From Pemba Island to Zanzibar: Diving and Culture in Tanzania
Rachel, Jamie and Jacqui are here to help give you the inside track.
On this two-week trip to Tanzania, hop between the spice isles of Pemba and Zanzibar, diving with everything from pelagics to macro critters and discovering local culture and conservation initiatives.
Begin in Pemba Island, where warm waters, fantastic visibility and thriving reefs are the order of the day. Alongside the Manta Resort's stellar dive team, you'll have the chance to discover a range of dive sites, from their House Reef to the far-flung Njao and Fundu Gaps. When you're not out spotting reef sharks, green turtles, tropical fish and nudibranchs, while away the hours relaxing on the sand or dipping your toes in the sea - the world (by which we mean Pemba) is your oyster.
Then, it's onto Zanzibar, home to buzzing Stone Town and dotted with beautiful beaches. In between strolling the streets, sipping sundowners and trying your hand at kitesurfing, you'll have the chance to visit a successful and sustainable sponge farm, whose conservationist efforts have changed the lives of the local community. Postcard-perfect landscapes and positive change? Now that's a getaway to remember.
Itinerary at a Glance:
- Dive in the pristine waters around Pemba Island, looking out for napoleon wrasse, turtles and sharks
- Head out to the Njao and Fundu Gaps for a range of wall and drift sites
- Visit a local sponge farm in Zanzibar, where you can observe how sustainable aquafarming is supporting the local community
- Discover the urban hub of Stone Town, Zanzibar's historic centre
- Relax on the beach, sip sundowners and indulge in spa treatments overlooking the sea
Why Book with Original Diving?
- 100% Carbon Off-setting
- UK Departure Assistance
- Fast Track UK Check-in
- Fast Track UK Security
- UK Airport Lounge Access
- Pre-booked Airline Seats
When To Travel
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
Days 1 & 2: En route to Pemba
Bags packed and sunnies at the ready: your Tanzanian dive adventure begins today. Head to the airport, speed through security and enjoy some nibbles in the airport lounge before boarding your overnight flight to Zanzibar. With a quick stopover in Doha, the journey will take around 13 and a half hours, so throw on your eye mask and try to catch some sleep.
After touching down the next morning, it's another flight (last one, we promise) from Zanzibar to Pemba Island, a short 30-minute hop away. When you arrive, meet your private driver for the hour-and-a-half private transfer to the Manta Resort, your home for the next five nights.
Check in and settle down for a delicious lunch of fresh fish, then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing after your journey, whether you'd rather stop by the dive centre to discuss the next few days of diving, sunbathe on the shore or jump straight into bed for a post-flight nap (we wouldn't blame you). Then, come dinnertime, head out for your first taste of Tanzanian fare - our local Concierge is on hand to recommend their favourite spots.
Days 3 - 5: Diving at the Manta Resort
The next three days are entirely dedicated to diving the waters surrounding Pemba Island. With thriving reefs, fantastic visibility and bath-warm waters - not to mention the Manta Resort's five-star PADI dive centre and expert team - your two daily dives are sure to be nothing short of fantastic.
Close to home, you can dive the resort's house reef, keeping an eye out for teeny nudibranchs hiding within the coral bommies, as well as large eye squid and octopus. A little further out, you'll find a wealth of fantastic sites, from exhilarating drift dives and pelagic-spotting in the Swiss Reef to the tropical fish-dotted sands of the Shimba Hills.
Fancy heading out even further? Hop aboard a boat to the Njao or Fundu Gap, both of which offer five dive sites, strong currents and fantastic coral formations. If you're struggling to decide which to visit, a couple of tips from us: the Njao Gap is best for bumbling Napoleon wrasse and green turtles, while the Fundu Gap is a paradise for macro lovers. Eyes peeled…
Day 6: Relax on Pemba Island
Today is yours for the taking, starting with a leisurely breakfast. If you can't quite tear yourself away from the water, opt to snorkel in the Kwanini Marine Protected Area, a half-mile stretch of sea carefully preserved by the Manta Resort. These conservation efforts have led to an explosion of fish life, making this underwater experience one to remember.
If you'd rather a day on solid ground, simply dive into your holiday read, stroll along the sand or top up your holiday tan. Then, enjoy a slow sundowner overlooking the beach - tomorrow, you're off on your next adventure.
Day 7: Hello, Zanzibar
After one last morning spent soaking in the views, grab your bags and meet your driver for the 90-minute transfer back to Pemba Airport. From here, it's another speedy 30-minute flight to Zanzibar, where you'll be met and transferred an hour and a half to your hotel on the east coast.
When you arrive, drop your bags and divvy up the sides of the bed before enjoying a relaxing afternoon at your hotel. Sip a drink at the bar, sunbathe on your terrace or soothe any aching muscles at the spa - bliss.
Day 8: Visit a local sponge farm
If snorkelling in Pemba's Kwanini Marine Conservation Reserve sparked your interest in marine conservation, you're in luck: today, you'll be visiting a local sponge farm.
This morning, you'll be picked up and transferred ten minutes to Jimbiani, where marine organisations have established ecological sponge farms to reduce pressure on natural resources and create a new future for the locals, the vast majority of whom are women aiming to provide for their children. Unlike pearl or fish farms, sponge farms can be set up with minimal resources and without negatively impacting surrounding natural sponges or coral, making aquafarming them a valuable endeavour for both the marine and local populations.
Once you arrive, you'll be briefed on the practice of tending the sponges before wading out into the water to explore the farm. Your guide, an expert sponge farmer, will then show you how to clean the line that cultivates the young sponges, making sure they're attached securely and checking for any signs of disease to be trimmed away. Talk about a bucket list experience…
Days 9 - 11: Explore Zanzibar
Spend the next few days exploring Zanzibar to your heart's content, taking in the postcard-perfect beaches, rich history and thriving community of this vibrant island. While you're here, make sure to take a day trip to UNESCO-listed Stone Town, Zanzibar's historic centre, which once acted as a hub for the spice, silk and slave trades and is now a thriving urban city.
Prefer to live it up, island-style? Treat yourself to a massage at the spa, slather yourself in SPF and hit the sand or enjoy a leisurely stroll, breathing in the salty sea air. If you'd like to get back onto the water, you could also try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking or kitesurfing, or mask up once more for a few extra hours of diving.
End each day salt-speckled, sun-kissed and satisfied, tucking into ultra-fresh seafood and sipping ice-cold sundowners. This is the life.
Days 12 & 13: Return home
It's sadly time to leave paradise behind and begin the journey home. Spend one final morning enjoying the sun and sand before heading to the airport for your overnight journey home.
With another quick connection through Doha, the journey takes just over 15 hours, and you'll arrive back in the UK early the following day, ready to research your next island adventure…
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
A Rough Idea of Price
This Itinerary
If you would like to book the exact itinerary mentioned above, with economy flights, during mid-season and staying in our preferred room category at our preferred hotels.
From
£7,800pp
Bare Necessities
If you would like to pare back the above itinerary by travelling at non-peak times, staying in a standard room and removing some or all of the guided activities.
From
£6,500pp
Bells & Whistles
If you are looking for something extra special and would like to add business or first class flights, stay in top room categories at some of the most luxurious hotels we work with, and add more activities and guiding.
From
£8,450pp
Rachel, Jamie and Jacqui are our experts for this itinerary and as seasoned travellers they have the inside track on the most memorable adventures.