Chole Mjini Mafia Island swahili coast safari DAY BY DAY ITINERARY DAY 1 TRAVEL DAY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT DAY 2 Sleep in a Tree House All of the rooms at Chole Mjini are in tree houses constructed in baobab trees. Up there in the canopy the breeze is cool and you can see out on the beautiful Indian Ocean. (There is one room on the ground for anyone who doesn t want a tree house.) Chole has a very fun, rustic, and adventurous feel. Bring your sense of humor. This is a jungle island retreat. There are lots of things to do at Chole Mjini. Coastal Bush Flight Departs Dar es Salaam @ 10:45 Arrive Chole bush strip @ 11:15 Chole Mjini staff will be waiting for you at the Mafia Island airstrip. You ll load onto a boat and begin your adventures as you cross a shallow bay to another very small island. Imagine Robinson Crusoe wading from his boat to the island when the tide is high and you will make a proper entrance. Shorts are the proper wading attire. The staff will get your bags from the boat into your tree house. Lunch will be ready after you arrive. Meals are served in an open lounge reading room. and there is a bar with a great view to watch the sun set over the Swahili islands. Lunch, dinner, and overnight at Chole Mjini. CHOLE MJINI MAFIA ISLAND 888.658.7102 1 1 1
DAY 3 The Chole lodge is set close to the vine-covered ruins of an ancient abandoned Swahili settlement. It shares the island with a vibrant village of local farmers and fisherman. Only 900 people call Mafia Island home and 70% of them are under 18. You don t see anything tourists on Mafia Island. There are no souvenir shops to speak of and you can walk along the beach, or through town, without being bothered. If you have dreamed of being an archeologist ask one of the Chole guides to take you over to the Swahili ruins for a tour and look around. Learn about the vibrant Shriazi ancient Swahili trading culture that sailed along these shores moving goods by boat from Africa to Europe, India, and the Arab peninsula. Now they are overgrown ruins. The villagers are the descendants of these ancient people. Mafia Island s Marine Park has extraordinary reefs and dive sites. You can view over 400 species of coral. Green and Hawksbill turtle nest on the outer beaches of Mafia between July and November and you can watch the turtle hatchings monitored by the Sea Sense Project. Jean and Anne de Villiers, owners of Chole Mjini, will assist you in planning and setting up all your activities. Chole is family owned, so it is very kid friendly. Doesn t every kid want to sleep in a tree house? And be honest, haven t you always wanted to sleep in a tree house? Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Chole Mjini. CHOLE MJINI MAFIA ISLAND 888.658.7102 2
DAY 4 Chole donates a part of the money it earns to support development projects in the nearby village. They also train and hire staff from the village. In fact, all of the staff is from the local village. That means you are always welcome there. A per person bed night levy goes to the local village and a Harambee Committee makes decisions about how to use the funds. This collaboration between Chole Mjini and the village of Chole works. Locals benefit from tourism and tourists get a unique, private place to enjoy. While you are in the village visit one of the projects your tourism supports; the health centre, the kindergarten, the women s centre, and the Market and community centre. Chole has assisted the village in making major improvements in the education system on the island. The goal is to provide an education that will allow the children to grow up and be able to compete for jobs on mainland Tanzania. Food at Chole Mjini is strongly influenced by Swahili cooking. Fish is freshly caught and delivered daily with vegetables grown right on the island. Special meal requests are easily accommodated. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Chole Mjini. Swim with the Whale Sharks The snorkeling and diving at Chole are outstanding. During the months of November to April you can swim with the whale sharks as they migrate through the Swahili islands. Kiti Kublu ensures that you have responsible encounters with whale sharks and humpback whales. You can cruise out on the water in a local boat, called a dhow, with experienced crew to keep you safe. Or just walk the beautiful white sand beaches. Alone. Or swim in the warm Indian Ocean perhaps visiting your own private sandbar for a lunch picnic. Alone. Or curl up with a good book in your tree house up there with the birds. Chole Mjini is definitely off the path. It is a very unique place. CHOLE MJINI MAFIA ISLAND 888.658.7102 3 TANZANIA EXPLORER 888.658.7102 3 3 11
DAY 5 Leave late morning for the airstrip after breakfast the same way you came in, by boat. Coastal Bush flight Depart Chole strip @ 12:45 Arrive Dar es Salaam @ 13:15 This is the way to live life, exploring and with adventure and jest. CHOLE MJINI MAFIA ISLAND 888.658.7102 4 TANZANIA EXPLORER 888.658.7102 11 11 11
DAY ADDITIONAL 6 SAFARI INFORMATION INCLUDED IN YO UR SAFAR I Full board accommodations All meals All park and entrance fees Enrollment with Flying Doctors Evacuation Service All in-country transportation Laundry available Bottled or filtered water available at all times Extensive pre-departure briefing and materials including health information, reading list and map Schedule as you wish any June through March. 2016 CUSTOM DEP ARTURE D ATES Schedule as you wish June through March. 2016 CUSTOM DEP ARTURE D ATE S 6 persons $1,899 USD per person 4 persons $1,899 USD per person 2 persons $1,899 USD per person Single supplement $249 USD *Prices based on regular season pricing. Call us about holiday season pricing. EXCLUDED IN YO UR SAFAR I Alcohol and some beverages Gratuities Arrivals and departures out of Dar es Salaam International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Prices do not include air travel. 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. CHOLE MJINI MAFIA ISLAND 888.658.7102 5 1213 12