2-Hour Quad Tour of Villages and Coast, Nungwi

Nungwi, the fishing village at the northern tip of Zanzibar

Nungwi sits at the very top of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar, about an hour and a quarter by road from Stone Town. Behind the resort beach is a real working village where wooden dhows are still built by hand on the sand, fishermen land their catch in the early morning and the lanes between coral-stone houses lead to the Ras Nungwi lighthouse. A Nungwi quad tour starts right here, so the first minutes of the ride already pass the boat yards, the fish market area and the daily life that most beach guests never see.

The quads are automatic and easy to handle, and the route out of the village uses sandy tracks rather than the main road. If you are wondering what to do in Nungwi beyond the beach, this is the answer that takes the least planning: we collect you at your hotel, the briefing takes a few minutes and within half an hour you are riding through countryside with the sea behind you.

Kendwa Beach and the north-west coast

Kendwa lies a few kilometres south-west of Nungwi and is known for the widest, most swimmable beach in the north, where the tide goes out far less than on the east coast. The quad route links the two villages by the inland tracks and comes out at coastal viewpoints where the water shades from pale green over the sand to deep blue past the reef. These coast stretches are the photo moments of the ride, especially in the late afternoon when the sun drops over the sea on this side of the island.

Guests staying in Kendwa are collected there in the same way as in Nungwi, and the ride is the same loop seen from the other direction. Whether you ask how to get to Kendwa from Nungwi or the other way round, the quad is the most enjoyable answer: the lanes are flat, mostly sand and coral gravel, and the guide sets a speed that suits the group.

Villages and farmland inland

The heart of this tour is the countryside between the two coasts, where the north of Zanzibar is still farmed by hand. The tracks pass small plots of cassava, bananas, papaya and coconut palms, cattle tethered under mango trees, and village squares with a mosque, a school and a shop or two. Children wave, goats cross the path and the smell of wood smoke and the sea mixes in the air. Riding slowly through here is a very different experience of Zanzibar village life from the view through a car window.

The guide stops in a village for a short break with the refreshments that are included, and this is where many guests take their best photos of the day. Please ask before photographing people, dress modestly off the beach, and keep to the track so that the quads do not damage crops. The whole loop takes about two hours with the stops.

Riding a quad in Zanzibar: what to expect

No previous experience is needed. The quads have automatic gearboxes, so there is no clutch or gear changing, and the briefing before the ride covers starting, braking, turning on sand and the hand signals the guide uses. A helmet is provided and should be worn for the whole ride. The tracks are dry and sandy for most of the year; after rain they can be muddy, which is part of the fun but worth knowing when you choose your clothes.

Is a Nungwi quad tour worth it? For anyone who wants to see the villages and farmland behind the beach in a short time, yes. The best time to ride is early morning or from about four in the afternoon, when the light is soft and the heat has eased. Bring sunglasses or a scarf for the dust, closed shoes, sunscreen and a small bottle of water, and leave valuables at the hotel. Lunch is not included, so plan your meal before or after the ride.