Dolphins are among the marine animals who get along the best with humans. For ages, people have been fascinated by them because of something about their intelligence and fun nature. Nothing compares to swimming next to them. However, have you ever considered the chance that you could be able to observe them when visiting Africa? Dolphins can be found in Tanzania, a fact that many tourists on safari tours are unaware of. Although most travellers who plan a Tanzanian safari focus on seeing wildlife, you may swim with dolphins in the wild in Zanzibar. One of Tanzania’s beautiful islands, located off the coast of the Indian Ocean, is Zanzibar.
When organising your Tanzanian safari, take into account dolphin excursion to the island of Zanzibar, where dolphin pods can be discovered. They are seen in higher numbers in designated marine conservation areas on Zanzibar, however they can be spotted in their natural habitat in a few spots along the island’s southern coast. The best safari spots in Zanzibar to watch dolphins are Fumba Peninsula in Menai Bay, Mnemba Island Reef, and Kizimkazi.
Dolphins found in Zanzibar
The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the spinner dolphin are the three types of dolphins that can be seen along Zanzibar’s coastline.
Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)
In Zanzibar, this is the dolphin that is most commonly spotted. It has a small, thick mouth that bends, making it the fastest of the three species. Mnemba Island and Kizimkazi have large number of Dolphins.
Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris)
A spinner dolphin is a type of dolphin with a long, narrow mouth and it has the ability to spin, which enables them to twist numerous times in the air in a single jump, they are known as “Spinner dolphins.” They live in smaller groups and are smaller than bottlenose dolphins.
Humpback Dolphins (Souse plumbea)
The rarest of the three main species found on the beaches of Southern Zanzibar are humpback dolphins. As the name suggests, these sea dolphins have a hump on their back between their dorsal fins.
Other Dolphins species
Rizzo’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), Frazer’s dolphins (Lagenodelphis hosei), Pan-Tropical Spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) are sporadically spotted by sailors, snorkelers, surfers, and divers in Zanzibar, but they are extremely rare.
Mnemba Island Dolphins
When taking a dolphin tour in Zanzibar, in the Indian Ocean waters surrounding the small, privately owned island of Mnemba Island are fantastic safari tour experiences.The brilliant blue waters and abundance of aquatic life, diving and snorkelling are two of the greatest safari tour activities to enjoy in the island of Mnemba. You can see dolphins playing, hunting, and feeding in a number of areas within the Mnemba Reef protected marine area. Whether you are approaching the reef by boat from Matemwe or Nungwi, you will probably see dolphins.
Kizimkazi Dolphins
The local fishing community has always loved Kizimkazi which is a settlement in Zanzibari. It’s one of the greatest places to observe dolphins on the island all year round. Kizimkazi, in the southernmost point of the island, is a favourite spot for dolphins to congregate and go hunting. The pristine Indian Ocean waters that surround Kizimkazi which is a fishing village, make it easy to spot dolphins swimming in their natural habitat. Small boats can be used to get visitors to the shoreline of Kizimkazi beach. A few of the islands spots are known to be frequented by dolphins during sunrise. Once you get at these sites, you can watch Kizimkazi dolphins up close from the boat if you don’t want to get in the water yourself.
Swimming with dolphins in the wild is an amazing experience for anyone who love water sports. Put on your snorkelling gear and head out to sea if you’re up for a little more of a struggle. Because dolphins sometimes swim too close to the divers, snorkelling at Kizimkazi is a great way to see them.
Menai Bay Dolphins
In the Zanzibar Archipelago, dolphins can also be seen in Menai Bay. Encircled by mangrove forests along the shorelines, the 470 km² Menai Bay Conservation Area boasts beautiful and diverse coral reefs. In addition to Kizimkazi village’s shorelines, which are found on the eastern side of Menai Bay, bottle-nose and spinner dolphins can also be spotted in a few other places across the bay waters, including the Fumba Beach Peninsula and the shorelines of the uninhabited islands that encircle the bay.
The best time to see Dolphins in Zanzibar
When the dolphins come out to hunt in big groups early in the morning (6–8 A.M.), it’s the best time to view Zanzibar dolphins. After breakfast, they play and chat together for a while before returning to their underground hideouts. Even if dolphins are seen throughout these times, there is a greater probability of seeing them during the rest of the day than in the evening. There is no designated season for dolphin watching in Zanzibar since, unlike whales, dolphins can be seen year-round. The dry seasons which is between the month of June to September and January to March, are said to be the best times to watch dolphins. This is simply because dolphins prefer to ride waves in the ocean, which makes it easier to observe them from a distance when they swim and leap in calmer waters.
Swim with dolphins in Zanzibar
It is possible to swim with wild dolphins in the waters of Zanzibar. The most popular places for dolphin swimming escapades are the coastlines of Kizimkazi fishing town and Mnemba Island. If you are lucky enough, dolphins can come pretty near to you despite being excellent swimmers. Dolphins are usually calm, going on a dolphin-watching safari tours is one of the best safari experiences in Zanzibar. If you want to have the best swimming safari experience with dolphins, stay away from them by avoiding chasing, touching, or spraying water on them. Dolphins are generally very sensitive and if they detect danger, they will swim away.
