Snorkeling Mnemba Island: Dolphins and Coral Reef

Swim with bottlenose dolphins, then drop into a coral reef alive with Nemo, grouper and moray eel.

Snorkeling at Mnemba Island near Zanzibar combines dolphin swimming at Dolphin Point with reef diving in the Mnemba Marine Conservation Area, followed by lunch on a sandbank. The motorboat departs at 9:30 AM from Mama Mia Restaurant Beach or the northern beaches (Kendwa or Nungwi), with pickup 40 minutes before departure; the full day runs until 3:30 PM. A local guide leads the activity in English, Spanish, Italian or French, and snorkeling equipment, lunch, drinks and tropical fruit are included.

The Experience

The motorboat leaves at 9:30 AM from Mama Mia Restaurant Beach or from Kendwa and Nungwi in the north, after a 40-minute pickup window. The boat ride takes about 45 minutes, and the first stop is Dolphin Point, where you enter the water to swim with bottlenose dolphins — the rarest marine life in Tanzanian waters. Afterward, the boat heads to the Mnemba Marine Conservation Area, a protected reef where you snorkel among colorful fish: Nemo, Dory, grouper, zebra fish, cornet fish, rainbow fish, moray eel and trumpet fish move through the coral in every direction.

Next comes the sandbank, though its shape shifts with the tide. Lunch is a seafood BBQ served either on the Mnemba disappearing sandbank or on Muyuni Beach, with soda, bottled water and tropical fruit included. After eating, you have time to rest on the sand or wade back into the shallows before the boat returns you to the meeting point by 3:30 PM.

What’s included

• Motorboat transport from Mama Mia Restaurant Beach or the northern beaches.
• use of snorkeling equipment.
• dolphin swimming at Dolphin Point.
• coral reef snorkeling in the Mnemba Marine Conservation Area.
• seafood BBQ lunch.
• soda, bottled water and tropical fruit.
• local guide in English, Spanish, Italian or French.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Captain Barnaba Excursions

Is this one for you?The day runs six hours with an early 9:30 AM start and a 45-minute boat ride, so it suits travelers with a moderate level of fitness who are comfortable entering the water multiple times. Children from age 4 are welcome when sitting with an adult during the boat ride.

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Top questions

What fish will I see when snorkeling at Mnemba Island?

The Mnemba Marine Conservation Area is home to colorful reef species including Nemo (clownfish), Dory (blue tangs), grouper, zebra fish, cornet fish, rainbow fish, moray eel and trumpet fish. The exact species you encounter depends on the day and the reef section your guide chooses.

Do I need to bring my own snorkeling gear?

Snorkeling equipment is provided and included in the price. You do not need to bring your own.

When is the best time to see dolphins at Dolphin Point?

Dolphin Point is the first stop after the 45-minute boat ride from the beach. Bottlenose dolphins are present year-round in Zanzibar waters, though sightings depend on the day and sea conditions. Your guide will position the boat to give you the best chance to swim with them.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian and French, so you can choose the language that suits you when you book.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is served?

Lunch is a seafood BBQ served on the sandbank or beach, with soda, bottled water and tropical fruit included. The meal is part of the full-day package.

What time does the activity start and end?

Pickup begins 40 minutes before the 9:30 AM motorboat departure, and the full day ends at 3:30 PM when you return to the meeting point.