A guide to Dolphins Tour in Zanzibar – What you might expect

Any holiday experience in Zanzibar would not be complete without a tour with the incredible dolphins.

This is an early morning trip that takes place at the coastal enclave of Kizimkazi where the dolphins take a supposedly migratory journey every morning. You can reach the spot by boat, and excitedly you can be able to snorkel alongside the swimming dolphins.

Many visitors are stunned by the friendliness of the dolphins. Especially after all the frightful tales of whale and shark attacks that happen all too frequently around the world.

Organizers of the dolphins tour in Zanzibar will go to great lengths to assure visitors that this is an eco-conscious experience. This means that tour operators take dolphin’s welfare seriously and are considerate when it comes to animal ethics. After an early morning pick-up, you’ll be driven about 30 minutes towards the east coast of Zanzibar.

At Kizimkazi you’ll head to the beach and board small boats heading out to sea. A large number of visitors evidences the popularity of the dolphins tour in Zanzibar. You will see people in snorkelling gear on dozens of boats heading to the lagoon on the open Indian Ocean.

The operator then issues a polite instructions on the dos and don’ts while at sea. This includes a small lecture on safety issues, such as wearing your life jacket and keeping the boat balanced. Sometimes Indian Ocean can be rough! They will also explain why you should never touch or shout at the dolphins.

Pod of dolphins

The dozen or so boats will then slowly and casually approach the pod of swimming dolphins. You can see how dolphins continue swimming in hordes oblivious to any human or machinery presence!

The boats will then spread out, circle the dolphins and enclose them. This is the point when operators will suggest you dive into the ocean and swim alongside the dolphins.

Often operators will ask you to jump right in the middle of the pod. This is an amazing experience as you are likely to fall on top of one or several dolphins. All the boats continue spinning their propellers underwater as they herd the dolphins together and prevent them from escaping to deeper waters.

Playful dolphins

The best spot to swim alongside dolphins is the fishing village of Fumba. Both humpback and bottle-nosed dolphins frequent this area. At Fumba, you will encounter dolphins swimming on at least 90 per cent of your trip.

Later in the morning, you can set up sunshades and fit on snorkelling equipment. The tour operators ensure that guides are on standby to show a visitor how to meet in snorkelling gear and also to lead the swimming sessions.

Swimming alongside the playful dolphins is a delightful experience, and many tourists thoroughly enjoy it and want it to last as long as possible, only tour guide restrictions cannot allow this as they are allocated time.

The dolphins themselves will toss and turn and hop into air and dive into the deep waters all in good spirit.

You may want to wear your swimming gear before heading out to swim alongside dolphins. There are no changing rooms at Fumba.

Booking a dolphins tour in Zanzibar, Tanzania is very easy as most hotels make it part of the package. But you can also find private tour firms in Stone Town or Kizimkazi that will arrange for the tour for a fee. However, you should remain wary of many unscrupulous intermediaries who offer incredible tour packages. They might rip you off your money and ruin your experience of Dolphins tour in Zanzibar.

Looking for some vegan food in Zanzibar? Explore the Spicey Vegan Street Foods of Zanzibar. Also read my review on the restaurant: Forodhani Food Gardens