tourist areas – people speak English as well. Nevertheless it will always help to know some Kiswahili words and phrases.
Islam is widely practiced by over 97% of the population in Zanzibar. Women wear headscarfs in public and even men often wear the kofia – the traditional head covering for Muslim men. Five times a day you will hear the muezzin calling for prayers. Mosques are sacred places. There is generally no entry to mosques for non- Muslims, and photographing the interior from the door- way is not allowed during prayers. In general Zanzibar is well-known for its liberal religious climate. In Stonetown you will also find temples and churches where Hindu or Christian people practice their religion in peace and har- mony. We suggest to meet Zanzibarian people with all the respect that is advisable for travelling in foreign cul- tures. (see Dress Code). If you are visiting Zanzibar during Ramadhan, the holy month in the Islamic tradition, Mus- lims will be fasting from sunrise to sunset. We would strongly recommend not to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours.
For your entry from Europe to Zanzibar a valid passport and a visa are obligatory. You can obtain the visa at the Tanzanian embassy in your home country or directly on site at airport or seaport. The usual cost for a tourist visa is USD 50.
Please consult your doctor, an institute of tropical medicine or a pharmacy in your home country for infor- mation about required and recommended vaccinations, malaria prevention and which drugs to carry. Vaccinations and prophylactic malaria drugs are very personal deci- sions. Concerning malaria prevention it is a good advice to use additional measures for mosquito-bite prevention, like long-sleeved and light-coloured clothing in the evenings and insect repellents. Do not drink water from the tap! Sun protection (sunhat, sun-cremes, sun glasses) is strongly recommended!
The climate on Zanzibar is tropical with warm weather almost year round. Temperatures range between 25 C° in August and 35 C° in February. Most of the time there is a convenient breeze from the sea. There are two periods of rains heaviest in March through June and the lesser rains during October-November season.
The unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSh). US Dollars and Euros are the most convenient for- eign currencies. Travellers cheques are widely accepted in Zanzibar Town. For safaris in Tanzania you often need US$ in cash. Some (few) restaurants, hotels and shops ac- cept credit cards. You can obtain cash with your Maestro card, and any bank card at ATMs in Stown Town. You should not count on being able to obtain cash on your credit card, the very few places where it’s possible charge a commission up to 15%.
We strongly recommend to book your flight several months before your intended stay in Zanzibar! A few airlines (e.g. KLM) offer direct flights to Zanzibar, sev- eral serve the destination Dar es Salaam where you can take the ferry boat or a flight with one of the local air com- panies (Zanair, Coastal Air, Precision Air u.v.a.). In addition to that you can choose a flight route via Mombasa, Johan- nesburgh, Dubai, Nairobi etc. The ferry boat from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar is only recommendable if you arrive in Dar not later than early afternoon. The last boat to Zanz- ibar departs about 4 p.m. The time schedule of the ferry boat is not very reliable and changes occur very often – please check when you arrive in Dar. Due to business competition and special offers of several local airlines a flight from Dar to Zanzibar is getting more and more a smart alternative to the ferry boat!
At your departure from Zanzibar 10 USD airport tax or 5 USD seaport tax per person are payable. Some tour operators already include this tax in their arrangements.
In general we recommend loose fitting, light-coloured and casual cotton wear for your holiday in Zanzibar. Sunhats and rain jackets are a useful addition. For walks on the beach (especially during low tide) you should wear shoes to avoid injuries by sea urchins or shells. Due to the traditions of Zanzibarian Muslim society you should bear in mind some additional advices. Always wear loose fitting, non-transparent clothing. Shirts should cover the upper arms and shorts should reach to the knees. Do not wear bathing costumes, running shorts, tank tops or other revealing clothing in the villages or Stonetown. Beachwear is for the beach only!
In general the island is considered to be safe. Compared to other African countries crime rate is low. Nevertheless we recommend the usual security mea- sures for travelling in foreign countries, like carrying your money, passport and tickets in an inside pocket or pouch. In Stonetown it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your bags when strolling around.