Private Kuza Cave, Jozani Forest and Paje Beach Day Tour

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park and the red colobus

Jozani Chwaka Bay is Zanzibar's only national park, a belt of groundwater forest, coral-rag thicket and mangroves about thirty-five kilometres south-east of Stone Town, on the road to Paje. Its star is the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found nowhere else on earth, with a rust-red back, black face and a white crown of hair. Families of colobus feed in the trees beside the trails and are used to quiet visitors, so a Jozani Forest tour almost always brings you close to them, though wild animals move freely and sightings are never guaranteed.

A guided walk along the shaded forest trail and the raised boardwalk through the mangroves takes about an hour and a quarter. Jozani Forest opening hours run from early morning to late afternoon every day; the park entrance fee is paid at the gate. Visiting in the morning, as this private tour does, is the best time to see the colobus active and to enjoy the forest before the heat.

Kuza Cave, the freshwater pool of Jambiani

Kuza Cave lies in the village of Jambiani, a short drive south of Paje. It is a limestone cave with a pool of crystal-clear freshwater fed from below, where light falls through the opening and turns the water a deep turquoise. The cave has long been a sacred place for the villagers, and a small cultural centre beside it shares Swahili traditions, drumming and crafts. A swim in Kuza Cave is cool and silent after the heat outside, and most guests spend about an hour between the water and the shaded garden.

How to get to Kuza Cave is easy on this private tour: it is on the way between Jozani and the southern tip, and the entrance fee is paid on site. Bring swimwear under your clothes and a towel. There are simple changing areas, and the pool is deep enough that non-swimmers should stay on the steps or use a float.

Salaam Cave and its turtle pool near Mtende

Salaam Cave sits near the village of Mtende, close to Makunduchi at the southern tip of Zanzibar. It is a natural karst pool in a cave where turtles are kept and fed, and guests can enter the water and swim alongside them under the guidance of the keepers. The water is clear and sheltered, the cave walls give welcome shade, and the experience of a turtle gliding past at arm's length is a favourite with children and adults alike.

Is Salaam Cave worth visiting? For most families, yes: it is a gentle, easy swim rather than an open-sea snorkel, and it takes about forty-five minutes including feeding time. Please be respectful of the animals: no grabbing, no chasing and no sunscreen in the water, so apply it well before. The entrance fee is paid on site, and our guide handles the arrangements so that you simply enjoy the stop.

The Rock viewpoint at Michamvi Pingwe

On the way back north along the coast the tour stops at Pingwe, on the Michamvi peninsula, where The Rock stands on a coral outcrop a short distance from the beach. At low tide you can walk across the sand to it; at high tide it is surrounded by water and reached by a small boat. It is the most photographed spot on the east coast, and the view of the turquoise lagoon and the reef beyond is worth the stop whether or not you go inside.

This is a photo stop of about twenty minutes. If you would like to eat there, the restaurant takes reservations and meals are at your own expense; tell us when booking and we will try to help with a table. Otherwise there are plenty of places for lunch in Paje and Jambiani, and the guide will suggest options that suit your tastes.

Paje Beach, the white sand of the south-east coast

Paje Beach is a long stretch of soft white sand facing a shallow lagoon protected by a reef far offshore. It is famous for its kitesurfing winds, the women who farm seaweed in the shallows at low tide and the relaxed village atmosphere of guesthouses and cafes behind the palms. The lagoon is best for swimming around high tide, when the water comes up to the sand; at low tide you can walk a long way out over the sandflats and seaweed gardens.

The tour ends with free time here, typically an hour or more depending on how long you spent at the earlier stops, which is the advantage of a private day. Best time to visit Paje Beach for a swim is mid to high tide, and our guide plans the order of the day around it where possible. Afterwards our driver takes you back to your hotel, wherever you stay on the island.