Tanzania · 3 - 12 April 2027
Tanzania Explorer
10 days exploring the islands around Zanzibar
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Overview
Join our Tanzania Explorer for a 10-day sailing adventure through the island chain off the East African coast, departing and returning to Stone Town, Zanzibar aboard Synergy, our 40ft Fontaine Pajot Lavessi catamaran. The islands within reach — Pemba to the north, Mafia to the south, and the Songo Songo Archipelago beyond — sit within a 200-nautical-mile cruising ground that is rarely visited by sailors. Pemba Island offers clove plantations, Ngezi rainforest, and coral walls dropping to 300 metres in the Pemba Channel. Mafia Island Marine Park holds over 460 species of fish, nesting hawksbill and green turtles, and seasonal whale sharks. Songo Songo is a mangrove archipelago of dhow-building villages and near-empty anchorages. The exact route is shaped by wind, current, and what the group on board wants: more miles and open water, or more time at anchor exploring reefs and fishing villages - we will certainly visit one of the islands, maybe two but this is a trip where setting a strict itinerary doesn't apply. What doesn't change: you'll sail through the Pemba Channel, one of East Africa's most nutrient-rich and dramatic stretches of water. You'll anchor off islands where the fishing is done from traditional ngalawa outriggers and the reefs have seen almost no dive tourism. You'll eat well, sleep aboard, and spend ten days in a part of the world that feels genuinely off the beaten track. No prior sailing experience required. We always run our trips with small groups, and for this one we will only have maximum 4 crew slots on board, sailing with our experienced Skipper and first mate. This ensures lots of space on board and maximum opportunity to tailor each trip to your specific wishes.
Highlights
Exploring Historical Stone Town
Wandering Stone Town feels like stepping into a dream with alleys scented with spices and intricately carved doors whispering history. Amidst this vibrant tapestry lies the childhood home of Freddie Mercury, a quiet tribute to a legendary voice. Stone Town pulses with soul, rhythm, and timeless charm.
Navigating the Pemba Channel
The narrow strait between Pemba Island and mainland Tanzania concentrates deep-ocean nutrients into one of East Africa's richest reef systems — coral walls to 300 metres, strong pelagic life, and an island above the waterline that feels genuinely remote. Most visitors fly in. Arriving by catamaran, anchoring off Vumawimbi beach or threading into a mangrove creek, is a different experience entirely.
Every Point of Sail
This journey offers the full spectrum of sailing, calm breezes to more demanding conditions, with steady beam reaches and tighter close-hauled stretches. Each day presents new conditions, making it an ideal passage for those seeking variety, challenge, and the rewarding rhythm of life under sail.
Skippers
Paul Preen
Paul is an RYA Sail Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor and Examiner (YMI Sail), an accomplished Sailor, both Power and Sail, RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Commercially Endorsed.
He has a lifetime of experience in yachting, and deep knowledge of the Indian Ocean, having lived on its shores most of his life.
He has sailed, owned and operated various sailing yachts from small 35ft Catamarans to a 100ft Schooner in various locations around the world. His true passion is instructing, be it Competition Crew through to Yachtmaster Offshore.
Itinerary
These are potential routings - the actual islands visited and itinerary will take account of weather and the wishes of the group
Previous
Next
From Stone town to Mafia Island
You join the yacht in the afternoon and we'll do a full safety briefing and welcome you on board.
Departing Stone Town's harbour the next morning we clear Zanzibar's northern tip before turning south on the outside of the island — a first open-water stretch that shakes out the routines and gets the fishing lines out. The route passes the remote Songo Songo Archipelago, where dhow-building villages sit among mangrove creeks and the anchorages are almost entirely unvisited, before we make Mafia Island Marine Park our base. Time here is for the water: Chole Bay's coral gardens, Kinasi Pass, and the reef systems that earned Mafia its protected status.
Mafia Island to Pemba Island
An alternative would be to route north on a passage that threads up into the Pemba Channel. The channel itself is the destination — nutrient-rich, fast-moving water that feeds some of the most intact coral reefs in East Africa. Pemba Island is clove plantations and Ngezi forest on land, and dramatic walls and abundant marine life below. Vumawimbi beach on the north coast is one of the finest anchorages in Tanzania.
Pemba Island to Stone Town
The homecoming leg. South from Pemba, back through the Pemba Channel with the wind typically on the quarter, and a final approach into Stone Town that arrives from the north — past Tumbatu Island, through the outer anchorages, and into the harbour of Stone Town which rewards a second look after ten days at sea: the spice market, the carved doors, the rooftop bars above the old dhow harbour. A natural close to the adventure.
What's Included
What's Included
All food and drink (non-alcoholic) on board
Safety equipment including life-jackets.
All mooring and port entry fees for the boat.
Overnight accommodation onboard, your own bunk and bedding
What's Not Included
• Meals Ashore
• Sailing & Travel Insurance
Shore based activities
Gallery
You'll Be Staying Here
Synergy
Synergy is a Fontaine Pajot Lavessi 40 Catamaran. Spacious, comfortable and well equipped for snorkelling and relaxed socialising with a large cockpit and an extended platform off the stern. She is a very easy handled yacht and copes well sailing offshore.
In Synergy we cover ground comfortably at a good average speed of around 6knts which leaves plenty of time for exploring ashore or enjoying remote anchorages. Synergy is very well equipped for offshore sailing. Her sturdy tender provides easy comfortable means to exploring the anchorages you will visit.
We have 4 sleeping cabins, two in each hull with a shared shower/heads per hull. Bedding is provided. On board comfort is a priority and the layout offers privacy.
FAQs
Do I need to be experienced in sailing?
We design the trips for a wide range of experience which means that even if you’ve not sailed, our experienced Skippers will ensure you have a fantastic time.
The longer legs will suit “mile builders” who already have some sailing qualifications, and we can spend time supporting you with everything from helming to sail trimming or passage planning as you wish!
Before you join, we’ll ask about your previous sailing experience and what you want to get out of the trip. That way, we’ll tailor the tour to your specific needs.
What's the cancellation policy?
The group size is kept very small on our trips which gives you a real ‘masterclass’ with our highly experienced Skippers. However, that means each place is valuable and we need full groups.
We ask for a 10% deposit to secure your berth, with the balance being due 6 weeks before departure.
If you cancel your place over 8 weeks out, the deposit is fully refundable. Between 6-8 weeks, we will retain the deposit.
If you cancel 6 weeks or less, the full price will be payable.
What should I bring?
We’ll share a kit-list which will be adapted to the trip you’re taking.
All bed linen is provided as well as safety equipment. You will need some decent deck shoes (or sailing boots), otherwise it’s layers of clothing adapted to the conditions you’re likely to encounter.
Bring a camera. If you want to bring a drone, let us know beforehand and bear in mind drones tend not to be waterproof and are carried / used at your own risk!
How adventurous is it?
We want everyone to get the most out of their time on board – so we’ll work around your wants.
However, our trips are designed for you to take an active role – that means, for example, we’ll take turns in cooking (all the menus are planned already and step by step instructions given, so you don’t need to be a masterchef!)
You can get tips and instruction on all aspects of sailing from our Skippers and get as involved as you want, grinding, trimming, helming and learning. On the other hand, there’s also plenty of time to relax and just take in the beautiful ocean scenery. It’s your trip!