The 11 Best Zanzibar Snorkeling Tours

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. Your local crew takes you to dolphin waters, coral reefs, and white-sand shallows, with gear, fruit, and drinks included. Guides such as Khamis, Alex, and Ramadan are praised for keeping swimmers safe and relaxed.

“We saw lots of dolphins above and below the water which was truly exciting to see. The warning of the feeling that you’re out hunting due to the nature of spotting dolphins and pods is true and I’m glad I knew before booking.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Zanzibar: Mnemba Island Dolphin and Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 352 reviews · 4.5 - 6 hours · from $40

Join Rasheed or another multilingual guide from Nungwi or Muyuni for a 4.5 to 6-hour Mnemba Atoll trip. Look for dolphins, snorkel among colorful fish, enjoy fresh fruit or lunch on the beach, and return along Zanzibar’s coast. Mnemba Island itself is private, so the tour visits its surrounding waters.

“Activity was amazing, Our guide could have been more helpful when doing the snorkeling as it seemed he's phone was more important. He was informed we had not done snorkeling before very disappointed. The boat man hola was absolutely fantastic he helped us alot.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Zanzibar: Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkeling and Lunch

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

From Zanzibar, you’ll travel to Fumba, then sail by dhow to Kwale Sandbank, snorkel among fish and starfish, swim in a tide-dependent lagoon, and enjoy a generous seafood barbecue on Kwale Island. Guides such as Omar and Osman are known for attentive service and lively energy.

“I really like the snorkeling! fruits platters and sea foods was generous portion !”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Matemwe: Mnemba Island Dolphin & Snorkeling Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 152 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $35

Join a shared 4 to 5 hour boat trip from Matemwe to Mnemba Island for dolphin watching, snorkeling, swimming, fruit, and clear tropical water. Guides such as Lava Lava, Abdul, Nasor, and Lil Nasr are praised for friendly help, photos, and patience. A $10 island fee is extra.

“i loved the bright blue seas and the beautifull corals. got the opportunity to swim with dolphins and my guide called lavalava, was amazing and made sure i had a perfect experience”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Private Dolphin Tour and Snorkeling at Mnemba Island reef

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

This three-hour private outing takes you by air-conditioned vehicle and boat to Zanzibar’s northeast waters. With a guide such as Ahmed or Msomali, you search for wild dolphins, snorkel Mnemba Reef, and relax at a clear-water sandbank. Equipment, fruit, water, and hotel transfers are included.

“Fantastic trip, seeing the Dolphins under the water whilst we were snorkelling was the best experience of the holiday.”

Check availability →Read our full review

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

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

Sail from Fumba into Menai Bay for a sandbank stop, coral-reef snorkeling, lagoon swimming and a seafood barbecue on an island. Hotel pickup, equipment, drinks and guides are included. Plan for a long day, changing tides, strong sun and possible delays before boarding.

“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”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.FROM NUNGWI; MNEMBA SNORKELING AND DOLPHIN TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 49 reviews · 6 minutes - 6 hours · from $45

From Nungwi, you’ll cruise by boat toward Mnemba for reef snorkeling, possible dolphin sightings, fruit on board, and time on a shallow sandbank. The tour includes gear, a life jacket, a snorkeling guide, and optional hotel pickup. English, French, Italian, and German guides are available.

“It was nice, didn't get to see the dolphins much, so many boats trying to catch the sight at least, it was a nice experience overall”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.ZANZIBAR : Mnemba Dolphin and Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 31 reviews · 6 hours · from $15Best value

From Nungwi, cruise toward Mnemba Atoll for dolphin watching and guided snorkeling among coral, tropical fish, starfish, and possible sea turtles. The 6-hour trip includes boat transport, equipment, fruit, drinks, and hotel pickup when selected. Mnemba Island itself is private and closed to visitors.

“Very nice people. Loved the experience, totally recommend it. Quite a reasonable price compared to others with same tours”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.From Zanzibar: Mnemba Boat Tour with Snorkeling & Dolphine

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $28

From Nungwi or Kendwa, you’ll cruise toward Mnemba Island for wild dolphin watching and snorkeling among coral, turtles, and colorful fish. The five-hour trip includes boat transport, equipment, water, seasonal fruit, and a local guide. Dolphin sightings are common but never guaranteed, and busy conditions can affect the experience.

“Increíble!!!! Pudimos ver delfines y bañarnos con ellos. Estaban justo al lado. Incluso pudimos tocar uno. Ellos hacen su nado y con la barca les van siguiendo hasta que te dicen que ya te puedes tirar. Todas las excursiones por mucho que te dan opciones en español, NADA, todas son en inglés. Pero bueno, en esta poco hace falta hablar porque te llevan con la barca para tirarte al mar. Nosotras la recomendamos ya que tuvimos suerte y pudimos bañarnos con ellos. La hora de duración es aproximada. No hicimos 5h. No llegaron a 4h. Pero suficiente. A parte un chico iba mareado…así que volvimos antes. Recomendamos si eres de…”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.From Nungwi: Mnemba Island Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $60

From Nungwi, take a short van ride and speedboat trip to Mnemba’s clear waters for dolphin watching and snorkeling. Ghandi earns a special mention for friendly service, while beach time shifts between Mnemba and Muyuni according to the tide. Bring sun protection and expect a fast, open-air boat ride.

“We got picked up by a TukTuk driver, so not the guide like the itinerary says. We get dropped off at a location and asked what size our feet were even though ‘someone’ the day before messaged me with the same question, to which i replied. They didn’t ask for the QR code. It wasn’t scanned at all. We hop on the boat. There are 2 guides. They don’t introduce themselves. We don’t know their names. They have no credentials whatsoever, but proceed to speed out into the ocean at a fast rate. There was no briefing, no comms, no instructions about life jackets. The sunshade cover is torn and…”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.From Nungwi: Safari Blue Snorkeling Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 13 reviews · 9 hours · from $85

Spend about nine hours traveling from Nungwi or elsewhere in Zanzibar to Fumba, then sail through Menai Bay for sandbank swimming, snorkeling, lagoons, mangroves, and a seafood barbecue. Guides such as Serif and Hamis have led well-liked outings, but stop times and guide language can vary.

“great day out 3 srops fiest mangrove swiming then snorkeling not the best around the world but very very nice fish alot of them then sandbank and sea food lunch wich is very fresh and good”

Check availability →Read our full review