Travel Zanzibar – Travel Guide, Tips and Inspiration
After a gruelling/amazing Kilimanjaro Trek (Read more) and watching the wildlife on the dusty plains of Serengeti (Read more) – all that we needed was some place to unwind and what better than the beautiful island of Zanzibar.
It was really sad to bid adieu to our wonderful guide Eligius without whom this whole trip wouldn’t have been possible. Well, the next challenge was a thrilling one – especially for Amoli. Having flown across the world, this was our first encounter flying in a 5 seater Cesna – single engine bird. After the formalities at Arusha Airport, we were ushered into this small little bird – it was really worth watching Amoli’s face. The pilot gets in and starts moving passengers to the left and right to balance the weight – Never seen this before! and then he asks one of the passengers to sit next to him on the flight control — Dumbstruck – Jaw wide open!!
The flight lasted more than an hour and a half and was really amazing flying over the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean offering some of the best scenic views. Finally, we landed easing all the nerves and were welcomed by our resort driver.
Zanzibar consists of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba. Zanzibar’s coastline offers some of the best beaches in the world and we were here to relax for our final leg of Tanzania Journey (Read more). We checked into our beach resort and were offered amazing views of the Indian ocean from our room and the deck. White sand, coral reefs, crystal clear water – what more can I can ask for.
Next day, we decided to visit the Stone town – a World Heritage Site. Portuguese invasion and control of the Swahili Coast in the late 16th century ended the golden age of the archipelago, although the Omani Arabs returned to power less than a century later. Stone Town 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 the East African culture being pre-eminent, there is a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements. We met our guide in stone town and opted to take a walking tour of Stone town.
When you wander around the narrow streets, you get glimpses of everyday life in this close-knit community. We started with visiting the National History Museum walking along the coast and then into the by lanes of this medieval town. Life seemed to go at such a slower pace here compared to where we come from.
We did visit the Freddie Mercury House –the famous singer of Queen, he was born in Zanzibar. We continued walking through the narrow streets with cables hanging all over and spices being sold all around you.
We then arrived at a site made sacred by history – Zanzibar former Slave market. Stories of cruelty and suffering abound here, and still strike at the conscience. The Stone Town was host to one of the world’s last open slave markets, presided over by Arab traders until it was shut down by the British in 1873. The slaves were shipped here in dhows from the mainland, crammed so tightly that many fell ill and died or were thrown overboard.
We asked our guide to take us to one of the markets in Zanzibar – it was well worth the visit with those unique and colourful spices and all the bargaining and haggling.
After all the walking, all we needed was a good lunch and we wanted something very traditional – very African. Our guide recommended an Ethiopian place at the heart of Stone Town. An amazing restaurant serving savour grilled tibs and slurp up spicy curries with wads of injera (soft, sour-dough flatbread made from teff flour). Sit outside underneath the pergola sagging beneath an exuberant bougainvillea and wait for enormous platters of food to arrive at your mesob (woven table). Please leave a comment if you would like to know the name of the restaurant and I will get back to you.
We were back in our resort and as the sun set, we strolled across the beach to see the nearby fishing villages as the tide was at its low. Fishing nets sprawled across the beaches, men polishing/mending their boats, women wading throw the low water for tiny wishes and sea urchins and the boys enjoying a game of football on the white sands as the sun set was mesmerising.
The next day was all about lying in the pool, enjoying the view, quenching our thirst with more smoothies and beer — so a complete unwind.
More Flavours of Zanzibar –
Finally, it was time to bid adieu to the island of Zanzibar and also to Tanzania. The memories of this country are something which I will hold very close my heart. A successful hike of the worlds highest free standing mountain –Kilimanjaro, up close and personal with the Big 5 on the Serengeti plains and a perfect unwind at Zanzibar.
Read our full Tanzania exploration here – Click here
If you have any questions/feedback, please leave a comment with your email id and I’ll get back to you at the earliest.
This is Aldrin and my partner Amoli. We bring you "Earths Pilgrim" - a unique insight into our travel escapades while leaving life in a cubicle. If you are looking for some inspiration to break the shackles of a regular life, then you are the right place. Read more about us- Click here.
Wow your photos are great! I’ve always wanted to visit Zanzibar. Stone town looks amazing! And so does the food!!!
The view is truly mesmerising from the flight. Your pictures are amazing too. This place seems to be a perfect place for a vacation. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Purvi
What a stunning island so pure and rich in culture, nature, beauty and wonderfully happy people. It literally ranks as my favourite destinations of all time.
Looks like you had an amazing trip! Thank you for posting and now I can’t wait to go myself.
Zanzibar looks so amazing and your pictures say it all! It’s definitely on our top beaches in the world list to see in person!
http://www.sunstylefiles.com
Wow this is so cool! Tanzania in general is actually so high up on my bucket lists, so I got excited just reading about it!
Love the information and the photos. Just a tip maybe a few less pictures though as it takes a hike to load/can mess with the mobile formatting but still super great! Could just be my WiFi
Zanzibar looks stunning! Perfect place to relax and unwind after climbing Kilimanjaro. Very jealous of this trip!
I have never been in a plane that small and quite honestly I think I would have been nervous when the pilot starts moving everyone around 😆
Yeahhhhh same here…. We were equally nervous and when the pilot asked one of the passengers to join him as a co pilot my wife literally jumped out of the place 🙂
I love those little planes. We had a similar experience in Belize and Guatemala where they had to even out the weight on the flight. What a way to end your experience, by relaxing and exploring the history of Zanzibar. I love all of your photos documenting your experience.
Thank a lot Alison.. Your kind words really mean a lot
Wow! What an incredible journey! Your pictures are very beautiful and provide a great glimpse into the beauty and culture of Zanzibar. Flying in a 5 seater with pilot adjusting the passengers to balance the weight of the plane is something I’ve never heard before. Sounds quite adventurous!
Thnx Shaily… The Flight was a one off Experience , my wifey still gets the jitters. Zanzibar is an amazing place
This island is a real paradise. You clicked some stunning photographs. Thank you for sharing