Nature · Bwejuu

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park

Less than 30 minutes by car from Bwejuu, Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is Zanzibar's only national park and one of its greatest natural treasures — a dense, cathedral-like forest where the endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey crashes through the canopy just above your head. It is the single best half-day excursion from the southeast coast, and it costs next to nothing.

Book tickets & tours Check availability for Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park on Klook

The Red Colobus & the Forest

The Zanzibar red colobus is found nowhere else on earth — a flame-haired, white-bellied primate that has become the island's unofficial mascot. Jozani's 50 square kilometres of indigenous forest harbour several habituated troops that guides know how to find reliably, often within minutes of entering the park. You will get close enough to hear them chewing, watch mothers nursing young, and see juveniles leap between branches overhead.

The forest itself is extraordinary even without the monkeys. Ancient mahogany and fig trees create a multi-layered canopy, while a boardwalk trail winds through a mangrove lagoon where you can spot mudskippers, crabs and wading birds. The transition between the coral-rag forest, groundwater forest and mangrove habitat — all within a short walk — is a masterclass in tropical biodiversity.

Getting There & Combining with Other Stops

From Bwejuu, Jozani is an easy 25–30 minute drive inland — most guesthouses can arrange a shared taxi or private car for the morning. The park is typically combined with a visit to Kuza Cave and a seafood lunch at The Rock Restaurant on the Michamvi Peninsula for a full and deeply satisfying day out.

Guided walks take roughly 1.5 to 2 hours and are led by knowledgeable rangers who explain the park's conservation story — the red colobus population has rebounded significantly thanks to community-led protection efforts. The park also harbours blue monkeys, elephant shrews, bush babies and over 50 species of bird.