Kizimkazi: dolphins, Salaam Cave, stays and getting there

Kizimkazi and its twin village, Dimbani, sit near the southern tip of Unguja’s west coast³. The fishing village is officially Kizimkazi Mkunguni, also known as Kizimkazi Mtendeni, in Unguja South Region⁴. Dimbani’s official name is Kizimkazi Dimbani³.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Dolphin boats: daily boat tours⁴ head out to watch bottlenose dolphins and swim with them.
• Old stones: the village was once a walled city⁴, and the old mosque stands in Dimbani.
• Warm weather: the islands are warm all year round⁵, with monthly averages in Zanzibar City of 25.1–28.8 °C⁶.

Dolphin boat trips

Dolphin watching tours are the main reason people come this far south. Boat trips with snorkel gear start from US$40 per boat¹ (checked October 2026), so sharing a boat cuts your share.

For a sense of numbers, a 1998 count in Menai Bay, Zanzibar’s largest marine protected area, recorded 160⁸ resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.

For a longer day at sea, Go Smart’s Safari Blue price includes a guide, the sailing boat, snorkelling gear, lunch, fruit, soft drinks and government fees⁹. Read what to expect on Safari Blue before you choose.

Salaam Cave and its turtles

Salaam Cave in Dimbani is a sea turtle conservation cave, once used by locals as a ritual site¹⁰. It holds both sea water and fresh water, and the aquarium was officially opened at the village festival in August 2024¹⁰.

A visit usually means a swim of about 30 minutes¹¹. Turtle-swim prices fall sharply with group size (see the price table below), or you can book a turtle swim with the entry fee included. The Salaam Cave Aquarium page has more on visiting.

The old mosque at Dimbani

A preserved Kufic inscription dates the Kizimkazi Dimbani Mosque to 1107 CE². Despite the name, it stands in Dimbani, 4.8 km from the fishing village, at the southern tip of the island².

Jozani Forest on the way

Jozani Forest is home to the island’s red colobus monkeys, now nearly extinct¹. Expert Africa calls Jozani the best place to see them, and several groups are used to people¹². The Zanzibar forest day trip guide covers the walk in detail.

Day tour · 5.5 hours · GetYourGuide

Zanzibar: Jozani Forest & Salaam Cave + Pickup & Entry fees

4.8 (494 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

Free cancellation · Pickup included

fromUS$80

See dates on GetYourGuide

The Citizen reported that the 2026 Kizimkazi Festival was scheduled for 12 to 14 August¹⁴ (checked October 2026) in the village. Daily News gave a different end date and put the main celebration in Makunduchi¹⁴, so check the programme before you book around it.

Still on the mainland? Ferries and catamarans run between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, and the airport is about 5 km¹ south of Zanzibar City. The ferries and flights into Zanzibar page has the details.