Explore the wildlife-rich Jozani Forest

Visit the Jozani Forest to walk among ancient trees where red colobus monkeys play and explore boardwalks over the mangroves. This half-day tour starts with a transfer to the forest, which is a protected natural reserve and part of Zanzibar’s only national park, Jozani-Chawaka. Covering over 6,200 acres, it’s a haven of trees and plants known for their medicinal qualities, as well as wildlife including monkeys, bush pigs, tree hyraxes, dik diks and over 40 species of birds.

We’ll take a guided walk along the forest trails, stopping to look at the various flora and wildlife. Jozani Forest is filled with all kinds of trees, including eucalyptus, baobab, mahogany and teak and is a sanctuary for red colobus monkeys. Previously endangered, there are now about 2,500 in the reserve and their numbers are slowly increasing. The monkeys are very relaxed and used to visitors, so you can get incredible photos of them playing in the treetops and feeding on fruit.

Then we’ll head over the other side of the park to see the mangroves, which are formed by salt water flooding in from the ocean. There’s a wooden boardwalk here which you can wander along for a glimpse into this lush eco-system. I’d recommend touring the Jozani Forest while you’re in Zanzibar because it’s a complete contrast from beach resorts and history tours in Stone Town. It also gives you the chance to immerse yourself in nature and get up close to rare red colobus monkeys.