Day 7: Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

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A fantastic way to end a safari trip is on a beach and Zanzibar is the perfect choice. It is close to safari camps, easy to access, relatively inexpensive and has the allure of the exotic: spice plantations (you can smell the cloves and cinnamon), white coral beaches, a thriving Arab culture and the crystalline Indian Ocean peppered with traditional dhows and fishing boats.

Getting to Zanzibar

With labyrinthine alleys, crumbing buildings and massive carved and studded wood doors, Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is best experienced by wandering through the narrow streets

From Ngorongoro you will be driven back to Manyara airstrip and flown to Kilimanjaro to pick up a flight to Zanzibar Airport, on the west coast of the island. Alternately you can fly to Dar es Salaam and take a ferry, but this is only advised if you have time and want to check out Dar. The Zanzibar airport is a 15-min taxi ride from Stone Town, the old city and cultural center of the island.

With labyrinthine alleys, crumbing buildings and massive carved and studded wood doors, Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is best experienced by wandering through the narrow streets stopping at antique shops, woodcarving studios and spice markets, and perhaps buying a colorful painting or watercolor from a local artist. Please note that Stone Town has a conservative Muslim community so it’s respectful to dress modestly. Sleeveless tops for men and women are not recommended, nor above-the-knee skirts or shorts for women.

Where to Stay in Stone Town

If you prefer a resort-like atmosphere, with a pool perched on the Ocean’s edge, and where you can watch the dhows sail across the water from your private patio, the Zanzibar Serena Inn is for you. This charming hotel has spacious rooms with individual balconies, classic furnishings and fabrics, and the obligatory mosquito netting over the bed. The restaurant and grounds are lovely, and the location, a 5-minute walk from ‘downtown’ Stone Town, is ideal after a day spent in the bustling center.

Should you prefer to be in the heart of Stone Town, Emerson & Green, tucked away on a tiny alley, offers an array of rooms and suites with romantic names like ‘Sultan’s Suite’, ‘Lavender’ & ‘Crystal’. Each room is unique, with customary Zanzibar mother-of-pearl inlaid dark wood tables, brass bed frames, rattan and velvet chairs Indian silk-covered divans and bedding.

To Do in Stone Town

Shop for gifts and souvenirs at the many vendors, ranging from chic home ware boutiques to curio bazaars. Handmade soaps, fabric-wrapped spice packets, carved wood serving pieces, antique maps, and cookbooks are plentiful. In the streets artists sell brightly painted canvases featuring decorative animals and stylized Masai figures.

Have a drink on the roof of Emerson & Green for the best view in town. You’ll truly feel like a sultan while lounging on low benches, enveloped in pillows, gazing over the rooftops, minarets and church spires as the sun slowly sets.

Arrange for a Spice Tour in the interior of the island. This can be done en route to your beach hotel.

Enjoy a cardamom coffee at a café or hotel. This intensely spiced coffee is delicious and a specialty of the region.