Kayaking Zanzibar: Mnemba Island, spice farm, horseback ride

Paddle, cook, and ride across Zanzibar's coast in a single day

A full-day private tour of Zanzibar combining clear kayaking at Kendwa Beach, snorkeling around Mnemba Island Atoll, a hands-on cooking class inside the Tropical Spice Garden, and a 30-minute horseback ride along the shore. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and eight other languages. Pickup, lunch and all fees are included. Children from age 1 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Zanzibar snorkeling, kayaking, cooking, riding

• Snorkel around Mnemba Island Atoll
• Clear kayaking at Kendwa Beach
• Visit Tropical Spice Garden
• Take Zanzibar cooking class
• Horseback riding in the afternoon

The experience

The day starts with snorkeling around Mnemba Island Atoll, where you'll observe tropical fish, sea turtles and corals with your guide before moving to clear kayaking at Kendwa Beach. The kayaks seat two people, so you'll either paddle with a partner or have the guide alongside. After time in the water and on the sand, you head inland to the Tropical Spice Garden for a one-hour stop where you taste seasonal spices and fresh fruits: coconut straight from the tree if the weather holds.

The cooking class runs two hours inside the spice farm itself. A professional chef teaches you how to prepare a typical Swahili meal from scratch using the fresh spices you just tasted, so you'll leave with recipes and techniques to use at home. Lunch is included and built from what you've learned. The afternoon closes with a 30-minute horseback ride along the beach and through coconut palms, ending as the light softens over the Indian Ocean.

The full day runs nine hours with private transportation throughout. Your guide handles all logistics and speaks multiple languages. Pickup from your hotel is included. The maximum weight for the horse ride is 90 kilograms per person, and all areas are wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Private transportation.
• bottled water.
• lunch.
• all fees and taxes.
• snorkel gear.
• clear kayak access.
• spice garden entry.
• cooking class instruction with a professional chef.
• horseback riding.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (25 to 55 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (15 to 20 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Hebrew, Polish and Ukrainian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 32 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Africa & Beyond Tours & Travel Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine kayaking, spice gardens, and horseback riding in one day. Choose a shorter single-activity tour if you'd rather have beach or town time afterward.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Polish and Hebrew.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 20 years); Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What's the water like around Mnemba Island when you're snorkeling and kayaking?

Mnemba Island Atoll sits in clear shallow water where you'll see tropical fish, sea turtles and colorful corals. The snorkeling happens first with your guide, then you kayak in the same area, so you get two different views of the same marine life.

Do I kayak alone or with someone else?

Each kayak seats two people, so you'll paddle with a partner or with your guide depending on the group size.

What exactly do you learn in the cooking class?

A professional chef teaches you how to prepare a typical Zanzibar Swahili meal from scratch using the fresh spices grown in the farm where the class is held. The two-hour class covers how to use those spices, and lunch is made from what you've learned.

How much time do you actually spend on the beach versus traveling between stops?

You spend time swimming and walking at Kendwa Beach after kayaking, then move to the Tropical Spice Garden for an hour, then the two-hour cooking class, then the 30-minute horseback ride. The nine-hour day includes private transportation between each stop.