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Zanzibar - Mafia Island

Mafia Island - Accommodation

Pole Pole and Chole Mjini (described below) both offer exclusive opportunities to chill out in the beautiful setting of the Mafia Archipelago. Please note that both resorts are closed during the rainy season (April to mid-June). All accommodation can be booked in combination or individually, on a fully tailor-made basis – you decide how long you want to stay and where. A visit to Mafia can be combined with other destinations within Tanzania and is a perfect addition to the start or end of a safari itinerary.

Pole Pole accommodation
Chole Mjini accommodation

Sample itinerary

Pole Pole

Pole Pole is a luxury bungalow resort set on the southern side of the main island - Mafia. It has pleasant tropical gardens and spectacular coastal views. The 6 elegant and spacious bungalows are built by local craftsman, entirely out of wood and raised on stilts. They are all spacious with a private veranda overlooking a stretch of sandy beach and Chole Bay. All bungalows are fully en-suite and fitted with attractive bathroom furniture.

Pole Pole’s gourmet meals are served in the dining/bar lounge with an attractive ethnical décor. The meals are a mixture of culinary traditions with a touch of Italian class.

Pole Pole offers daily boat trips, in traditional dhows, to various destinations around Chole Bay. They treat all their wastewaters in a phyto-purification system and have initiated the first recycling scheme on the island.

Price: 3 nights in Pole Pole Bungalows starts from £530 per person, based on full board and 2 people sharing, including shared excursions, airport transfers, laundry and internal flights. Please note US$10 per person per night Marine Park fees are payable locally.

treehouse



Detail of lounge area

More photos

Chole Mjini

Chole Mjini’s 7 unique treehouses are set in attractive tropical gardens and ancient Persian ruins. Each is designed individually and built using local materials and craftsmanship. Some are built around baobab trees, others set in the mangroves, some with four-poster beds or with fantastic views. Each treehouse has a private garden with toilet and shower at ground level.

Meals are served in a charming open-sided building, also housing a lounge area and upstairs bar, with beautiful views across Chole Bay. Meals consist mainly of fish, octopus, lobster and other seafood, prepared in traditional Chole Swahili style.

Chole has developed very close relationships with the local people and donates US$10 levies per tourist night towards 2 different community societies. Chole Mjini is a truly remarkable place.

Price: 3 nights in a Chole Mjini treehouse starts from £460 per person, based on full board and 2 people sharing, including shared excursions, airport transfers, Chole levies, Mafia Island Marine Park fees, laundry and internal flights.

Please note that Chole Mjini offers special discounts for 6 or more nights stay.

Sample itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival at Kilindoni airstrip in the afternoon and a ½-hour 4x4 taxi drive to Utende on the south side of Mafia island, where your private dhow will be waiting to take you across Chole Bay. At Chole Mjini, you will receive a warm welcome by Alan, Jean or Anna and check into your own private treehouse (FB basis).

Day 2 & 3 - Free days at Chole to indulge in complete relaxation, wander around the island or venture out on Chole Mjini’s sailing dhow for some snorkelling or diving. Overnight stay in Chole Mjini (FB).

Day 4 – Transfer from Chole Mjini by private dhow to Utende, where a representative of Pole Pole will pick you up. Overnight stay at Pole Pole - Sensation bungalow (HB basis).

Day 5 & 6 – Enjoy the daily boat trips to Jinbondo, Juani, and Makweche islands, visit the local market or just indulge and relax under a coconut palm on Pole Pole's sandy beach, overlooking Chole Bay. Overnight stay at Pole Pole – Sensation bungalow (HB basis).

Day 7 – Afternoon transfer by 4x4 taxi to Kilindoni airstrip and internal flight back to Dar-es-Salaam

More photos

Pole Pole resort from Chole Bay one of the beautiful local beaches local fisherman at Mafia Island

Sample Prices
Your stay at Mafia Island can be fully tailor-made.
Daily flights between Dar and Mafia are available, so you can stay as long as you like.

Price for sample itinerary: 7 days Mafia Island sample itinerary starts from £845 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including accommodation as in itinerary above, shared excursions, airport transfers, Chole levies, Marine Park fees while at Chole and internal flights.

Please note that our prices do NOT include any bar bills, Mafia Island Marine Park fees (US$10 per person per day to be paid cash at the Marine Park gate for the nights in Pole Pole) and international flight.

A wide variety of sealife amongst the coral