Zanzibar. The name itself conjures up exotic images of sultans, the spice trade and Arabian nights, a time of long ago. Mysterious and mythical. Our safari to the southern circuit of Tanzania concluded with an excursion to this mythical place.

In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, later changing its name to Tanzania. Zanzibar consists of two large islands, plus several smaller ones, about 25 miles off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. The two large islands are Unguja (usually called Zanzibar Island) and Pemba. Zanzibar Island has an area of just under 640 square miles while Pemba Island has an area around 380 square miles. The islands of Zanzibar are generally flat and low lying, although Pemba Island has a central ridge, is cut by several small valleys and appears more hilly than Zanzibar Island. The islands were originally forested. Unfortunately, human habitation has resulted in widespread clearing with only a few isolated areas of forest remaining.

Zanzibar’s wildlife consists of monkeys and small antelopes, usually found in the forest areas, and civets and various species of mongoose, found all over the islands. Over 100 species of birdlife have been recorded on the islands. The marine wildlife, in the coral reefs that surround the islands, is particularly bountiful. Most people on the islands of Zanzibar live in small villages and are engaged in farming or fishing. There are, however, a few large towns (such as Zanzibar Town). The basic language of Zanzibar is Kiswahili, although Arabic is also spoken and English is widely used in the towns and tourist areas. Islam is the dominant religion. From the beginning of the 19th Century to the mid-1970s, Zanzibar exported a large proportion of the world’s supply of cloves, making this commodity the staple of the Islands’ economy, and cloves are still a major export (as well as other spices).

A two hour chartered flight from Ruaha National Park to Zanzibar and we arrived at Zanzibar Island for a two night stay in Zanzibar Town. The places of interest were Stone Town and the Jozani Forest.

Stone Town is Zanzibar’s old quarter. It has been called “the only functioning historical city in East Africa” and little has changed since the 1850s. Sights of interest are numerous. The Sultan’s Palace, now called the People’s Palace, is open to the public. First occupied by a reigning sovereign in 1911, it previously accommodated members of the royal family and the Sultan’s harem. In the attached graveyard, Said the Great and other sultans and their families lie buried. Adjacent to the palace is the House of Wonders, the Beit el-Ajaib, built by Sultan Barghash in 1883. Together with the original palace it was damaged by shellfire during a scuffle for the accession in 1896. A little further down stands the Arab Fort. As late as 1890, condemned criminals were publicly beheaded by the sword outside the walls at the back of the fort.

Zanzibar is renowned for its doors. I am told that custom required that the doorway of a house should be built before the house itself and that this ritual was given added strength by Koranic scripts. The Zanzibar door was traditionally made of teak, and was set in a square frame, covered by intricate carvings. Indian influences during the 19th century modified this prototype, producing doors with arched tops and more elaborate floral designs. Many of these doors have survived into our modern times.

The true adventure of Stone Town is a tour of its maze of alleyways and high-walled buildings. The tiny shops are home and business to many traders and craftsmen, their goods and handiwork available for purchase. Every twist and turn of the narrow alleyways will present you with something of interest: a school full of children chanting verses from the Koran, a church choir singing Christian hymns, beautiful old mansions, a shady square, an open air market, a fish market full of squids and other fresh catches and dozens of cats scurrying about, quaint hole-in-the-wall shops selling everything imaginable and residents sharing local gossip. Unfortunately, many of the buildings around Stone Town are crumbled or crumbling, but a determined effort is now being made to restore many of these buildings.

For a truly somber moment, a visit to the slave quarters is recommended. The quarters are small, dark and damp, the ceiling too low for a tall man to stand. It is impossible to imagine the conditions these people experienced forced into such a tight place. Stifling at its best, it would be unbearable as the temperatures rose, causing people to suffocated to death. It is difficult to reflect the revulsion that I felt as I left the place. A monument to the end of the slave trade stands nearby. Neither place should be bypassed as part of a tour of Stone Town.

The Jozani Forest is the closest that Zanzibar has to a National Park, declared a nature reserve in 1960. The Forest is located on the isthmus that links the northern and southern parts of Zanzibar Island. The water table is high and trees are mainly palms and figs. A nature trail has been established in the reserve, as has a walkway through a nearby mangrove swamp.

The day had started out rainy but, miraculously, the rains ceased shortly after we arrived at the Forest. Following a short introductory speech, we proceeded into the Reserve. The animal of interest in Jozani Forest is the Zanzibar red colobus monkey. With only 2,000 remaining, it is the rarest monkey species in the world. Gary had warned us that we would be lucky to catch a glimpse of these animals high in the tree tops as they were very wary of man. Much to our delight and his, Gary was wrong. Not far down the trail, we found ourselves in the middle of a troop, busy feeding on the trees and bushes around us. For the next 30 plus minutes, we observed these monkeys as they went about their business, totally unconcerned by our presence.

Monkeys of all ages and sizes comprised this troop, from youngsters to old mothers and everything in between. They leaped from tree to tree in search of food, sometimes stopping not more than a few feet from us to dine. We were warned not to approach to more than ten feet of any of the animals, but we found this a rule impossible with which to comply. At one point, Gary and I were looking at a monkey sitting in a tree close to us when I heard a noise. Turning around, I saw a monkey sitting in the tree behind us, not more than five feet away, chewing on a leaf and watching Gary and I as if we were the entertainment. Later, as I was concentrating on taking a picture of another monkey, I felt a shove and something pass beside me. One of the monkeys apparently found me in his way, and he pushed me aside so he could continue on.

An interesting feature of these monkeys were their feeding habits. Not only did they feed on the leaves and twigs growing in the Forest, but they also were observed chewing on a piece of charcoal. They used the charcoal as a dietary supplement, apparently to assist is digesting foods or possibly as a source of needed compounds. I am unaware of any other animal which eats charcoal.

After a half hour or so, the troop moved off into another area, leaving us behind, but not until after we had enjoyed a wonderful encounter. As we left the Forest, the rains began to fall again and did not stop until the next day. But nature was nice enough to grant us a small reprieve so that we could enjoy the inhabitants of Jozani Forest, an experience not to be missed if you are in Zanzibar.