Flight to Zanzibar – Stone Town – 236 Hurumzi
This morning you will have a flight from Arusha airport or any other airport in Tanzania towards Zanzibar. After a safari it is normally very convenient to fly from the Serengeti directly towards Zanzibar. That way you don’t have to drive all the way back to Arusha. You will arrive at Zanzibar in the afternoon. You will be picked up from the airport and taken to the Hurumzi 236. This is a very stylish hotel in the heart of Stone Town, where you will spend the night, enjoying a rooftop dinner. Spend some hours strolling around the interesting historical centre of Stone Town in the afternoon, and do some shopping if you like. If you want to you can stay another night in Stone Town or add a Stone Town Tour, a Spice Tour, a Jozani Forest Tour or a Dolphin Tour. Just let us know if you are interested.
236 Hurumzi (previously called Emerson & Green) is a beautiful Zanzibar style hotel located in the heart of Stone Town. The rooms are opulent - stained-glass windows, wooden lattice-work, marbled bathtubs and oriental rugs recall the days of the Sultans. The view from the rooftop restaurant over the harbour is stunning.
For the following days there are of course many different resorts/lodges at Zanzibar where you could stay. Let us know where you are looking for. Our personal favorites are the smaller and more intimate lodges at the more remote parts of the Island. You could also consider hopping onwards to Pemba or Mafia Island instead of Zanzibar. We just mention a few of our favorite lodges below.
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Day 2 - ?
Option 1 – Pongwe Beach Hotel
For a great mid range option you can consider a small hotel that we find very good value for money; Pongwe Beach Hotel. One of our and our clients’ favorites. It is on the North East side of the island, just a few kilometers below the beach of Matemwe Bungalows/retreat mentioned below. At Pongwe Beach Hotel there are two types of rooms; ocean view and garden view rooms. Both rooms actually look out at the sea, the garden view rooms just lay a few meters more inwards on the land. It is lovely to wash of the dust of your safari with a dip in the Indian Ocean. Just lay back and relax for the days that you stay here, there are enough hammocks around!
Pongwe Beach Hotel is set in a stunning location on top of rocks that tower above a small bay. The whole place has a traditional Zanzibari feel to it - lime-washed walls and thatched roofs, a lush garden with palm trees and friendly staff – and there is a swimming pool as well. All rooms have private bathrooms and ceiling fans.
Day 2 - ?
Option 2 - Zanzibar – Matemwe Retreat
Today you will have a transfer from 236 Hurumzi towards Matemwe Retreat, where you will spend six nights. There are only 3 retreats available, with each an air-conditioned bedroom, a bathroom with double sinks, a shower and a bath overlooking the Indian Ocean, a private plunge pool and cocktail bar, sun decks and spacious verandas. There is a small, private beach in front of the rooms. You can do snorkeling, kayaking, guided reef and village walks.
The service in the Retreat is of the highest standards: breakfast will be served on the veranda of the room, without the need to disturb guests who are still in bed. Every day the manager or chef will stop by to discuss lunch and dinner preferences of the day: the catch of the day served in the privacy of the garden or roof terrace or a dinner at Matemwe’s main lodge, to enjoy the company of other guests. Drinks are served in the room or on the beach and guests can receive massages and beauty treatments in the comfort of their roof terrace. Great servcie, but…all in a very relaxed way.
The Retreat is built by local craftsmen, where possible from local materials. Walls are of local stone and roofs are made of makuti (woven palm leaves) and most furniture is made of locally produced coconut wood. Soft furnishings are locally produced by women groups and the matting is produced by the blind association in Stone Town. The sun, through our solar system, supplies hot water to the lodge. Only where local produces would jeopardize the quality of the experience, materials from outside the region have been applied. Of the lodge staff, over 60% is from the villages close by Matemwe.
Day 2 - ?
Option 3 - Pemba Island – Fundu Lagoon 
You can also decide to hop onwards to Pemba Island, an even smaller Island close to Zanzibar. You can fly there after your visit to Stone Town or skip Zanzibar completely and fly there directly from Arusha or the Serengeti NP. Once arrived at Pemba Island you will be picked up from the airport and taken to Fundu Lagoon. Enjoy the beauty of the Island when you get spoiled at this luxury place. Pemba Island is well known for its good diving possibilities; Fundu Lagoon even has an in-house diving centre.
Fundu Lagoon is a perfect counter piece to the country's best safari lodges and camps. Set on the west coast of Pemba Island, it occupies a perfectly secluded spot. All rooms over look the water – the whole place is tastefully designed, and the food and service are impeccable. Nearby is the beautiful Mesali Island, a nature reserve which you can visit for only 20US$ extra per person (this is a contribution which needs to be paid directly to the nature reserve).
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