Explore Zanzibar
SEA SAFARI
This Safari gives you the change to learn and experience the life of the villagers from Bwejuu and how they make their living from the Indian Ocean. Let our guide Mussa take you on this informative adventure on the reef and in the village.
While walking on the reef you will see:
- how coconut rope is made
- what the process of seaweed farming is
- how fisherman catch octopus & other fish
- how snails and shellfish are collected
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After the walk on the reef you will visit Bwejuu village where you get information about:
- fish traps and how they are made
- the use of palm leaves in the local architecture
- repairing of fishnets
- taste a fresh coconut!
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In Bwejuu can you will receive a tasty lunch where you get the change to try out local delicacies like snails (in a snail salad).
There is also fresh fish in coconut sauce and spiced pilau rice.
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SPICE TOUR
Cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamon, lemon grass, kurkuma and many other spices and fruits can be found in the beautiful spice garden of Mr. Spice. A walk in his garden will awaken your senses.
During the walk you will get the opportunity to smell and taste spices & fruits that you might have never seen before!
After the tour you will know all about the lipstick tree, ingredients of Chanel and you will understand why Zanzibar is called 'spice Island'.
The tour ends with a tasty traditional Swahili lunch and you will have the opportunity to buy spices.
Tip: you can combine this half-day tour to the west coast with a visit to Stone Town, Prison Island or Jozani forest.
STONE TOWN TOUR
Stone Town is the main city on Zanzibar. It is a city of prominent historical and artistic importance in East Africa. Its architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences underlying the Swahili culture, with a unique mixture of Moorish, Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements. For this reason, the town has been included in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in 2000.
Stone Town is a very lively place where you’ll find a mixture of Arabic, African, Indian and European cultures living comfortably together.
Let our guide walk you through the labyrinth of streets too narrow for cars to pass. It's a historical and cultural journey through the old slave market, Darajani market place, the House of Wonders, the Old Fort and the Sultan’s Palace.
SNORKLING NEAR BELLEVUE LODGE
Snorkeling
Meet Ramadan, he is a local fisherman working near Bellevue Guesthouse. Take a trip on his dhow boat to the Blue Lagoon and enjoy snorkeling in the kristal clear Indian Ocean. When the wind is good Ramadan will hoist the sail of his dhow boat.
Other snorkeling options:
Snorkling at Mnemba Island
Mnemba Island is a conservation area just of the north east coast of Zanzibar. It's a private island not to be visited, but the snorkeling around the island is one of the most
beautiful locations on the island.
A trip to Mnemba island is a full day trip. You will be picked up early in the morning to drive to Matemwe village. From there you will take a local dhow boat to the waters around the island. Enjoy the marine life and and beautiful views.
SAFARI BLUE
The original Safari Blue tour is one of the most popular day trips on Zanzibar! It offers a full day including all transport, snorkelling, food and drink etc. It also offers a far more nature-friendly way of possibly catching sight of some dolphins than the numerous ‘Swimming with Dolphins’ trips offered from Kizimkazi.
The Safari Blue departs from the fishing village of Fumba. From there you will start exploring the sandbanks, islands, lagoons and wonders of the Bay and the Indian Ocean in the comfort of a traditional dhow.
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Spend a magical day exploring the Menai Bay Conservation area in a traditional wooden dhow
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Enjoy swimming & guided snorkeling in the beautiful clear waters – quality equipment provided
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Watch dolphins at play
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Feast on our delicious Swahili seafood barbecue followed by our gastronomic tropical fruit tasting
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Price includes drinks and snacks throughout the day
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Take a swim in the hidden mangrove lagoon
UNGUJA UKUU BOAT & SNORKELING TRIP
A perfect day out when you are looking for a beautiful location to relax. By boat you will visit Niamembe Island. This small uninhabited island is connected with a white sandbank, perfect for relaxation, and the sea around the island is very good for snorkeling. A cook from Unguja Ukuu village will arrange a lunch with different kinds of seafood, local curry and tropical fruits.
During low tide you can walk around the Island and a guide will show you a mystical cave behind the Island.
But you can also read a book!
The boat starts in Unguja Ukuu village, far off the tourists tracks.
With a traditional motorized dhow boat you will go to Nianembe Island in the protected Menai Bay. The boat ride is approx. 45 min.
You have the chance of spotting dolphins here and if you see them, you will likely be the only person watching.
The dolphins you see will be wild and free of the stresses of being chased by tourist boats (but keep it this way, we urge you not to pursue the dolphins but to let them come close if they choose).
PRISON ISLAND - CHANGUU ISLAND
Changuu is named after the Swahili name of a fish that is common in the seas around it. The island was uninhabited until the 1860s when the first Sultan of Zanzibar, Majid bin Said, gave it to two Arabs who used it as a prison for rebellious slaves prior to shipping them abroad or selling them at the slave market in Zanzibar's Stone Town.
In October 1891 British First Minister Mathews purchased Changuu from its Arab owners on behalf of the Zanzibar government with the intention of building a prison upon it. The prison was to have housed violent and recidivist criminals from the part of the African mainland which was then under the jurisdiction of Zanzibar. Despite the prison buildings being completed in 1894, causing the island to become known commonly as "Prison Island", the facility never housed prisoners.
In 1919 the British governor of Seychelles sent a gift of four Aldabra giant tortoises to Changuu. They are considered vulnerable and there is a dedicated foundation on the island that looks after the tortoises' welfare.
Visitors are able to observe and feed the tortoises.
SEAWEED CENTER
The Seaweed Center is a social responsible initiative that provides over 40 female seaweed farmers in Paje, Zanzibar, with an opportunity to better their lives and benefit their community.
Visitors on a tour to the Seaweed Center get a rare opportunity to experience the daily life of a seaweed farming woman.
Visitors are invited to go out to the beach farms to plant, tender or harvest seaweed for a hands-on experience on ocean agriculture which is an important economic activity for many women living
on Zanzibar's East and Southern Coast line.
Tours to the farms take place only with low tide.
During high tide only a tour in the Seaweed Center is possible.
Seaweed Tour: Farming Activities
- Provides an insight of the hard work that encompasses a seaweed farmer's daily life
- Activities include farming fresh seaweed and creating the structures for seaweed farming
Seaweed Center Tour
- View the entire process/ demonstration of manufacturing seaweed products from raw seaweed to finished soaps
and creams
- enjoy edible seaweed products such as seaweed juice.
CHUMBE ISLAND
Chumbe Island is an idyllic tropical island that is situated about 6 km west of the larger island of Zanzibar. A short boat ride takes you to this small, magical place. Explore the island’s stunning coral reef sanctuary and coral rag forest.
Day trips are possible to Chumbe Island Coral Park. As the facilities are primarily focused towards lodge guests, they can only take day trip bookings when there is availability in the lodge. This means that they cannot take advance bookings for day trips.
Ask the management to contact Chumbe Island to check for availability (preferably 2 days in advance)
Trip includes:
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Boat transport to and from the island
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Lunch freshly cooked on the island. Sodas, water and snacks
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Boat, guide and equipment for snorkeling.Tuition in snorkeling, if required
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Snorkeling over one of the world`s most pristine and diverse coral reef
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Guided walk through the forest trails and intertidal area (if low tide)
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Shared use of one of our award winning Eco bungalows (towels provided for day use).
JOZANI FOREST
Jozani forest is one of the last remaining sanctuaries in the world of the red colubus monkey. The forest is 50km2 in size and was declared a nature reserve in the 1960′s. It’s the only national park on Zanzibar. Jozani Forest is unique since the forest rests upon a reef limestone marine terrace.
The red colubus monkey was and endangered species, but numbers have increased in recent years thanks to conservation work by the nature reserve working closely with the local people. The monkeys are wild, but it is possible to get close to them and they carry on their normal activities as though human visitors do not exist.
Other species of fauna can also be found in the park! Sykes monkey, bush babies, more than 50 species of butterfly and 40 species of birds. Hard to spot because they are most active a night is the Zanzibar tree hyrax, which has four ‘toes’ on its front feet and three on its back. It is the first hyrax species that has acclimatized to the forest.
After a walk through the forest, you will visit the mangroves as well. A mangrove boardwalk will give you the possibility to have a view into the special mangrove habitat.
To protect the wildlife it is not permitted to walk off the paths without an official guide.
ZANZIBAR BUTTERFLY CENTRE
The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre (ZBC) is an interactive butterfly exhibit near to Jozani-Chawka Bay National Park on Unguja island, though outside the park boundaries.
The exhibit consists of a netted tropical garden with usually hundreds of butterflies, all of which are native species to Zanzibar.
The enclosure is one of Africa's largest butterfly exhibits.
At ZBC it is possible to experience butterflies feeding and flying very close at hand and to witness the complete life cycle of many species. The butterflies (in pupae form) are farmed sustainably by people from the villages around Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park.
Tours usually last between 30-40mins.
You can combine a visit to Jozani Forest with the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre.
KITESURFING
The conditions for kitesurfing are usually perfect during June 10th until October 10th and December 10th until March 10th. The reef protects the inside waters, so the lagoon inside the reef is flat, with shallow knee-deep water, perfect for beginners and experts alike.
Taking kitesurfing lessons on Zanzibar is a great experience.
Because of the perfect kite conditions and professional, certified kite instructors.
Choose the kitesurfing lessons that fit your needs, from beginner to advanced.
You can take a private lesson and choose between the new hype hydro foiling or wave clinics.
Kite Centre Zanzibar is the best Centre on the island and our partner
STAND-UP PADDLING
Stand Up Paddling (SUP) is the new popular water sport, originally from Hawaii. The technique is to stand on a big surf board and paddle along!
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Let our partner take you to Chwaka Bay for SUP during a beautiful sunset or an exiting SUP tour through the mangroves... Or go to the reef in a small boat and ride the waves!
DIVING
The Indian Ocean surrounding Zanzibar is truly mesmerizing! Fringing coral reefs and several patch reefs provide a rich habitat for an amazing diversity of marine life. Divers are enchanted with more than 450 species of fish and other marine life including brightly coloured reef fish, octopus, stingrays, mantis shrimps, moray eels, ribbon eels and many, many more!
Scuba diving around the Zanzibar Archipelago caters to divers of all experience levels, from shallow coral gardens, to deep walls and even a couple wrecks for the advanced divers. Most of the diving is from boats, and with up to 5m of tidal water movement, a majority of the diving is drift diving.
Zanzibar offers year-round diving. From mid-February to mid-May or from mid-October to mid-December is the best time for great visibility combined with calm, flat sea conditions.
The average visibility year round is from 12-18m and can exceed 30m.
Water temperatures range from 24-25C in July/August to 28-29C in January/February.
Together with our partners, we can help you to plan your dives the best way possible.
HORSERIDING
Few things beat the experience of riding a horse through a tropical paradise down to a sparkling blue ocean. Our partner has a professionally managed stable yard with a qualified riding instructor catering for riders of all levels. You can choose from a spectacular beach sunset ride, a beautiful scenic trail around and across the golf course to the beach or the exhilarating once in a life-time ‘swimming experience’ with your horse at high tide.
Also younger children can enjoy a ride on a pony.
MORE AFRICA
More Africa offers you the possibility to do something good during your holiday. The project offers special education, training, physical therapy and medical care to children with physical and/or mental disabilities.
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More Africa likes to show tourists the work that they do, since it's very important! Also they want to inform people about the culture of this island. Is it for example a good idea to give pens or candy to random children in the village? What do you achieve with this? More Africa wants to create awareness about the effects of this behavior.
By visiting More Africa, you will receive information about the project, a tour through the school and a local lunch.
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For privacy reasons and the benefit of the children, as a visitor you are not allowed to work or directly communicate with the children or to take pictures of them. At the end of the visit, you will receive an online document with pictures of the project and the children.
By visiting More Africa, you contribute directly to the development of the project.
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SAFARI IN TANZANIA
Together with our partners we can arrange your perfect Safari in Tanzania after or before your visit to Bellevue.
RELAX AT BELLEVUE!
Enjoy a relaxing oil massage of your choice in your own room:
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$30 footmassage
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$30 neck & back massage
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$40 full body massage
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$40 deep tissue massage
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$40 aroma massage
Manicure & Pedicure:
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$20 pedicure
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$20 manicure
PLAY GOLF ON ZANZIBAR
If you like to play golf, you can enjoy a 9-hole Matkovitch course with its club house, under-cover driving range and practice greens, while enjoying the natural features of the island.
To top it all, two of the last holes are played along the Indian Ocean. The course has been designed with variation in distance and direction on the front and back 9 to create an experience of playing full 18 holes. The course has a par 71, which includes short and long par 4’s and a couple of drivable options.
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The course is rounded off by an international standard practice facility, including a full-length driving range with chipping, bunker and putting greens.
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