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Simba Pride Safaris

Mafia Island · Chole Bay · 6 days

mafia islandWhale Sharks

Two mornings on the water off Kilindoni looking for the largest fish in the sea, a day on the protected reefs of Chole Bay and a dhow across to the ruins of Chole Island. In between, a small eco-lodge, a quiet island and very little to do.

  • 6days
  • 5nights
  • 2whale shark trips
  • Ecolodge & boats
01 · Overview

Why two whale shark mornings

Whale sharks are wild animals that follow the plankton, and some mornings the sea is rough or they are further out. Two trips on different days give you a second chance, and still leave three days for the reefs, the islands and the hammock.

You fly from Dar es Salaam to Mafia in about 35 minutes and drive across the island to a small eco-lodge on Chole Bay, inside the Mafia Island Marine Park. Whale shark boats leave from Kilindoni on the west coast, where the airstrip is, so on days two and five you cross back for the morning. The rest of the week is spent in and around the bay: snorkelling or diving the reefs, sailing a dhow to Chole Island and its ruins, and very little else, which is the point of Mafia.

Starts

Dar es Salaam, day 1

A scheduled light aircraft to Mafia, timed to connect with your arrival.

Ends

Dar es Salaam, day 6

Back in Dar by early afternoon, for most evening flights home.

Style

Eco-lodge, full board

A small lodge on Chole Bay, with boat trips run by the lodge or a licensed operator.

Pace

Early mornings, slow afternoons

The boats go out early. Most afternoons have nothing planned.

01

Arrival · Dinner

Karibu to Mafia

We meet you at Dar es Salaam airport and see you onto the small plane to Mafia, about 35 minutes over the Rufiji delta. The lodge meets you at the airstrip in Kilindoni and drives you across the island to Chole Bay.

The afternoon is for settling in: a swim, a walk along the shore and a briefing on the week, including the rules for swimming with whale sharks. Dinner is at the lodge, on the deck if the evening is still.

Meals
Dinner
Highlight
The flight over the Rufiji delta
Sleep
Eco-lodge, Chole Bay named when you book
02

Whale shark trip · B L D

Looking for the largest fish in the sea

An early breakfast and the drive back to Kilindoni, where the boat leaves at about seven with spotters on the bow. Whale sharks feed near the surface in the plankton-rich water off the west coast, and the crew knows where they have been seen lately.

When one is found you slip in quietly with mask and snorkel, keep about three metres away and let it glide past. You are back on shore by late morning for lunch; the afternoon is free.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Highlight
Snorkelling beside a whale shark
Sleep
Eco-lodge, Chole Bay named when you book
03

Marine park day · B L D

The reefs of the marine park

Chole Bay is the heart of the Mafia Island Marine Park, sheltered by a ring of small islands and reefs. A boat takes you to the coral gardens inside the bay, where turtles, rays and big shoals of reef fish are common.

Certified divers can dive the reefs at the mouth of the bay instead; bring your certification card. Timing depends on the tide, so the day is planned around it, with a long lunch in the middle.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Highlight
Turtles on the Chole Bay reefs
Add-on
Guided dives for certified divers
04

Dhow day · B L D

By dhow to Chole Island

A wooden dhow takes you the short way across the bay to Chole Island, once the old trading centre of Mafia. You walk through the ruins, now wrapped in fig roots, past the boatbuilders at work and the trees where fruit bats roost.

In the afternoon the dhow sails out to a sandbank for a picnic and a swim, and back across the bay as the light goes. It is the slowest day of the week, and for many people the one they remember.

Meals
Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Highlight
The ruins and fruit bats of Chole
Sleep
Eco-lodge, Chole Bay named when you book
05

Whale shark trip · B L D

A second morning with the whale sharks

Back to Kilindoni for a second whale shark trip. If the first morning was rough or the sharks stayed deep, this is your second chance; if it went well, it is simply another swim with them.

Prefer the reef? We can swap this morning for a second day in the marine park. The afternoon is free for the hammock, a village walk or a last swim.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Highlight
A second chance at sea
Sleep
Eco-lodge, Chole Bay named when you book
06

Departure · B

Back over the delta

A last swim before breakfast, then the drive back to the airstrip and the short flight to Dar es Salaam. Small planes mean small bags: keep to about 15 kg in a soft bag.

In Dar we meet you and take you to your connecting flight. Carrying on to a safari in Nyerere, or to Zanzibar? Both are a short flight from Dar, and we can arrange either.

Meals
Breakfast
Ends
Dar es Salaam airport
Next
Nyerere or Zanzibar, a short flight

When to go

Whale shark season

Whale sharks gather off Mafia to feed for part of the year. Choose a season to see what the island is like.

  • Best for this trip
  • Good
  • Off season

Whale sharks are wild animals: sightings are very likely in season but never guaranteed.

What it costs

Fill the vehicle, pay less each

Five nights full board at the eco-lodge, the flights between Dar es Salaam and Mafia, two whale shark trips, the marine park day and the dhow to Chole Island, priced per person sharing. No booking fees.

Mid-range fromUS$1,480per person sharing

Important information

All prices are per person and exclude international flights. Final rates depend on your travel dates, seasonal park fees and availability; we confirm them in writing with your quote.

Your selection · click a group size2 guests · Mid-range1 double

Get the exact price

Travelling with children

Children from 8 can join the whale shark trips, and the reef and dhow days suit younger children too. Ask us for child rates and family rooms for your dates; they depend on each lodge’s own policy.

in the price

  • Scheduled flights Dar es Salaam to Mafia and back
  • Five nights at an eco-lodge on Chole Bay, full board
  • Two whale shark snorkelling trips from Kilindoni
  • Snorkelling day in the marine park, with equipment
  • Dhow trip to Chole Island with a picnic lunch
  • Marine park fees
  • All transfers on Mafia and in Dar es Salaam

not in the price

  • International flights and visa
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Scuba diving and dive courses
  • Drinks at the lodge
  • Tips for boat crews and lodge staff

Make it yours

Add to the week

Tick anything you like the sound of. It goes straight into your enquiry, and we will price it with the trip.

Send my enquiry →

Before you go

The practical part

Questions

In season they are very likely, but never guaranteed: they are wild animals that follow the plankton. That is why the trip has two whale shark mornings, and we tell you honestly before you book how the season is going.

No. The swim is snorkel only, you keep about three metres away, and flash photography is not allowed. The rules protect the sharks and keep them coming back.

You need to be comfortable snorkelling in open water. Whale sharks move slowly, but the swim can be a few minutes at a time, so a life jacket or wetsuit helps.

No. Mafia’s beaches are fewer and smaller; you come for the water, the reefs and the quiet. There is no nightlife at all.

Yes. Mafia pairs well with Nyerere National Park, a short flight away, or with a northern safari via Dar es Salaam.

ready when you are

Six days, two tries, your dates

Tell us when you would like to come and who is swimming. We reply with a day-by-day plan, the best-matched lodge for your dates and an exact price.

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