Jozani Forest and Butterfly Centre
Red colobus monkeys and a community butterfly project
- Location Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Unguja
- Duration Half day, approximately 5 hours
- Tour type Private or shared
- Availability Daily, morning departures preferred
Price on request Send the form and we reply with a firm quote, usually within a few hours.
Overview
This half-day trip pairs Zanzibar’s only national park with the community butterfly project next door, and covers most of the island’s land wildlife in a single morning.
Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park comes first. The forest trails carry you into the territory of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found nowhere else on earth. Sykes’ monkeys, bush babies, Ader’s duiker, butterflies and forest birds share the same trees, and your guide finds them and explains how the conservation programme works.
The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre sits beside the park entrance. It is a community project: local farmers rear butterfly pupae for the enclosure and for export, which gives villages an income from keeping the forest standing. Inside the netted garden dozens of native species fly around you, and the keepers show you chameleons, bush babies, elephant shrews and other small residents.
The combination works particularly well for families and for anyone with an interest in conservation, since both sites explain what protecting the forest actually pays for.
Highlights
- See the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey
- Walk the mangrove boardwalk over the tidal forest
- Stand inside a netted garden full of native butterflies
- Meet chameleons, bush babies and elephant shrews
- Support a community project paying villages to keep the forest
- An easy, mostly shaded walk
Itinerary
- 08:30
Hotel pickup
Collection from your hotel and the drive toward Chwaka Bay.
- 09:45
Jozani forest trail
A guided walk to find the red colobus troops, followed by the mangrove boardwalk.
- 11:30
Zanzibar Butterfly Centre
A guided visit to the netted garden and the small animal enclosures, with an explanation of how the farming project supports local families.
- 12:30
Return transfer
Drive back to your hotel.
What is included
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- National park and butterfly centre entrance fees
- English-speaking guide and park ranger
- All taxes
- Bottled water
Not included
- Lunch and drinks, where not listed as included
- Personal shopping and souvenirs
- Gratuities for your guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Anything not named under what is included
Pickup and meeting point
Pickup time: Around 08:30.
Meeting point: Hotel reception.
We collect from these areas:
- Stone Town
- Zanzibar City
- Maungani
- Nungwi
- Kendwa
- Matemwe
- Kiwengwa
- Pwani Mchangani
- Uroa
- Pongwe
- Chwaka
- Michamvi
- Paje
- Jambiani
- Makunduchi
- Kizimkazi
- Fumba
- Mangapwani
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes or sandals
- Sun cream, hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Small notes in Tanzanian shillings or US dollars
- Camera or phone
- Light rain jacket in the wet season
- Insect repellent
- Binoculars if you have them
Important information
- Park rules ask visitors to keep several metres from the monkeys and never to feed them.
- Butterflies are most active in warm, bright conditions, so mornings are better than late afternoon.
- Both sites are wheelchair accessible in part. Tell us in advance and we will plan the route.
- Wild animal sightings are reliable here but never guaranteed.
Gallery
Frequently asked questions
Is the butterfly centre worth the extra time?
For families and anyone interested in conservation, yes. It is a community project where local farmers rear the pupae, so the visit pays villages to protect the forest.
What is the best time of day?
Morning. The monkeys are active and the butterflies fly best in bright, warm conditions.
How long is the walking?
Around two hours in total across both sites, flat and mostly shaded.
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