Seaweed is one of Zanzibar’s export products, it employs a large number of village women around the Islands for years, who cultivate and sell it to earn their daily income. The tour starts with a visit of Paje Seaweed Center to get hands-on experience of the seaweed farm with the locals. Test a seaweed juice and see how the seaweed organic products are made. A visit to the shop will be one of the interesting things, to support the villagers by buying organic products made from the seaweed. After the Seaweed Center we will drive to nearby village of Jambiani. Kuza Cave is where you will see artifacts from the cave and a timeline of Swahili history going back to the beginning of our story as humans originating in East Africa. You will discover the ancient limestone cave and crystal clear healing mineral water pool. You will participate in 45 minutes of dance / drum lesson.
NOTE: Please note that the schedule of this tour can change depending on tides on the day of tour.
We spent the day taking a boat out to Tumbatu Island and then took a tour of the old ruins, the school, beautiful trees, and were able to meet and… read more one of the several natural healers on the island. The healer shared how he is able to understand how chronic or acute your condition is through gathering some data about you. It was so interesting to learn about these wise healers on the island. First though, the boat ride out to the island was awesome. The water was a gorgeous turquoise and we were able to see fishermen catch octopus and many varieties of fish, from their hand-made nets, which we ended up buying for lunch right from the water after the fishermen just caught them. It was so amazing to see. Next, we were dropped off on a sandbank and were able to see so many beautiful marine life followed by beautiful snorkeling off of the sandbank. Then we walked around the island some seeing children at school studying or hearing them chant their Islamic prayers. We were then treated to our amazing vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch after visiting some of the ruins from prior royalty. The trip was so special and Halisi tours was such a great operator. Halisi Tours attend to all the small details and are simply the best tours I have taken during my travels to Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia. I highly recommend them above all others!
Michele R May 17, 2021
We wanted an authentic African experience in Zqnzibar and we decided to visit Tumbatu island. This was the best decision! We came accross Hamza and he organized everything really well.… read more He was flexible with our changing plans and has welcomed us warmly. Then we visited a local market and although we are experienced travelers we would never find small local spots Hamza and his guide have shown us. The journey to the island was pleasant and then visiting the village – OMG, we really recommend it. We ate local fruit and food, which is an important part for us. Drink home made mango juice rather then coke or fanta! I will keep some secrets so you can have an adventure as we had but you can trust Hamza as he will be right there with you, taking care and having fun at the same time. Enjoy!
spelcashantim March 2, 2022
I did more than one activity. I went for Kilimanjaro climb, Safari,snorkeling ,Beach on Zanzibar and spices tour.they we’re all well organized
Riomkn1943 February 19, 2022
This class was such a delight in so many ways. Hamza met us at the hotel and took us to the local market with Miriam to buy all the… read more ingredients for the meals. We were given a myriad of choices on what we wanted to cook that day. Miriam is such a is such a joy to spend time with and she hand Hamza not only explained the recipes and how to cook, but also gave us historical and cultural perspective on food, Stonetown, and anything else we wanted to ask about regarding their experiences in Zanzibar. We chose pumpkin soup, rice pilau, chicken curry, and coconut/cinnamon/cardamom/banana dessert. It was one of the best meals we ate in Zanzibar. Looking forward to receiving the recipes to try to recreate the island at home. It was all so much fun and so delicious all rolled up into one authentic and perfect experience. We also went to Miriam’s Baboo Beach Cafe for dinner that night. We would highly recommend you put this on your Zanzibar list of things to do!
katierA2557SH December 17, 2022
Zanzibar is quite the honeymoon destination, and Halisi Africa tours mostly deal with private tours, so it is sometimes lonely. Having said that, Hamza my tour guide was fantastic throughout… read more the trip, offering competitive prices and accommodating my schedule. I would suggest contacting him through whatsapp and arranging your whole stay (other tours) with him too, he won’t disappoint.
852zakr July 30, 2021
Hamza is an incredible tour guide. We recommend him 10/10! In fact, we had plans to use a different tour company on Wednesday and Friday, with Hamza’s Stone Town and… read more Spice Plantation tour landing on the Thursday in between. We ended up canceling with the other company for Friday and using Hamza instead because he was just that awesome. The other company wasn’t bad per say (they facilitated the things we hired them to arrange), but Hamza was much friendlier and enthusiastic about the work he is doing here.
He is from the islands and loves being Pemban/Zanzibari. It shows through the thorough tours that he gives and the way he interacts with all of the people around. It seems like he knows everyone! He bought us some local snacks to try (make sure you eat the Zanzibari Mix in Stone Town!!), gave us an incredible tour of Stone Town and then the Spice Farms.
We didn’t want just a facilitator, but we wanted a guide…someone who could answer our questions and really help us get to know the Zanzibari culture. His English is excellent!
We also went to the Nakupenda Sand Bar and then to Prison Island with him, as well. He built sand castles with our kids, showed us around and made us feel like family.
Book with him – you won’t regret it!!
hannaliv1122 August 1, 2022
This tour with Halisi Africa Tours is a must! It provides an in depth look at the variety of fruits and spices found in Zanzibar and our guide Hamza… read more was amazing in his knowledge and expertise on the vast array of flora grown. The knowledge we gained was unmatched as we dove deep into the numerous ways that these spices are utilized in herbal medicines and immunity enhancement. Additionally you also get to taste, smell, and experience a variety of fruits and spices, making it an integral part of the Zanzibar experience!
Michele R February 21, 2021
Swahili cooking experience: – Hamza and Mariam took us to the market to collect the ingredients.
We choose and collect fresh vegetables this was a great experience. At Marium house in the middle of… read more Stone town, we cooked varieties of dishes including pilau, fish curry, chapati, and coconut ripe plantain with different spices. The food was very delicious and healthy and it was a great experience.
Bassti1902 February 24, 2020
Nature Lovers Forest Excursion – Halisi Africa Tours is the best company I have found on the island of Zanzibar. We visited Jozani Forest and mangrove with our guide Hamza for a half day… read more tour and loved it. The company goes beyond normal tour agencies and makes you feel like family. We loved seeing the Red Colobus monkeys, walking through the beautiful forests of mahogany, strangler fig, and Eucalyptus and dropping early seedlings into the mangrove. Highly recommend this lovely visit with Halisi Tours!