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Mafia

Mafia is a relatively unknown and untouched island, 160 kms south of Zanzibar, where rustic fishing communities and farming villages go about their lives in a way that has existed for generations.

The waters surrounding Mafia are protected marine park and offer incredible snorkelling and diving, pristine reefs, and the opportunity to witness whale shark.

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Further Insight On Mafia

The easygoing, slow pace of life is taken to a greater extreme than the other islands and offers a wonderful option for travellers looking for a truly off-the-beaten-track and adventurous experience.

The Mafia Marine Park is located just 20km from the Rufiji Delta on the mainland, and it is thought the nutrient rich run off has made the waters here a hot spot for migrating whale shark. Whale shark are commonly seen been October and February, but November and December are known to be the most reliable. Boat trips to see whale shark can be easily arranged and we recommend to have enough time for two trips to hopefully guarantee this experience.

Away from the water, Mafia has some cool and quirky places to stay.

On Mafia Island, Pole Pole Island Lodge is most sophisticated of the places to stay, with very comfy bungalows and easy access to Marine Park snorkelling. Butiama Beach Lodge is close to where boats leave for whale shark trips, and is rustic and friendly.

For a totally quirky and unique place to stay, the Tree Houses at Chole Mjini Lodge on Chole Island have long been a favourite.

You can reach Mafia by air from Dar es Salaam.

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We believe our knowledge of Africa is unrivalled and our expertise in creating bespoke itineraries makes our holidays one of a lifetime.

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Read our testimonials

We had the BEST time! I have been struggling to put into words how amazing our honeymoon actually was. By the time we got to Selous Riverside Safari Camp it was after lunch so we’d missed the afternoon trip but we went on the river safari late afternoon which was brilliant, could only be discribed as breathtaking for our first few sightings.

Nyerere National Park & Pongwe

We had an amazing family holiday (2 kids aged 10) and the service and recommendations from S&B were fantastic. Local Masai Wanderings guide (Clement) was brilliant, knowledgeable and friendly and a real joy to travel with. Everything went very smoothly which was a testament to the organisation by S&B. Many thanks to Nick and the team, we will be back!

Feast Family

When you book a holiday like this you know it’s going to be early starts and early nights, and on the go Inbetween. It is the most rewarding experience, and the mix of luxury and tented accommodation makes you appreciate both, the consistent is the level of service from all staff, and their inherent friendliness was an added bonus.

Morag Bennett

I am just back from Tanzania and wanted to thank you very much for a fantastic itinerary. I loved all the accommodation choices made, all the connecting flights worked well and the guide was superb. I had a great time and let me know if you want to get some more feedback on any of the properties suggested by you and also Pongwe Beach which excellent.

Armin

We had the BEST time! I have been struggling to put into words how amazing our honeymoon actually was. By the time we got to Selous Riverside Safari Camp it was after lunch so we’d missed the afternoon trip but we went on the river safari late afternoon which was brilliant, could only be discribed as breathtaking for our first few sightings.

Nyerere National Park & Pongwe

We had an amazing family holiday (2 kids aged 10) and the service and recommendations from S&B were fantastic. Local Masai Wanderings guide (Clement) was brilliant, knowledgeable and friendly and a real joy to travel with. Everything went very smoothly which was a testament to the organisation by S&B. Many thanks to Nick and the team, we will be back!

Feast Family

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About Us

Safari & Beach does “exactly what it says on the tin”. We organise safari and beach holidays to Africa. We believe our expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm for organising travel to Africa is unrivalled. We are no frills so you get what you pay for. No fancy marketing gimmicks just our pure honesty. We are so confident in our prices, we have a price guarantee.

We want you to find planning your holiday an enjoyable experience and leave you excited about your forthcoming trip. Give us a ring. 01548 854125. Let’s start planning.

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