Zanzibar, south-east Tanzania
Tanzania, as the tourist capital of Africa, offers a diverse tourist sector to all visitors. From the wildlife viewing and safari adventure of the north to the white beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania renders exceptional tourist experiences and exciting cultures, with thrilling activities for each destination.
Steven Ndukwu took to exploring the various tourist destinations of the country in one month. From his exposure, he carefully created a Tanzanian travel guide to aid visitors to both Northern Tanzania and Zanzibar and enhance the experience. It includes everything from getting the visa to outlining luxurious and affordable resort options, professional tour guides, planning your personal program, and, of course, activities to maximize your stay. The travel guide curates an exciting itinerary and the best time to visit each place. It is suited for any trip duration and budget while guaranteeing a most fulfilling holiday for you and your fellow backpackers.
All Stops and Drops In Steven’s One-Month Tour around Southern Tanzania
There are previous blog posts highlighting Steven’s educational visit to Northern Tanzania’s Serengeti and the sensational blue water city, Zanzibar. But never before has an all-encompassing travel tour article comprising destinations and Steven’s honest reviews been compiled. Until now.
Here is a list of Steven Ndukwu’s stops at resorts, restaurants, and popular Tanzanian destinations, all with his rating to assist your selection:
- Dar Es Salaam
1/2 nights
The vibrant city of Dar Es Salaam was Steven Ndukwu’s first stop when his plane touched down. It is a major city and port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast.
Steven Ndukwu got a free sim card at the airport and bought 10 gigs of data for 20,000 tsh. 1 dollar = 2514 Tanzanian shillings.
In a nearby village, he practiced the cultural dances of different tribes in Tanzania, learned about them, and observed them as they heated drums with fire to play higher notes. Later, he rented a vintage car customized by a local entrepreneur and drove it around the city and on the famous Selander Bridge.
Review: Dar es Salaam doesn’t really offer so much for tourists. I will suggest you spend just a night or two here and head to Zanzibar.
- Zanzibar
Zanzibar is arguably the most famous location in all of Tanzania. You can access the city by air or by boarding a ferry. Steven Ndukwu opted for the ferry option. He stayed in Hotel Verde, Zanzibar while here, which he called the biggest hotel in and around Stone Town.
Review: The ferry ride is really nice; we have our own cabin with four seats and our own view, and we can control our cooling system. A different experience. I was met by a chaotic setting [in the city] but it only gets better from here.
- Nakupenda Island, Zanzibar
20 minutes from Stone Town
It is a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, in Zanzibar. People visit during low tides to host special events, watch the sunset, cook, or go snorkeling. Steven Ndukwu accessed the island with his professional tour guide, Ally Jape, on a locally made boat that costs between $30 to $50 for a round trip.
Review: Embarking on this trip to the island is another exciting experience on its own. The water begins to get crystal clear and transparent the closer you get to the island. Nakupenda is undeniably a magical place.
- Prison Island
Changu was the original name for this island until prisons were built on it but never used. Now, it serves as the home for the Aldabra giant tortoises, which are the major attraction of the island. On Prison Island, you can take pictures with the large land tortoises. Don’t forget to stroke their necks— they love that and learn interesting facts about them like that they can live up to 200 years.
Review: You will find birds and other creatures on the island during your visit. When you’re done, you can also do a mini-tour around.
- Stone Town, Zanzibar
Stone Town is a world heritage site at the center of Zanzibar. The name of the city comes from the material used in making most of the houses and structures in the city, coral stones.
Stone Town holds many interesting spots for tourists. You can learn about the cultural fusion that can still be seen in their civilization and unique, cosmopolitan architecture. Or you can visit former slave trade markets, which happen to have been the largest in the world and the last one open. Stone Town and Zanzibar bear a great symbol of slave trade abolishment.
You will find narrow city roads, built that way to preserve the cool breeze from the sea. The wind circulates longer in the narrow alleys than in the open air.
Review: Stone Town architecture has several distinctive features. It is a very beautiful place to be, with so much to do and see. You can watch the boats on the sea at sunset. If you have some time on your hands, you can watch locals jump off the wall into the water, displaying different stunts, in the evening. It is very amusing. If you are lucky enough, they will make a whole show program for you. I’d suggest you spend two nights in Stone Town.
- Forodahni Garden
Later that evening, Steven Ndukwu checked out the famous Forodahni Garden, popular for all of Zanzibar’s street foods, including the well-known Zanzibar pizza.
Review: Make sure you request that the snacks be made fresh for you. I ate a lot of things here and only spent like $10. It is super affordable. Also, the popular Zanzibar pizza? It is more delicious than I thought, at just $2.
- Le Mersenne Resort, South East Zanzibar
Next, Steven headed south to continue his tour. He spent two nights at the Le Mersenne resort. In this hotel, Steven paid 147 dollars per night, and according to him, it was totally worth it. The suite offers a very comfortable stay. But if you wish to try out other accommodation options in Zanzibar, check out Steven’s video on Zanzibar’s most luxurious, 5-star, all-inclusive resorts to see what they offer and their price points.
Review: It is one of the nicest, most affordable, and very popular resorts in this region.
- The Rock
Next was the incredibly picturesque restaurant in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Yes, The Rock Restaurant was built offshore on an outcrop of rock and requires a boat to take you during high tide. Yet this recent eatery has garnered a lot of fame as an icon in just a short time.
Review: The food here can run into hundreds of dollars for a proper 3-course meal. This rock is a charming, exclusive island that, in a very short time, has become an icon on this exotic island.
- Maalum, Zanzibar
Maalum is a unique and natural swimming pool. The name Maalum means special in Swahili.
Review: A special place to just relax and enjoy. I spent the rest of the day just relaxing and enjoying the breeze from the east coast of Zanzibar.
Conclusion
This marks the end of Steven’s journey in the South. Generally, he recommends that you spend at least three nights here before heading to the north.
You have read about the culture and experiences of the south and southeast of Tanzania. Stick around for a most thrilling encounter with wild beasts and an exploration of more of nature’s beautiful scenery as Steven goes into the Safari of Northern Tanzania in the next part of this series.