Colors of Zanzibar — Local services in Kiponda

We organised this tour for a day to mostly go out to see the seaweed projects by the women on the East Coast of Zanzibar. We booked it online on the Colours of Zanzibar website, and had good communication through email (we were on the road travelling for a few weeks before Zanzibar). First off we were taken to the Jiz Forest Reserve, where there was a mass of tourists all gathered around the monkeys,, then we were taken through a 20 mins forest stroll with an obviously scripted stopping point tour guide. We had to force a few minutes to go to the forest display to read about the background of the reserve. Then back into the bus to nip down to the mangroves, and walk though them on raised boardwalks. We enjoyed this bit, but mostly because one of our group was a marine biologist who could cover all the info and elaborate on the limited knowledge of our guide. We then drove onwards to the village on the east coast which was unexpectedly right behind a beach FULL of resorts. We picked up a village guide who talked us through the village very well, and we finally got the seaweed project. Turned out the tide was in now in the afternoon and we couldn’t walk out to the seaweed beds and racks. Back at a house we had a great demonstration of maize milling, flour milling, rope making and seaweed processing.  We were rushed through rest of tour and missed the basket weaving so we could get to lunch, which was in a local house, and very good to see local living and food. Driving back to Stonetown, we noted that the forest reserve was now very quiet with few tourists, and suggest that the trip be run backwards with the village first and forest on way home., and we could have seen the seaweed racks at low tide in the morning. The guide did her best we feel, but lacked the knowledge in any depth. Overall we were a little disappointed by the tour, as it was possibly just not aimed at our type of tourist, probably more towards the mainstream/mass market from the...

My husband and I had the pleasure of visiting Zanzibar during the last week of Ramadhan, and we want to take this moment to truly appreciate Colors of Zanzibar for making our trip unforgettable.

Planning the trip was quite overwhelming for me, especially with so many things to coordinate, like selecting the right places to visit, booking venues, arranging tours, and even applying for travel insurance. However, Colors of Zanzibar took all of that stress off our shoulders with their exceptional communication skills and impeccable service. They handled everything with such professionalism and ease. From being proactive in checking the status of our itinerary to sending timely reminders for pick-up times and tour guides, their attention to detail was flawless.

Despite it being during Ramadhan, our experience in Zanzibar was nothing short of amazing, thanks to our fantastic tour guide, Aziza. She was vibrant, knowledgeable, and incredibly engaging, making every tour memorable. Our visits to the spice farm and the sunset boat ride were highlights of the trip, and Aziza's energy and expertise made it all come to life.

A special mention to our driver, who was incredibly patient and always made sure we were comfortable. His professionalism and warmth added so much to the experience.

We can't thank Colors of Zanzibar enough for making our trip so seamless, enjoyable, and stress-free. From the small details to the grand moments, they truly made it happen. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone looking to explore this...

Visited in June 2024. Did a private spice farm tour with cooking class: half day. Took well more than half the day. Aziza was an excellent guide and I highly recommend her services - worth asking if she is available as the guide. As for the rest, be a bit careful and I am hesitant to make a recommendation. What is not mentioned is that you will also be given a "gift" which you are expected to pay for (yes, it is thinly veiled as a tip, but you are paying for a palm frond crown and necklace which I did not want) and also get to see a man climb a coconut tree and sing at the same time. I felt this was demeaning for both of us and put me in a very uncomfortable position. Both of these things were unwanted, uncomfortable, and I would have paid to not experience this. The lunch - even though you have paid for it you are still pressured to provide a tip... makes me wonder where the tour fee is going. Out of that lunch, you only are involved in making one thing, and your involvement goes only as far as mixing some things, chopping onion and putting stuff in a pot. Not much is learnt. It is a pleasant enough stroll through a spice market and we learnt things and overall it was a good experience but there was plenty of discomfort too. This tour took tipping - a reward for exceptional service - and turned it into an additional fee for unwanted service. If you're comfortable with that, its...