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DAY 1: Check into your hotel and walk around Stone Town. Do a tour of the waterfront, fruit market and fish market. Literally just enjoy getting lost wandering around the streets.
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DAY 2: Prison Island (Giant Tortoise)
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DAY 3: Spice tour and private beach access.
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DAY 4: Head to Nungwi by Dolla Dolla.
I have broken up my itinerary for my time spent in Zanzibar. I flew into Dar es Salaam and then took a small plane from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar. The planes are very small and you get the opportunity to sit in the cockpit for the flight. Make sure to call shotgun to get this amazing experience. I spent the first three days in Stone Town, then headed to Nungwi, and then to Kiwengwa. Check out the posts on Nungwi and Kiwengwa.
Flying Cockpit.
My favourite part of the trip was my time spent in Nungwi. It was the most beautiful beach I have ever seen and the snorkelling there was incredible. I feel like Stone town is a must if you head to Zanzibar. So start off your adventure looking around the old city. Check out the places I mentioned and definitely eat at the nighttime waterfront stalls. While I was walking through the old streets of Zanzibar this old man approached me and started his tour guide routine. I told him I’m not interested. He told me kindly if you don’t think I’m worth paying at the end of the day then don’t pay me. I thought why not? Maybe he is bored and just wants to hangout and talk and show me his town. Wow! He did! The tour was amazing. He knew everything to point out and he was full of great information. He took us to the fish market, fruit and vegetable markets, through the spice souks by tuk tuk, and walking through the old streets pointing out the history of the doors and monuments. We had a blast with him. At the end he took us to a beautiful restaurant on the water and told us we should eat there. He asked if twenty dollars was fair for the full day tour and we agreed that was a very fair deal. I’m glad I bumped into this guy!
The people in Zanzibar are overly friendly. If you don’t socialize with them, then you are missing out!
The second day was even better! Get yourself on a boat to Prison Island. If you go to the port there are boys just sitting there with their boats. They will take you to the island for pretty cheap. Honestly everything in Zanzibar was incredibly cheap. On the island you will have a great time interacting with the giant tortoise. These gentle giants just love to be pet and fed.
On the third day my friend convinced me to go on a spice tour. I was quite reluctant to go because I had already been on one in Sri Lanka and that one was pretty amazing. I hate to do the same activity twice in a vacation. I like the activities to be like sacred to that country. But my friend wanted to go so I went. I was soooo happy I did! The spice tour was fantastic! They really went above and beyond, and they showed some really interesting plants that I had never seen before in my life. I don’t want to give away too much away. All I can say is don’t pass on this experience.
Crush these little red pearls up and you get a beautiful lipstick.
Hanging out with people my age.
After the spice tour they took us to eat and we got to interact with some local children. My advice to you in Africa is to interact with as many locals as possible. Both in Tanzania and Uganda I met some of the most delightful people in this world. Kind, sweet, and sincerely just enjoy your company. They are grateful for your visit to their country. Following lunch they took us to a private beach for some fun in the sun. The beaches in Zanzibar are out of this world beautiful. I think the pictures show it. Either your hotel can arrange this full day spice tour for you or the boys working at the night food stalls will try and get you on them. Either way make sure lunch and the beach are included as well. Get the full package!
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