Zanzibar is far more than a beach add-on to a Tanzania safari. This Indian Ocean archipelago pairs a UNESCO World Heritage old town steeped in Swahili, Arab, and Indian history with a red colobus monkey found nowhere else on Earth, plus some of the clearest, most pristine reef diving in East Africa. Explore our Tanzania safaris to add a Zanzibar extension.
Key Highlights
- Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site blending Swahili, Arab, and Indian architecture
- Home to the Zanzibar red colobus, an endemic monkey found only on this island
- Once the world’s largest clove producer, giving the archipelago its “Spice Island” nickname
- Pemba Island holds some of the most pristine, least-visited coral reef in East Africa
- Kizimkazi village offers reliable spinner dolphin watching by traditional dhow
- Best combined with a mainland safari as a 4 to 5 night beach and culture extension
Stone Town and the Spice Island
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous Tanzanian archipelago made up of two main islands — Unguja, generally referred to simply as “Zanzibar,” and Pemba to the north — along with dozens of smaller islands and sandbanks, sitting 35 to 80km off the Tanzanian mainland.
Its old town, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved examples of Swahili coastal trading architecture anywhere in East Africa. Once the commercial capital for the Sultan of Oman, its narrow alleyways are lined with elaborately carved wooden doors, each design historically reflecting the religion and status of the household — a visible record of the many cultures that shaped the town. Stone Town’s history has a darker side too: it was one of the busiest slave trading ports on the Indian Ocean through much of the 19th century, and a guided walking tour typically includes the former slave market site and its memorial church, alongside the spice markets and waterfront gardens that give a fuller picture of the island’s past.
That past is closely tied to cloves. In the 1840s, the ruling Omani Sultan established a clove plantation economy on Zanzibar and Pemba’s rich volcanic soil, and for decades the islands were the world’s largest clove producer — the source of Zanzibar’s enduring “Spice Island” nickname.
A Monkey Found Nowhere Else on Earth
Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park protects the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found only on this island and nowhere else in the world. Its population, once reduced to a few thousand individuals, has grown substantially since the park’s establishment in the 1990s, thanks to anti-poaching patrols and forest restoration funded partly by ecotourism. Habituated troops along the park’s Colobus Trail allow visitors to get remarkably close — often just a few metres — for one of the most intimate wild primate encounters anywhere in Tanzania.
One particularly odd behaviour sets this species apart from other primates in the region: Zanzibar red colobus monkeys regularly eat charcoal from old cooking fires on the forest floor. Researchers believe this helps neutralise toxic compounds in the leaves that make up much of their diet, effectively using charcoal the way it’s used in water filters — to bind and absorb harmful chemicals before they can be digested.
Pemba: Zanzibar’s Overlooked Reef
While most visitors stick to Unguja’s beaches, Pemba Island to the north holds some of the healthiest, most pristine coral reef in the Zanzibar archipelago — reef cover and large fish populations here noticeably exceed the more heavily visited dive sites off the main island, simply because far fewer people visit. The Pemba Channel benefits from clear, current-fed water flowing up from the deeper Mozambique Channel, giving divers excellent visibility and a healthy population of snapper, grouper, barracuda, and the occasional Napoleon wrasse.
Closer to Unguja, the village of Kizimkazi on the south coast offers one of the most reliable spinner dolphin encounters on the East African coast. Traditional dhow trips head out most mornings to find resident pods, and the dolphins are well known for their acrobatic leaps — full aerial spins that give the species its name.
Planning a Zanzibar Extension
A typical Zanzibar itinerary runs four to five nights, combining a half-day guided walk through Stone Town with a morning at Jozani Forest for the red colobus, time on Unguja’s northern beaches around Nungwi and Kendwa, and — for those with extra time — a dive trip out to Pemba. Accommodation ranges from restored merchant houses in Stone Town to beachfront lodges on Unguja’s north coast and dedicated dive resorts on Pemba, making it easy to build an extension around whichever combination of culture, beach, and reef appeals most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Zanzibar red colobus found anywhere else in the world?
No. The Zanzibar red colobus is endemic to the island, found only in and around Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park and nowhere else on Earth.
Why is Stone Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Stone Town is recognised for its well-preserved blend of Swahili, Arab, and Indian architecture and its historical role as a major East African trading and cultural hub.
Is Pemba Island worth visiting over Zanzibar’s main beaches?
For diving, yes — Pemba’s reefs are less visited and generally in better condition than those off the main island, with healthier coral cover and larger fish populations.
Where can you see spinner dolphins near Zanzibar?
Kizimkazi village on Unguja’s south coast is the most reliable spot, with traditional dhow trips heading out most mornings to find resident pods.
Plan Your Zanzibar Extension
Our safari specialists can combine a Zanzibar beach and culture extension with any Tanzania mainland safari itinerary.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote on your safari.
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