The Southern Archipelago “Catamaran Safaris

Day7 – Catamaran Safari : “Min 7 Night: “from $ 3000 per Yacht per Night.

There is no set itinerary…. They are free to do what they want. Essentially the cruise will be
tailor made to suit their wishes and requirements, but below is an overview of the region.

For those that are not overly enamoured with popular locations and would prefer to be either the
only vessel in an anchorage or to leave the only footsteps on a beach, the southern half of
Tanzania with its numerous Islands and picture perfect secluded bays offers a cruising
experience that was possibly last experienced by the early Caribbean sailing pioneers.
From Dar es Salaam to Kilondoni on Mafia Island there are more than 18 islands and reefs that
can be explored; these are for the most isolated little islands that can offer absolute privacy – no
crowds, no cameras and above all no paparazzi. A mere 12 miles from Kilondoni on the
mainland lies the Rufiji Delta – one of the great river deltas in Africa and the scene of one of the
most extraordinary events in naval warfare history – (See separate article on the Rufiji Cruise).
Mafia Island was once part of the early Zanzibar Sultanate, however after what is regarded as the
shortest war in history – a mere 42 minutes where after the then Sultan of Zanzibar decided after
a broadside from British warships that perhaps discretion was the better part of valour – the
islands fell under control of the British and Mafia was eventually ceded to Germany in a land
swap deal dating back to the late 1800’s. On cessation of hostilities at the end of the First World
War, Tanganyika as it became known along with Mafia Island fell under the auspices of the
League of Nations and subsequently was administered as a British protectorate.
In 1961 Tanganyika became independent from Britain and today Mafia Island is in turn
administered by the mainland government. Unlike Zanzibar, Mafia has never felt the pressure of
tourist development and whilst there are a few lodges scattered around the island, Mafia tends to
breathe to its own rhythm.
One of the more obvious benefits of the island’s somewhat somnolent tourism development
program is that there is a noticeable improvement in the fishing. For those that like to fish, this
part of Tanzania is the place to be. The diving, whilst possibly not in the same league as Mesali
or Mnemba, nevertheless offers a diversity that is quite superb and is certainly worth the effort.

From Kilondoni down to Kilwa there are a further 16 islands and reefs begging to be explored.
Exotic names such as Okuza, Songa Songa, Jewe and South Fangove conjure visions of palm
fringed beaches washed by crystal clear warm waters that fade from a pale turquoise in the
shallows to an almost purple blue in the deep channels with an infinite number of shares in
between. Fish are plentiful and each year the area is graced by majestic Humpback whales and
the mystical whale sharks that come to calf in the Mafia channel. You have heard of paradise –
now you know where to find it…….
From Dar es Salaam to Mafia can be a five-hour sail, however it would just simply be wrong not
to stop off at some or all of the islands en route. In this case the trip could conceivably take two
to three days. As mentioned, Mafia can best be described as rustic. There are no marinas, no
malls, in fact there is not much of anything apart from stunningly beautiful beaches that at worst
might have a local fishing dhow parked on them.
The main town is Kilondoni and there is a rudimentary harbour and an airfield that looks as if it
might have been used as a film set in some or other Ernest Hemingway adaptation. There is
however the ubiquitous market and it’s always a heap of fun to wander through it bargaining
with the locals over fresh fruit and vegetables. Mafia is a sizeable island and one can easily
spend two to three days sailing from one anchorage to another.
From Mafia to Kilwa the islands are sparsely populated by itinerant fishermen. There is a small
lodge on South Fangove. Apart from that the rest of the islands give you the impression of being
the first to visit them. Kilwa has a fascinating history all of its own, once it was the most
powerful Sultanate in East Africa, to the extent that it minted its own coinage. The town,
described by a Portuguese explorer as ‘the most beautiful city’ he had ever seen acted as the
gateway out of Africa for gold and ivory that emanated from the African interior. In 1505 the
Portuguese under the command of Francisco de Almeida besieged and then took control of the
town. By 1512 they had pretty much destroyed around 600 years of culture and in that year were
forced to abandon the city after being attacked by Arab mercenaries.
Kilwa then fell under control of the Zanzibar Sultanate where it continued to decline. Today it is
a world heritage site and visitors to the ruins are welcome. These ruins offer a visitor a poignant
glimpse into a time that has long past, the like of which will never be seen again. Adjacent to
Kilwa is the Selous game park, a vast area the size of Switzerland and home to all of the big five
in Africa. Kilwa therefore makes an ideal place for to embark or disembark for those who want
to consider combining a sailing cruise with a game safari – the only place in the world where this
is possible.
There are so many options available to visitors that it is not possible to list them all here.
Remember, unlike lodges and hotels yachts can go wherever there is navigable water, thus the
view from your room will be of wherever we happen to be anchored.