Tanzania’s Azure Escape
Coastal & Marine Parks
Where the Savannah Meets the Sea
The Unique Coastal Blend
Whale Shark Encounters
Seasonal swimming with the gentle giants of the ocean off Mafia Island.
Beach-to-Bush Safari
Spot elephants and giraffes grazing right on the shoreline in Saadani National Park.
Remote Islands
Unspoiled marine ecosystems and diving near the less-visited Pemba Island.
Turtle Nesting Sites
Witnessing the nesting or hatching of endangered Green and Hawksbill Turtles.
Dive Deeper into Coastal Tanzania
Saadani National Park
The only national park in East Africa with a boundary on the ocean, Saadani offers a truly unparalleled safari experience. Enjoy a morning game drive and an afternoon snorkel. You can see big cats, elephant, and giraffe right near the Wami River estuary and the pristine beach.
Top Saadani Activities:
- Coastal Game Drives
- Wami River Boat Safaris
Mafia Island Marine Park
Mafia offers a tranquil, authentic island escape away from the crowds. It's renowned for the Mafia Island Marine Park, East Africa's first protected marine area. The island is one of the world's best places to swim with whale sharks (Oct-Mar) and explore incredible, healthy coral gardens.
Top Mafia Activities:
- Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
- Whale Shark Expeditions
Pemba Island & Channel
Known as "The Green Island" Pemba offers a hilly, intensely green landscape with a quiet charm—experiencing only about 10% of Zanzibar's tourism. It is defined by the Pemba Channel, a 1,000m deep trench that drives nutrient-rich upwellings, resulting in world-class marine biodiversity and electric-blue visibility (25–40m).
Pemba's Best Features:
- World-Class Vertical Reefs
- Spice Plantations & Mangroves
- Pelagic & Macro Diving Sites
- Quiet, Hilly, Green Atmosphere
Your Coastal Adventure Timeline
1. Arrival & Transit
Fly into Dar es Salaam (DAR) and transfer via short domestic flight or boat to the coast or islands.
2. Saadani National Park
Enjoy coastal game viewing, Wami River boat safaris, and relaxing walks on the beach.
3. Mafia Island Marine Park
Dive and snorkel in the protected marine park. Seasonal whale shark tours are a highlight.
4. Pemba Island Extension
Add a few days to explore Pemba's clove plantations and world-class, unspoiled dive sites.
Experience the Whale Shark Migration
Join the lucky few who get to snorkel alongside the planet's largest fish. The peak season runs October through March in the protected waters of Mafia Island.