You will hardly mention the city of Zanzibar without mentioning the glamorous Stone Town- the heartbeat of Zanzibar.
Stone Town is unique in all shapes and forms. Located in Unguja, the largest Island in Zanzibar archipelago is made up of two main large Islands; Pemba and Mafia Islands in addition to other smaller Islands. Stone Town’s diversity starts with the vast spice farms and wind up to the sea waters.
With so much that the town has to offer, how would 48 hours go down while in Stone Town?
Day One
The journey to the “Spice Island” starts with a 2-hour ride on the Azam Marine Ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar. Once in Stone Town, head to your hotel and take a short rest.
After this break, make your way down to Darajani Market and you will notice that just like its name which means “bridge” connects you to the Swahili world of food, spices and fashion. While at the market, you get to interact with the locals and learn more about culture in Stone Town.
While market strolls can be exhausting you can replenish your energy levels by visiting Lukmaan Restaurant, one of the most popular eateries in Stone Town. This is the place to feed your fetish for Swahili food. Lukmaan is tucked in the alleys of Stone Town and its prices are affordable.
Lukmaan offers a variety of dishes including the famed Pilau and Biryani which are Zanzibar’s signature dishes, fish cuisines chicken and other dishes are always ready.
After a sumptuous lunch at the Lukmaan Restaurant, make your way to the Old Fort with a rich pre-colonial history. The Old Fort was constructed by the Omani people to defend themselves against the Portuguese but has now been converted into a business hub with several curio shops, restaurants and an amphitheatre for exhibitions and festivals. The curio shops at the Old Fort have a collection of all types of souvenirs. The Old Fort overlooks the impressive Forodhani Gardens; another of Stone Town’s fine dining spot.
Day Two
A visit to Stone Town would not be complete without the unforgettable spice tours. Huge tracts of land are alive with different spices in this part of Zanzibar with dedicated personnel looking after them. Spices have earned Zanzibar the “Spice Island” title as it is the largest producer of spices in the region.
The next stop is Prison Island. This place is famed for its giant tortoises. However, it is advisable to contact a tour guide to arrange a trip to Prison Island lest you get disappointed. If you are not a fan of tortoises, you can go for a dolphin tour on the island and wind it up with the amazing sunset dhow cruise.
Read more:
All about the 8-day-long Zanzibar Film Festival
A holiday at the ‘Spice Islands’ of Zanzibar
#SeeAfricaToday
