15 Snorkeling Trips in Zanzibar to Build a Week Around

1.Mnemba Island: Dolphin Swim & Snorkeling with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 591 reviews · 3.5 - 5 hours · from $21Our pick

Set out from Muyuni Beach or add hotel pickup for a half-day trip to Mnemba Atoll. Guides such as Khamis, Ali, Ramadan, and Fransic lead dolphin watching, snorkeling, and fruit stops. You may swim near wild dolphins, though busy boat traffic can affect the encounter.

“Fantastic!!! amazing experience and the tour guys that we were on the boat they were very friendly and helpful. 🙏🏽 Great team and the vibe was great 😊 Felt a bit sorry for the dolphin that we kept chasing but hopefully it has get used to it.”

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2.Mnemba Island snorkeling and Swimming with Dolphin

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 412 reviews · from $55

Set out from Mama Mia Restaurant, Nungwi, or Kendwa around 8:30 AM for a four-hour boat trip with Captain Barnaba Excursions. Look for dolphins, snorkel Mnemba’s coral reefs, and visit a sandbank if the tide allows. Equipment is provided, pickup is available, and groups are limited to eight people.

“We did this trip again on our last day to chance it :)) ...and we were able to swim with dolphins this time! it was breathtaking seeing them swimming underwater.... We also had a chance this time to go to the sandbank! Of course the snorkeling was great too. it was so nice to book it with the same guys again!”

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3.Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkeling and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 336 reviews · 7 hours · from $90

Spend seven hours exploring Zanzibar’s southwest coast by van and traditional dhow. Snorkel for starfish and reef fish, visit Kwale Sandbank, swim in a tide-dependent lagoon, and eat a generous seafood barbecue on Kwale Island. Guides such as Omar and Osman are known for warm, attentive service.

“Our tour was very nice even though it was raining. Omar is the best guide. Would recommend to everyone!!”

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4.Mnemba island Snorkeling & Boat Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 132 reviews · 6 hours · from $47

Travel north from your Zanzibar hotel to Muyuni Beach, then take a boat toward protected Mnemba Island. You cannot enter the private island, but you can snorkel nearby, see coral and tropical fish, swim, enjoy fruit, and have lunch if selected. Guides may include Abdul, Hassan, Lava Lava, Tom, or Nagim.

“The Hotel Pick Up was organized well! We loved the snorkeling spot and saw lots of fish! We also saw some dolphins although we found it quite dangerous to get in the water with them when there were about 20 boats circelling the animals and not paying any attention to the swimmers. We were also a little sad we had our lunch not right at the beach as others did but in a shelter in the back. In general a fun trip though :)”

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5.Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 104 reviews · from $104

You’ll spend about three hours in Zanzibar’s northeastern waters, looking for wild dolphins, snorkeling at Mnemba Reef, and relaxing on a nearby sandbank. The private tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, boat transport, equipment, bottled water, and tropical fruit. Guides such as Ahmed and Msomali are noted for patient, friendly help.

“Une formidable matinée , une excursion à recommander , de beaux poissons et récifs. L’équipe est vraiment chouette et excursion vip à deux , plateau de fruits, boisson ... top. Merci vous”

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6.Snorkeling at Mnemba Atoll

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 97 reviews · from $95

Join Mody Zanzibar Tours & Safaris for a private boat trip from Zanzibar City to Mnemba Atoll, where you can snorkel among tropical fish, turtles, rays, and moray eels. Guides such as Mody and Hassan help with the water time, followed by seafood, fruit, and bottled water. The five-hour outing includes hotel transport and boat fees.

“This entire experience was incredible. Mody was kind and patient. We went with our 6 year old son and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We ended up booking another excursion with Mody based on this great tour. The food was also amazing. 10/10”

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7.Mnemba dolphin & snorkel: from matemwe, pwani, kwingwa, Uroa

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · 4 hours · from $52

From Matemwe, Pwani, Kwingwa, or Uroa, you’ll ride by van and boat to look for dolphins, snorkel around Mnemba’s coral reefs, and visit a sandbank when tides allow. Small groups are limited to eight. Guides such as Juma, Fau, Isaac, and Bakari are praised for safety, local knowledge, and helping with photos.

“We had a brilliant day out with our guide Fauz, who made it his priority to ensure that everybody had the best experience. Pickup at the hotel was arranged for us at short notice - and arrived on time as well. I can highly recommend this experience.”

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8.From Paje/Jambian: Safari Blue Snorkelling with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 67 reviews · 8.5 hours · from $90

From Paje or Jambiani, you’ll travel to Fumba and sail by wooden dhow through Menai Bay. Expect a sandbank stop, coral-reef snorkeling, a seafood barbecue, tropical fruit, and time around lagoons and mangroves. The advertised guide languages include English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, but language support may vary.

“Guide en français (comme demandé) la prochaine fois car incapable de nous dire 2 mots en français, il faut annoncé que le Blue Lagoon n'est visible que rarement selon les marées (donc pas vu!!!), avertir qu'il faut impérativement des chaussures pour marcher dans l'eau”

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9.Private/Sharing: Snorkeling with Dolphins Sandbank in Mnemba

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $120Top rated

Set out from Kendwa at 9 a.m. on a private traditional dhow for Mnemba’s clear water, coral reefs, colorful fish, and a seafood and chicken barbecue. You may spot dolphins on the way and can swim if conditions allow. Guides including Matthias, Mbwana, Yusef, and Musa have helped guests snorkel and made the day easy for families.

“This was 100% worth it! Never have I ever seen such beautiful beaches. What I liked about this was it was private, when you're on the water you'll see other boats crammed with people. The lunch was great, 10/10!”

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10.5-Hour Snorkeling, Swimming with Dolphins and Sea Turtles Aquarium

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 48 reviews · from $60

Join Nungwi Aquarium Adventures for a five-hour trip from Mnarani Aquarium to Mnemba Atoll. With a maximum of seven people, you’ll snorkel among reef fish, look for dolphins, picnic on fruit and soft drinks at a sandbank, then swim with sea turtles in a natural lagoon. Snorkeling gear and park fees are included.

“The service was great. We managed to spot the dolphins . They gave us ample time to do snorkelling. They also provided us with delicious snacks”

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11.Snorkeling and swimming with dolphins in mnemba island

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 38 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $80

Set out from Muyuni Beach or Nungwi for a half-day boat trip to Mnemba Atoll. You will search for wild dolphins, snorkel at two reef spots, and stop at a sandbank for fruit and water. Equipment is included, hotel pickup is optional, and English, French, and German guides are available.

“Amazing day overall, highly recommend. From the beginning we had a great driver, good music, good vibes. Our boat captain and his brothers were excellent, very knowledgeable and made us feel safe. The positive energy from the team was infectious. What a life they live swimming with Dolphins everyday. We saw multiple dolphin pods, got a bit of rain, got a bit of sunshine and we’ll be heading back with some iconic pictures and videos.”

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12.Mnemba Snorkeling, Kuza Cave, Blue Lagoon, Starfish Tour, The Rock Restaurant

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 34 reviews · from $140

Spend about 10 hours exploring Zanzibar by private air-conditioned vehicle and boat. Swim near Mnemba Atoll, look for dolphins, cool off in Kuza Cave, snorkel at Blue Lagoon, visit Starfish Beach, and finish at The Rock Restaurant. Guides such as Mohammed, Juma, Abdullah, and Saleh have been praised for their care and flexibility.

“Ausgezeichnete Tour. Unsere Guides Abdullah & Said sowie unsere Fahrer Sadik & Shazil sind auf all unsere Wünsche eingegangen und zeigten eine großartige Flexibilität (insbesondere als uns der Regen überraschte und wir vor der Weiterfahrt einen Stopp im Hotel einlegten). Ohne Einschränkung zu empfehlen! Danke!”

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13.Half Day Zanzibar Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 30 reviews · from $102

Travel from your Zanzibar hotel to the northeast coast, then take a 20-minute boat ride to Mnemba Atoll. A guide helps you find tropical fish, coral, turtles, and perhaps dolphins. Mohamed has been praised for sharing local insight during the drive. The four-hour trip includes equipment, fruit, water, snacks, and hotel transfers, but no lunch.

“We really enjoyed this snorkling tour around Mnemba Atoll. First we went looking for dolphins and we saw some wild dolphins. There was a lot of fish and we were able to snorkle for about two hours with a break. During the break we were Read more”

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14.Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 28 reviews · 4 hours · from $108

Take a four-hour private boat trip from your Unguja hotel to the waters near Mnemba Island. Snorkel among coral, snapper, barracuda, and perhaps turtles, then enjoy fresh fruit on a sandbank. An English-speaking guide, water, snacks, conservation fee, and hotel transfers are included. Mnemba Island itself is off-limits.

“Nous avons été enchanté par cette excursion , nous n’étions pas en haute saison donc quelques barques . Il faudrait avertir un peu mieux les touristes de préserver cette faune , ne pas toucher les étoiles de mer par exemple, elles sont tellement impressionnantes quand elles avancent sur le sables . Notre capitaines était très à l’écoute Merci”

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15.Mnemba Island Snorkeling and Dolphin Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 28 reviews · from $40

From Muyuni Beach, you’ll cruise to Zanzibar’s dolphin area and Mnemba Atoll with a local marine guide. Expect dolphin spotting, reef snorkeling, a tide-dependent sandbank stop with tropical fruit, and a seafood lunch. Guide Ramadhani Ramiel has earned special praise for finding dolphins quickly.

“the tour itself was very good, the guides. attentions to what we wanted was great. snorkeling, sandbay and seeing starfish was fab. meeting point was unclear, delays to get started and an additional tax to pay, which was absolutely fine however had we known we would have brought cash.”

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