Mnemba Island snorkeling and Swimming with Dolphin
4.5
Mnemba Island snorkeling and Swimming with Dolphin
By Captain Barnaba Excursions
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About
Increase your chances of spotting some of Tanzania’s rarest marine life during a snorkeling tour that takes you to some of the best wildlife-watching spots around Mnemba Island.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 4-100, max of 8 per group
Duration: 4h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, Italian, French, Spanish
More
- Use of Snorkelling equipment
- Local Guide
- Bottled water
- Zanzibar Tropical Fruits
- Motorboat
- All Fees and Taxes
- Start:Traveller pickup offered.Pickup details
- For those who are taking accommodation at the South, South East, West, South West of Zanzibar our meeting point will be at the beach side of Mama Mia Restaurant, Nungwi. If your are at Nungwi and Kendwa we will Pick you up and drop you off free of charge at your hotels receptions / beach / outside hotel parking point.
Additional pickup optionsDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.- Mama Mia, Nungwi, Zanzibar, Tanzania
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 365410P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travellers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travellers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travellers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 365410P1
From
AU$88.34
per adult
Select date and travellers
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Chaudhry Sajeel A0 contributionsBetter than a zoo!The guide Eric was very cool. He did his job showing and guiding through the Safari with a lot of passion, and he is a really good driver who drives safely and precisely. The only thing we were worried about was, that sometimes it looked like we are disturbing the privacy of the animals. The good thing was, that the guides cared about that too and moved on as quick as possible.Written 30 September 2024
- lynnevans20 contributionsAmazing beautiful experienceAli and Osman from Captain Barnaba boat tours. Thanks for making today so very special. We were warned that there was only 50/50 possibility of seeing dolphins and when we first joined the throng of other boats, there were none.and we vmwere doubtful, However, after snorkeling over a poorly looking reef albeit with a lot of reef fish,( loads of divers snorkels etc, they took us to a much more quiet area which was very quiet Within minutes the dolphins appeared. They were huge bottle nosed wild beautiful and free to swim in the ocean wherever they chose and we were honored that they chose to swim with us and our little group of 8. We then went to a quiet sandbar away from the crowded main one and enjoyed fresh delicious fruit and coconut and everyone on request of Ali, sang happy birthday to me!! Its my 60th and this was the Best day of our lives. The sight of a wild dolphin swimming alongside me will be indelibly printed on my brain. Thank you so much. 💓Written 24 September 2024
- sairao0 contributionsAverageThe safari guides are so friendly, food is average, didn't see many animals up close the ride was boring to be honest , people suggested ngorongoro and SerengetiWritten 12 September 2024
- Z3565EMmartinr0 contributionsReliability on every cornerWe used the company for a tailored trip to Jozani, Kuza cave and The Rock. Captain B delivered on all accounts and is exceptional when it comes to being dependable and professional. I can highly recommend his services, even if only looking for good and reliable drivers. When we come back to Zanzibar, we will only use this company! Fair prices for excellent service.Written 12 September 2024
- Patrick C0 contributionsGreat day out at a very reasonable priceVery well organised. The sandbar was really busy but we found a great spot in the shade provided by boat crew. The food was a lovely surprise. I’m not sure what we were expecting but they cooked a huge quantity of prawns, lobster, octopus with chips. And provided a great veg option. They do a great pizza in prison island on a wood fired oven if you don’t fancy the sea food.Written 23 August 2024
- Ruth T0 contributionsFantastic 1 day safariWhat a lovely day! Driver arrived on time to collect us from our hotel at 5am in Zanzibar, his car was clean and had aircon (perfect for return trip). We only had 8 days, so wanted to do a 1-day safari, Israel was our tour guide and he was fantastic! His English was good, he was knowledgeable and he was just lovely & super helpful. Israel worked hard to ensure we saw lions close up, zebras, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, hippopotamuses and a python, and other animals! Lunch provided, varied options for all tastes. Highly recommend 👌🏽Written 19 August 2024
- sharonwD2421OB0 contributionsUnforgettable day 🐘Amazing day, everything was organised for us from start to finish, all we had to do was turn up with passports, all the team were so friendly and helpful, trusted seller 5*****Written 5 July 2024
- G839RBroberth0 contributionsWonderfuli will never forget this day. It was incredible. Saw Lions, Elephants, Zebras, Antilops, Hippos and so many other animals.Written 5 May 2024
- 82friedad0 contributionsAbsolutely great safari tour!It was just great!! We saw a lot of animals!!! All was good organized and just amazing! The driver picked us up at 5am on time at the hotel. On the way we got a flat tyre. He called another driver (he woke him up), who came within minutes with another car to continue the transfer to the airport, where we arrived on time.Written 5 April 2024
- RMM37490 contributionsImpressive Daytrip - 100% worth it!It was a very great experience and we would recommend it to anyone who is in Zanzibar. We struggled before booking because of the price, but we are so happy that we’ve booked the tour. The organization was very good, we could contact the team of captain Barnaba anytime and they answered very fast. At the day of the safari we were picked up at our hotel and started from the airport in Zanzibar to Mikumi. There we started the safari accordingly and our tour guide was so friendly and knew so much about the wildlife there. He told us not only about the animals like giraffes, elephants and lions but also about the smaller birds, reptiles and plants. We enjoyed the day there so much and can’t believe that we saw all the animals in there natural habitat.Written 23 March 2024
- A3218XKabigailr0 contributionsAn experience beyond the ordinaryIt was an absolute delight! From the moment we set off, the journey was filled with excitement and wonder. The park itself is a treasure trove of wildlife, and our knowledgeable guide ensured we didn't miss a single sighting. We were fortunate enough to see a wide variety of animals, including elephants, giraffes, lions, and so much more.Written 15 March 2024
- rpoulsen910 contributionsGreat one day safari, would recommend!A truly amazing experience which will be remembered for long! Pick up at the hotel close to stone town was 7.30, followed by around an hour flight to Mikumi park. When we arrived at Mikumi park we were greeted by our driver/guide and jumped into an open safari jeep. We drove around the park for about 6 hours (incl 1 hour lunch) and saw lions, elephants, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, antiloops, crocodiles, hippos and more! Would definitely recommend this experience!Written 1 February 2024
- Jamie L0 contributionsThe captain does it again!I loved the first tour so much that I booked another tour to tombatu and it’s was incredible. The same two gentlemen took us out and they were great again. Well organised and was even taken to an ATM free of charge to get cash out.Written 26 January 2024
- Dreamer619791722980 contributionsAmazing tour!I can really recommend this tour, it was amazing! We snorkeled in two places, swam with dolphins and went to the sand bank, the water was almost transparent and turquoise. Ismail also offered the tastiest and freshest fruits from Zanzibar, Cocos, pineapple, mango, watermelon and passion fruit. It was also possible to arrange pick-up and drop-off at the hotel.Written 19 January 2024
- Wanderer628826026240 contributionsA great day outWe had a great day out on this excursion, it was both exciting and rewarding. The guide and driver knew exactly where to go to find all those elusive animals that up until now we had only ever seen on TV or in zoos, crocodiles, lions, elephants giraffes, the list goes on. Well done and thank you for a memorable day out.Written 17 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.5
273 reviews
Excellent
229
Very good
23
Average
10
Poor
4
Terrible
7
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Sydney_1616
1 contribution
Feb 2023 • Family
Due to VERY bad weather conditions with too huge waves for a very small boat, the Experience was not good. We were nervous as adults and kids were afraid and crying.
So though the boatman did What he could and managed the boat ok in these conditions, it still was not a good experience.
Kids should never had gone out in this weather and we should have been informed in advance to decide ourselves, or turn around when it was clear it wouldn’t get better.
Of course the weather is not their fault, but knowing the conditions and informing should be the resp. of any person operating at sea…also ensuring before we leave, that we all/the kids have life jackets on…they were in the boat, which was good..and we also took them on, when it got rough.
When we finally saw the dolphins, the kids were too afraid to enjoy it and we did not want to do any snorkling and just wanted to go Home.
THE GOOD thing was the flexibility the guide showed us afterwards in terms of finding a new tour for us another day, where we choose a different trip. And though this required extra cost for him, he offered this. Much appreciated.
This other boat trip was a very fine Experience, perfect weather, boattrip much shorter (app 20-30 min), so it ended up with a nice Experience for the kids too..feeling safe again with the water.
The guide was very nice and flexible.
Thanks
Hope others Will have a great trip, as I am sure it can be under the right weather conditions.
So though the boatman did What he could and managed the boat ok in these conditions, it still was not a good experience.
Kids should never had gone out in this weather and we should have been informed in advance to decide ourselves, or turn around when it was clear it wouldn’t get better.
Of course the weather is not their fault, but knowing the conditions and informing should be the resp. of any person operating at sea…also ensuring before we leave, that we all/the kids have life jackets on…they were in the boat, which was good..and we also took them on, when it got rough.
When we finally saw the dolphins, the kids were too afraid to enjoy it and we did not want to do any snorkling and just wanted to go Home.
THE GOOD thing was the flexibility the guide showed us afterwards in terms of finding a new tour for us another day, where we choose a different trip. And though this required extra cost for him, he offered this. Much appreciated.
This other boat trip was a very fine Experience, perfect weather, boattrip much shorter (app 20-30 min), so it ended up with a nice Experience for the kids too..feeling safe again with the water.
The guide was very nice and flexible.
Thanks
Hope others Will have a great trip, as I am sure it can be under the right weather conditions.
Written 26 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Birger H
Holbaek Municipality, Denmark18 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
Hi every body.
After many trips to the Island, which I have enjoyed very much.
Today I visited Restaurant Livingstone, Stone Town,which have been one of favourites, but today its stops, they have raised their prices with around 100 per cent, so therefore do not go there, if you will have an reasonable meal you can afford, so listen to my advice, not go there.
Birger /DK 1.9.23
After many trips to the Island, which I have enjoyed very much.
Today I visited Restaurant Livingstone, Stone Town,which have been one of favourites, but today its stops, they have raised their prices with around 100 per cent, so therefore do not go there, if you will have an reasonable meal you can afford, so listen to my advice, not go there.
Birger /DK 1.9.23
Written 1 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ryden t
1 contribution
May 2023 • Friends
I would highly recommend this tour for anyone staying in Zanzibar; it was definitely the highlight of my trip. To start, the guides arrange rides to and from your place of residence- for no extra charge. Now, this varies depending on your location of stay, but most areas of pickup do not cost extra. This was a huge relief as I did not have worry about hiring a taxi. As well, the guides had a taxi waiting for us on the beach when we arrived back from the trip; its clear that they plan ahead. In terms of the actual tour, I will start off by saying that the tour itself may be slightly overwhelming for some people, as the boat often races around the dolphins and you have to jump in the water as fast as you can in order to properly see them. Along with that though, we saw many dolphins; in total we must have seen around 30. I will say that the dolphins definitely avoided us, so you only really got to see them at the bottom of the sea floor- so not crazy close, but enough to get a good look. One thing that was kind of frustrating was the sheer number of other boats present- it is kind of mayhem. There a lot of people jumping in from other boats, which seemed to scare off the dolphins, but I will say that this specific tour group did their best to separate us from the other boats in order to have a more personal experience with the dolphins. After this, the tour ended with a very fun snorkeling experience, and swimming at a sandbar. All in all this was an amazing tour and I without a doubt got my moneys worth.
Written 27 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FedeDavide4
Vercelli, Italy183 contributions
From Nungwi with 40 min drive we reached the boat that took us to swim with the dolphins. We booked a private tour and then went to a less crowded area of tourists to fully enjoy the cetaceans. We snorkeled near the island paying a fee to access the protected area. The tour guide provided us with everything we needed x snorkeling. Nice hike.
Automatically translated
Written 11 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cateeleo
6 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Excellent experience. We got to see many fishes during the snorkeling and to swim near the dolphins even though they get away really fast. The boat trip was comfortable they provided fruits and water. The guide was really good and friendly. We recommend the trip, but there is something you should know in advance which is that there are some jellyfishes very small and hard to spot and if they stain you, it hurts a lot for some time. It is better to go fully dressed. The best would be to have a diving suit or instead a t-shirt and long pants. We were not stain, but some people in our tour were and they look very uncomfortable. However, the guide as vinegar and a cream to apply on the wounds and it is only a matter of minutes until it is healed.
Written 18 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matea P
Zagreb, Croatia14 contributions
The best swimming with dolphins experience. Captain Barnaba knows exactly where to search and he was trying really hard to find a lot of Dolphins. We saw a few pods of dolphins with a lot of individuals and we were jumping in the water with them. We were enjoying swimming with dolphins. After swimming Captain took us to a beautiful sandbank to rest a little bit where we had fresh fruit meal. Then we went snorkling around Mnemba Island which is the best place for that because of colorful coral reef in very shallow water with great visibility. We saw a lot of fish and everyone got a piece of bread to feed the fish so they came really close. In the end of a tour we stopped in a spot where a lot of starfish can be seen.
Captain is very positive and kind, he answered to a lot of questions we asked and likes making jokes. He is taking care that everything and everyone is all right. He also helped us with something unrelated to trip after.
We had a great time and are still full of experience.
All recommendations.
Captain is very positive and kind, he answered to a lot of questions we asked and likes making jokes. He is taking care that everything and everyone is all right. He also helped us with something unrelated to trip after.
We had a great time and are still full of experience.
All recommendations.
Written 4 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wynand R
1 contribution
Nov 2022 • Couples
We were promised that we will see dolphins and he held up on the promise as we saw a few dolphins and we were able to swim very close to them. Thr snorkeling at the island was also very nice as we saw alot of different fish. I would book with him any time
Written 17 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sofia d
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Couples
The tour was great, Ludo and Meki did a very good job. The driver was carefully trying to get the best spot to jump and swim with dolphins, it is very important to have a good driver, we have seen other boats doing very risky maneuvers and speeding dangerously around dolphins.
The guide was a super kind person always saying the right moment to jump out and swim near the dolphins.
About the sand bank and the snorkel, they were beautiful places to take pictures and see many colorful fishes. I highly recommend this tour specially because the driver and the guide, other than that the experience around Zanzibar places is amazing.
The guide was a super kind person always saying the right moment to jump out and swim near the dolphins.
About the sand bank and the snorkel, they were beautiful places to take pictures and see many colorful fishes. I highly recommend this tour specially because the driver and the guide, other than that the experience around Zanzibar places is amazing.
Written 22 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Megan
Edinburgh, UK18 contributions
Feb 2023
Great experience, Mnemba Island is beautiful and worth the visit, snorkelling with the fish is beautiful and I loved it, although be warned a lot of boats and a lot of tourists so very busy snorkelling area. Unfortunately the weather wasn't ideal, I did get so see some dolphins jump out of the water but we could't keep track of them and the water was too choppy to swim. Captain Barnaba was super flexible and offered to change date due to weather but I was flying the next day so couldn't - great value for what you get, although no hotel pick up included for me as too far away.
Written 28 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcin H
Wroclaw, Poland335 contributions
I definitely advise against it, in spite of all the hypocrites writing positive reviews. What I will definitely remember from the trip is the smell of gasoline, the incredible crowd of boats and a bunch of idiots jumping into the water in the place where the dolphins showed up. The animals are terrified by the number of boats, people, noise and stench. Terrible experience. I haven't seen such a level of stupidity for a long time that I could jump into the water from a boat, knowing that there are 40 motorboats around, turning in circles. The reef doesn't exist. It's dead. Locals throw tons of food into the water to attract fish. People swim between motorboats, anchor lines, and bump into each other in the crowd of divers. A terrible and unnecessary experience.
Written 25 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello I'm really Sad to hear that you got bad experience during you tour
Thank you for sharing this Issue will help us modify and improve our services
But It seems you dint this tour with us
I Was wondering regarding that we are totally not allowing/banning our company cant go when there is more boat on the dolphin
we have learned and have a lot of experience on Dolphin timing
our Dolphin are free they are rotating there is different places and different group there is more group of dolphin in Northern part of island though there is some few day there is only one group therefore by knowing this we cant allow our valued customer to go when there is more boat on the dolphin I'm would like to assure to our valued clients that when you book with our company will sport with dolphin on the best way and you will get unforgettable experience we are the best for Dolphin Swimming by knowing that its our clients priority don't afraid to book this tour with us
customer satisfaction is our priority and Mnemba Dolphin and Snorkeling is the best tour during you holiday in Zanzibar most of the travelers don't want to miss it its traveler choice
book with us you will appreciate
2.Snorkeling when the traveler book with our Company they must understand that in zanzibar from July to March is high season and most traveler they dream is to do Snorkeling in Mnemba Atoll therefore in Snorkeling site sometime more boat sometime less boat but mnemba Atoll is most famous for different varieties of fishes with different colors though the carol reef bit bleached but still clients enjoy much the coral reef and swimming around fishes
i can realize that some clients has different perspective and interest and its big challenge on our business we are doing and invest more energy making clients enjoying the experience to the maximum
kind regards
barnaba
Written 26 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi, we are staying in a hotel on the side of Zanzibar near Mnemba Island. It doesn’t seem practical for us to travel to the north-east to get to the meeting point for us to travel by boat back around to the side of Zanzibar we just came from. Would it be possible to be picked up (possibly by the boat?) from the side of Zanzibar near Mnemba Island?
Written 5 September 2024
I have heard that the dolphins are chased. Is this true for this tour group?
Written 28 May 2024
Yes, the dolphins are corralled by multiple speed boats, working together to corner the dolphins.
Written 29 September 2024
Hi,
Does the tour also take place when it rains? If not, do refund the money since we are living on friday and therefore we are just able to do the tour this friday?
Written 23 November 2023
Szia. Szeretnénk menni. Uroa Moonshine Boutique Hotel hez tudnak jönni ? Köszönöm.
Written 17 November 2023
Hello!
We wold like Mnemba program. I would like ask, could you pick up at Uroa Moonshine Uroa Boutique Hotel in February?
Thank you.
Written 17 November 2023
Hello :) What time does the tour begin? I wonder if I can adjust the schedule as I want.
Also, is it possible to try scuba diving instead of snorkeling?
Written 3 November 2023
The Earlier better, we started our tour at 9am to swim with Dolphins, then around 11:30 we reached to Sand bank but was not completely on surface due to weather.
Written 20 July 2024
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