This experience combines some of Tanzania's best protected waters surrounding the enchanting Mafia Island, staying at Pole Pole, Winner of Best Hotel in Africa Award 2022; and Africa's largest protected wilderness area: the Selous Game Reserve.

For a diving or snorkeling enthusiast, Mafia Island is an 'island of two halves'. On the eastern side and spreading south are some of Tanzania's most pristine reefs. Their health is a testament to the Marine Park established there by WWF (the Worldwide Fund for Nature). Beyond Mafia's western shores is a shallow sand bank which provides one of the world's best opportunities to snorkel with  Whale Sharks; and in fact one of the best places to see them from the air as you fly into and out of the island.

Mafia Island has calm waters at 'slack tide', but significant currents in between. As a result, we need to personalise the timing of your diving, snorkelling and whale shark outings in advance, based upon advance tidal calculations.

Starting in the east, the most accessible coral reefs are those of the huge Chole Bay. This bay is protected from seasonal wave actions providing year-round diving with plenty of healthy hard corals. Chole Bay is a part of the 821 square kilometre Marine Protected Area which is afforded complete protection from fishing. This means that you can dive (or snorkel) amongst some incredibly healthy fish life. You can find yourself eyeball to eyeball with large numbers of food fish such a groupers, which in other coral reef locations around the world would have long been destined for the pot.

In addition to large specimens of fish, the marine park protects an incredible diversity of fish life and marine ecosystems. In Chole and beyond, you can find further excellent hard coral areas, algal dominated reefs, extensive mangrove forests, sponge and soft coral sub-tidal beds and wide inter-tidal flats. This variety encourages more than 400 species of fish to reside here, 400 types of sponges, 200 types of algae, Green Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Olive Ridleys and Giant Leatherbacks.

In addition to some of Africa's healthiest & most diverse coral reefs, Mafia Island has some of the World's best 'muck diving'

Mafia Island is an important breeding ground for small fish and larvae, and a type of shrimp which encourages the interest of whale sharks. These are best seen on the western side of the island in locations where our local boatmen can find upwellings which bring plankton to the surface. It is when whale sharks are feeding at the surface that we can locate them and enjoy good encounters, so snorkelling is undoubtedly the best way to share the water with them. We often see whale sharks from the air as we fly in and out of the island.

The whole coast of Tanzania, Mafia included, can experience some extensive tides. These can play a significant part in planning snorkel times, dive times and locations day by day. With this in mind, it is best that we plan the timing of your whale shark searches, snorkelling & diving long in advance. Diving and snorkelling aside, Mafia is also a deeply enchanting island where you can feel like you are stepping back in time as you watch a traditional sailing dhow ply its way along an island channel, or walk amongst villages and old ruins on Chole Island.

Safari options

The easiest safari option to add to a holiday to Mafia Island is the Selous Game Reserve - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the location of the safari in our sample itinerary here.

Our safaris to Selous can be by means of a combination of 4 Wheel Drive, on foot and in a boat amongst the myriad of islands in the Rufiji River. The Selous has large prides of lions, hippos, elephants, tree climbing leopards and Africa's rarest predator: the hunting dog. Its islets, lagoons and swamps also provide ideal habitat for some 440 species of bird.

We can get you into the Selous either by 4WD overland, by flying, or by a combination of the two if you want to experience an expedition feel across Africa for one day of your trip. Our selected accommodation is either lakeside or riverside deep inside the park. For additional safari time, we can also incorporate the Mikumi National Park, the rainforests of the Udzungwa Mountains, Ruaha National Park and the even more remote Katavi National Park.

Another option is to combine Mafia Island with a safari to some of the northern reserves of the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha or Tarangire. For further information about all of these reserves please visit our Safari Guide to the National Parks & Game Reserves of Tanzania.

Any duration and combination of diving and snorkeling in Tanzania is possible. Please contact us to speak with one of our Tanzania diving experts.

When to Go

The sheltered nature of Chole Bay means that diving can be done there at any time of the year. Whale sharks are usually best seen from October to very early January.

The Selous is best visited in February and March, or between July and November when the savannah is drier and game accumulates around the Rufiji River.

April and May is the main rainy season, so we do not operate this trip during those months.