Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar – Tanzania
Zanzibar consists of 2 Islands – Pemba Island in the North and Unguja Island in the South.
Zanzibar was the first region in Africa to introduce colour television in 1973
The musician Farrokh Bulsara (a.k.a Freddie Mercury) of Queen was born in Unguja, Zanzibar on September 5, 1946 to Indian parents who were employed by the British colonial administration. There is also a restaurant named 'Mercurys' on the beachfront of Stone Town. In September 2006, a radical Islamic group on the archipelago, Uamsho, forced organizers to abandon plans to mark his 60th birthday, saying he violated Islam with his openly gay lifestyle.
The Capital of Zanzibar is situated on Unguja Island and the city's old quarter, known as Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site.
Today Zanzibar is most well known for its pearly white beaches, turquoise waters and as an ideal location for cocktails as the sun sets over the horizon. Its past however, is not as blemish free.
In the 9th century African’s were taken from Zanzibar to the lower Iraq region to drain marshes and to labour in the salt mines of Basra. In the 1740’s, Omani Arabs defeated the Portuguese and took over their rule in Zanzibar; they are thought to be responsible for a great deal of the exploitation of slaves right up until the 19th Century. The 18th Century saw the demand for labour grow, especially in the sugar producing colonies such as the West Indies, Brazil, French colonies and the Middle East. Even Zanzibar’s own clove industry was demanding a large labour force at this time. As the island was well situated on the Dhow routes this made transport easy and it underwent rapid growth through slave trading.
In 1822 the Moresby treaty was signed between the Sultan (who had his palaces on the island) and European representatives prohibiting the purchase of human lives, and in 1841 a British consul was assigned to Zanzibar with the main task of monitoring the anti-slavery movement (as there was still a large underground trade operating). However, it was only in 1876 that the Sultan Seyyid Barghash finally agreed and slavery was prohibited from along the coastal routes and the interior.
The island came under British rule in 1890 and in 1896, after the death of the Sultan his cousin attempted a Coup which resulted in the shortest war in history – lasting only 45 minutes. Zanzibar was granted independence in 1963. Zanzibar &Tanganyika united in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar still has a large degree of autonomy from the mainland I .e. separate constitution, cabinet and parliament dealing with justice.
When doing the optional 3 night excursion to Zanzibar, the clients have the freedom to explore the island as per their own interests. The Tour Leader accompanies the group to help with bookings, transfers and other information and most clients tend to stick together and spend either the first or the last night in Stone Town, and the other 2 nights at one of the beaches (most commonly Nungwi in the north). Accommodation in budget rooms (they supply linen and towels and most have en-suite facilities) is loosely reserved for the groups but depending on the level of comfort the client requires, some prefer to do their own booking e.g. East Coast resorts or 3* type depending on individual budgets. The cheapest accommodation available (budget rooms) costs US$15 per person sharing and includes a traditional breakfast (egg, fruit, bread, jam, tea/coffee). The lodges have a lock up/safe available for clients to put their valuables (passports, excess money etc). All activities available on the Island are booked on site with the local operators and can be paid in US$ Cash or in local Tanzanian Shillings (see below or ‘Things to do’ list on our website). Banks are available in Stone Town and offer a competitive rate with their counterparts on the mainland. They change travellers cheques, accept credit cards for withdrawals (most shops don’t accept credit cards) as well as some visa linked debit cards. There are also automatic teller machines (ATM/Hole in the wall/Cash Machine) where they can draw money. Please note that they will draw local currency on all of the above and should the client require US Dollars, they will need to go to an exchange bureau and ‘buy back’ US$. The ferry arrives from Dar es Salaam to Stone Town where the clients will be collected by a pre-arranged (Tour Leader will arrange this) transfer and driven to a central meeting point. From here the clients can transfer to their own pre-booked accommodation or choose to stay with the group. On the day of their return to Dar es Salaam, the tour leader will once again meet the clients at this point, and transfer to the ferry station and customs house as a group. Please note that the ferry ticket is included in the tour price and should the clients be extending their stay, the ticket dates can be changed at no extra cost to the client. Food is widely available on the island and there are restaurants that cater to every taste. The Forodhani market in Stone Town is open every night with a wide array of sea food and local dishes prepared straight from the fishermen. On average a meal at a restaurant costs around US$5-8 depending on what is ordered. A beer costs around US$ 1.5-2 and cocktails with locally grown and produced fruit juices around $5 (definitely recommended J)
Activities:
Diving – this is one of the most popular and definitely recommended. Divers should make sure they bring their diving ticket (PADI, NAUI etc). Costs aprox. US$50-75 depending on number of dives taken and diving school used (many choices available so it is easy to ‘shop around’ for the best deal).
Spice Tour – This one sounds boring, but is actually one of the most worthwhile excursions as it combines quite a bit of culture along with the unusually interesting spice plantations. Sample various fruits and spices that are in season as well as learning of the medicinal and cosmetic uses. Aprox. US$ 25
Dolphin Tour – Although a lot of operators sell this one as ‘swimming with the dolphins’ it is actually more a trip out to see dolphins in their natural habitat. Costs aprox. US$35
Snorkeling – Most commonly done from the North beach, clients are taken out on a Dhow (local boat) to one of the reefs or atolls. This usually takes most of the day and includes lunch. Cost aprox. US$25-40 depending on where they go.
Go to tours that include Zanzibar
Mail your needs with clear specifications, and with definites booked...i.e
" Looking for a 4 day Kruger accommodated departing Johannesburg, 2 people,
budget R8000pp or less
Flights booked for arrival Jo'burg Monday 20 Oct 10h00 locally from Cape Town,
and departure to Germany 19h50 Fr 24 Oct.
We want to have 1 nightdrive and 1 walk included"