Matemwe Beach Lodge Zanzibar DAY BY DAY ITINERARY swahili coast safari

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1 Matemwe Beach Lodge Zanzibar DAY BY DAY ITINERARY swahili coast safari DAY 1 TRAVEL DAY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT DAY 2 MATEMWE LODGE ZANZIBAR Swahili Coast Africa s beautiful eastern seaboard is where the Swahili culture began. More than a language, Swahili is a way of being. Swahili is poetry, architecture, flavor, music, and dance. Zanzibar is the ancient capital of this mysterious and exotic land. You approach Zanzibar Island by air, gliding over turquoise seas toward the green island, surrounded by pristine sand, and touching down at Zanzibar s Stone Town airport.. Bush Flight Depart from Dar es Arrive The Zanzibar harbor bustles with yachts, trawlers, ocean going vessels, and sailing downs. In ancient times intrepid mariners came from the farthest reaches of the Indian Ocean into this harbor. They came for island species and exotic treasures from the heart of Africa. Those who stayed brought languages, ideas, and lore from all across the world, blending the culture of Swahili. The language spoken here is a melody of Arabic, Indian, Portuguese, English, French, and African tribal languages. An old and exotic place, one half expects magic lamps, or flying carpets, or even Sinbad the Sailor. Island legends speak of genies. In a place so out-of-the-ordinary it is important to have a guide. Your Deeper Africa guide will meet you once you have cleared customs and immigration. You will recognize him by the Deeper Africa sign with your name on it. He will transport you to the northwest shore of the island to the beautiful beaches at Matemwe and Matemwe Lodge s neighbor, the fishing village of Kigomani. Ease into the rhythm of relaxed island life, planning your day around the tides. Lunch, dinner, and overnight at Matemwe Lodge. ZANZIBAR

2 DAY 3 MATEMWE LODGE ZANZIBAR Assuming it will take you a bit of time to unwind, or learn to plan your day around the tides, we offer the following activities to occupy your time. Snorkel the Mnemba Atoll to view angel fish, butterfly fish, Moorish idols, lion fish, trumpet fish, eels, and more. If you are very lucky, you might encounter a pod of bottlenose dolphins. Zanzibar boasts 150 species of coral and some of the best snorkeling and diving off the coast of Matemwe in the Mnemba Atoll. Reef walk through the shallow lagoon up to the fringing reef during low tide to see octopus, sea stars, and sea cucumbers. Swim; Scuba dive; Stroll the beach; or The Matemwe spa offers massage, facial, manicure, and even henna tattoos. Matemwe has a close relationship with its neighbor, the Kigomani fishing village. This allows you to participate in some unique activities. You can visit Kigomani village stopping by the local fish market, visiting the school, and meet a village family to learn more about the intricacies of daily life on the island. You can go out with village fisherman on a traditional Ngalawa to experience Swahili sailing with the fees for your adventure going directly to the fisherman and the local school. Ngalawa s are made from the trunk of a mango tree. A Matemwe staff member accompanies to assist with translations. The Ngalawa sails for about two hours up and down the coastline, staying close to shore on the inside of the fringing reef. Or try your luck fishing on one of the larger dhow village fishing boats. No expensive state of the art equipment is used, just traditional fishing line, hooks, and nets. This fishing excursion can last up to five hours because of fluctuating tides, as well as the larger distances covered to access the deeper fishing waters towards Mnemba Island. Again, the fees go to the local owner of the boat. A Matemwe staff member accompanies to assist with translations. Dinner and overnight at Matemwe Beach Lodge. Manaager: ZANZIBAR

3 DAY 4 MATEMWE LODGE ZANZIBAR Day by day your senses will adjust to the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Zanzibar. At Matemwe your bungalow opens onto the ocean so you awaken to the sounds of the Indian Ocean. The menus have local dishes and cuisine influenced with local products and spices. You can enjoy traditional Zanzibari coffee and tea each evening, along with Swahili lessons. Swahili dinners are held every Sunday evening with traditional food and the village band is the featured entertainment. Kanga wearing is encouraged. This afternoon your Deeper Africa guide will pick you up to take you to the Nungwi dock. You ll be enjoying the sunset from a traditional Zanzibar dhow sailing boat. The best way to view Zanzibar s tropical sunset is from the deck of the sailing dhow. You ll cruise past the lighthouse and the fishing fleets. If you choose, you can go over to the reefs at Kendwa to enjoy a last bit of snorkeling before the sun goes down. You ll return to Nungwi under the power of sail and enjoy the feeling of the wind at your back. Imagine yourself five hundred years back in time with other Swahili dhows on your horizon. Enjoy and relax. We ll have you back to the lodge for dinner. You can watch the local fishing boats bobbing in the sparkling waves of the morning, or setting out to sea in the late afternoon with their distinctive lateen sails silhouetted against the evening sky. They return early in the morning, around 6 am taking their catch to market. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight at Matemwe Lodge. Dhows Dhows design has changed very little over the centuries. The dhows signature feature is a single triangular sail made from heavy canvas. These sails, called lateen sails, date to the 2nd century and are said to have originated in ancient Egypt. The sail, its free corner secured near the stern, is capable of taking the wind on either side, enabling the vessel to tack into the wind. It was Sinbad s sail of choice Dhows design has changed very little over the centuries. The dhows signature feature is a single triangular sail made from heavy canvas. These sails, called lateen sails, date to the 2nd century and are said to have originated in ancient Egypt. The sail, its free corner secured near the stern, is capable of taking the wind on either side, enabling the vessel to tack into the wind. It was Sinbad s sail of choice. ZANZIBAR TANZANIA EXPLORER

4 DAY 5 MATEMWE LODGE ZANZIBAR Matemwe is on the leading edge of conservation stewardship. For example: Candles and paraffin lamps are used for lighting in the evening rather than electricity. Solar panels are relied upon for essential electricity. Lodge operations are focused on reducing, reusing, and recycling waste to lessen impacts on the environment. The lodge has an impressive recycling program. Plastic is avoided as much as possible with flasks filled with drinking water, both in the rooms and the restaurant. Organic waste is composted and used in the gardens. Matemwe sponsors The Turtle Project set up to protect the endangered Green Turtles on Muyuni Beach, which is about 25 minutes north of Matemwe. The lodge employs a local villager to guard the turtle eggs, take a census of the hatched baby turtles, and make sure the baby turtles return safely to the sea. The egg locations are secret known only to the turtle watcher and the Matemwe managers. There are currently between 200 and 250 eggs that have been buried. Hatching season is between August and September. Matemwe operates carbon neutral through a partnership with CarbonTanzania. CarbonTanzania supports the protection of already growing forests in Tanzania. Matemwe pays a monthly fee to the local village to extract sea water (which is treated and used at the lodge). Woven coconut products are used for lampshades, baskets, and bins as they can be recycled. Old Ngalawa boats are bought from local fisherman and used to make furniture. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight at Matemwe Lodge. ZANZIBAR TANZANIA EXPLORER

5 DAY 6 KISIWA HOUSE STONE TOWN Breakfast and lunch at Matemwe Lodge. Your Deeper Africa guide will pick you up after lunch and get your luggage loaded in our van. You ll be visiting the Kaldichi Spice Farms this afternoon. Here farmers produce cloves, star fruit, cinnamon, lemon grass, tangerines, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, mangosteen, vanilla, and paprika. As you walk through the farms, you ll savor all of the fruits and spices that you have known on your grocery shelves. You might even make some new discoveries. In Zanzibar, spices are just as important today as they were a thousand years ago. After you leave the spice farm we ll take you up to see the ruins at the Kidichi Persian Baths. Tonight you ll be staying in Stone Town, an ancient city with narrow streets just wide enough for a donkey cart or two. Kisiwa House is a beautifully restored Swahili house with gracious Swahili hospitality. After you settle in, you ll be guided through Stone Town s maze of streets, to climb up to the beautiful roof top deck at Maru Maru. View the old city under the sunset and enjoy a cool drink. UNESCO includes Stone Town on its list of 100 most important towns and cities in the world, an important example of cultural fusion and harmonization. Dr. David Livingstone said this about Stone Town in 1866: This is the finest place I have known in all Africa to rest before my final journey. An illusive place where nothing is as it seems. I am mesmerized. Overnight at Kisiwa House with dinner at the rooftop restaurant, Darini. Darini serves traditional and continental specialties inspired by the island s spices and flavors. IBAR DAY 7 ZANZIBAR

6 DAY 7 KISIWA HOUSE ZANZIBAR 5 Breakfast at Kisiwa House. We ll pick you up at 8:30 am for a morning walking tour of Stone Town. Stone Town is a magical labyrinth of narrow twisting streets and bustling bazaars. Bazaar stalls and street vendors can be found in all but the quietest spots. There are fresh vegetables for sale, baskets of tropical fruits, and an amazing seafood market with some exotic catches. The houses are whitewashed stucco rising up unevenly three to four stories above the street. Lights and shadows dance across the alleys. Its unique architecture includes brass studded and carved wooden doors. Ornately carved doors belong to an ancient tradition originating from the countries of the Persian Gulf. Oral tradition tells us that the custom in Stone Town was to carve, then erect, the frame of the door before building the walls around it. Explorer Richard Burton commented in 1857: [T]he higher the tenement, the bigger the gateway, the heavier the padlock and the huger the iron studs that nail the door to the heavy timber, the greater is the owner s dignity. During your walking tour of Stone Town you ll visit the Anglican Cathedral built in 1874 on the site of the former slave market. Slavery was abolished in 1873 by decree of the Sultan of Zanzibar. The somber Slavery Monument stands outside. You ll be able to visit the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar, Tippu Tip s House (an infamous slave trader), the Old Fort, the House of Wonders, and the home of David Livingstone. Enjoy lunch at Kisiwa House and take time this afternoon to relax or explore Stone Town. At mid-afternoon your guide will join you to enjoy a traditional spiced coffee at the Zanzibar Coffee House in Stone Town. You ll have a fun evening with dinner and live music at the Mercury Café, opened by one of Zanzibar s most famous son s, Freddie Mercury, from the band Queen. Mercury Café is at the heart of the Zanzibar music scene. Overnight at Kisiwa House. ZANZIBAR

7 DAY 8 STONE TOWN ZANZIBAR Breakfast at Kisiwa House. Morning free to wander the maze of streets and alleyways in Stone Town. For lunch you ll be the guest of a local Stone Town family, for a traditional Zanzibari meal served Zanzibar style. Stone Town s architecture is a blend of the Arab, Indian, European, and African influences on the island. Arab traders came to Zanzibar in the 8th century. For centuries, the Arabs sailed with the monsoon winds trading in ivory, spices, and slaves. The Portuguese established a permanent settlement on the site of Stone Town in the 16th century originally for provisioning and repairs on voyages to the Far East. Gold, ivory, ebony and slaves from the interior were carried to Portuguese colonies in India or back to Portugal. Iron ore, garnets, coconut fiber and gum-copal (a tree resin) were also exported. The first English ships sailed into the harbor in Soon, more European ships were calling at Zanzibar on their way to and from the Indian subcontinent and islands of the East Indies. But, over time the Portuguese position began to weaken. In 1890 Zanzibar became a British protectorate. Dinner & overnight at Kisiwa House. ZANZIBAR

8 ADDITIONAL SWAHILI COAST INFORMATION INCLUDED IN YO UR S WAHILI COAST EXTENSIO N Full board accommodations All meals All park and entrance fees Enrollment with Flying Doctors Evacuation Service All in-country transportation Laundry available Bottled water available at all times Extensive pre-departure briefing and materials including health information, reading list and map Schedule as you wish June through March CUSTOM DEP ARTURE D ATES Schedule as you wish January, March, or June through October, CUSTOM DEP ARTURE D ATES 6 persons $3,499 USD per person 4 persons $3,599 USD per person 2 persons $3,599 USD per person Single supplement $1,449 USD EXCLUDED FROM YOUR SWAHILI COAST EXTENSIO N Alcohol and some beverages Gratuities Also, Deeper Africa uses best efforts to provide the lodging set out in this itinerary, but occasionally there are circumstances that occur in East Africa that require lodging substitutions. We reserve the right to make comparable lodging substitutions whenever necessary. *Pricing based on high season pricing. Call us about green season or peak season pricing Arrivals and departures out of Dar es Salaam International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Prices do not include air travel. ZANZIBAR