Whether you're looking for adventure, activity or just flopping on a beach this two week journey between Tanzania and Mozambique is honeymoon heaven.

The Journey

This trip along the coastline takes in some of the region's most romantic and breath-taking destinations, from the famed island of Zanzibar to lesser-known tropical island hideaways and historic Swahili towns. You'll have the chance to dive the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, explore the African bush by foot and experience the rich history and culture of some of the region's oldest towns.

Accommodation options en route include traditional tented bandas on the edge of the Indian Ocean, exclusive private beach villas, an opulent hotel in the heart of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town and a restored 100-year-old fort. While the hotels all differ in style, they all maintain a strong community connection giving you the chance to get up close and personal with the very people that make this area so vibrant and colourful.

Trip Length

We recommend two weeks for this trip.

When to Travel

The best time to do this trip is during the 'dry season' which falls between June and September. In Mozambique the rainy season coincides with the heat and humidity from October to March and in Tanzania the main rainy season runs from March to May.

Price

This trip starts from $3690 per person (based on two sharing); this includes all accommodation, travel and transfers starting from Dar es Salaam but does not include return flights to Dar es Salaam.

236 Hurumzi, breakfast is included.

Guludo Lodge, rates include all meals (including snacks & picnics).

Vamizi Island, rates include all meals, soft drinks, local beer, house wine and bottled water. Activities such as snorkelling, dhow sailing and whale watching are also included.

The Old Boma Hotel, rates include breakfast.

**If you were to substitute Vamizi Island with Ibo Island Lodge prices start from $2790. Rates for Ibos Island Lodge include all meals (excluding drinks), a guided island historical tour and non-motorised watersports.

What to Do

...in Zanzibar (Days 1 - 3)

In the heart of Zanzibar's famed Stone Town stands 236 Hurumzi, a stunning hotel that was once home to one of the richest men in the Swahili Empire. The building has been elegantly restored and beautifully furnished to offer a whimsical retreat ideal for honeymooners or those just looking to crank up the romance a notch.

The island of Zanzibar has been weaving its magic on travellers, traders and adventurers for centuries. Characterised by dazzling white beaches with sand as fine as caster sugar and indigo seas, Zanzibar has been the crossroads of the eastern seas since Phoenician times. It was once the centre for spice and slave trading and evidence of African, Arab, Persian and Indian cultures remain today.

There's a million ways to occupy yourself in Zanzibar but the best way to get a feel for the island is to wander around the historic Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has changed little in the last 200 years. Join a half-day spice tour through plantations and homesteads, take a sunset cruise on a dhow or explore the eastern shore and its strings of villages that have survived for millennia on fishing. And then of course there are the beaches, which are some of the finest in the Indian Ocean.

...in Guludo Beach Lodge (Days 4 - 7)

Wedged between the Indian Ocean and the African bush lies the Guludo Beach Lodge, a beautiful resort overlooking one of the best beaches in Mozambique. Accommodation is housed within spacious tented bandas, each with its own stunning sea view and en suite marbled bathroom with quirky touches like shower-heads made from coconut shells.

The tented camp is set on an isolated eight-mile stretch of beach on the mainland, opposite the islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago. Between July and October you can spot humpback whales as they pass through the bay on their annual migration and the reefs and drop-offs make for great diving and snorkelling opportunities. The close proximity to Quirimbas National Park makes it an ideal spot for bush walks and Elephant Lookout, a viewpoint that overlooks the northern part of the park, is one of the very few places where its possible to see elephants during the day.

In addition to being a barefoot beach resort, the Guludo Beach Lodge has revitalised an area providing much-needed employment for a rural community. Fifty-five villagers work at the lodge, all the fish eaten at the lodge is bought from village fishermen (and guests can choose to go fishing with them) and village women come to the lodge to deliver facials - Mozambique style - to lodge guests.

It's this close relationship with the local village that makes this luxury resort different and it's an incredible way to get an understanding of local village life while still enjoying a relaxing, peaceful holiday.

...on Vamizi Island (Days 8 - 10)

Vamizi Island Lodge truly is one of a kind. It only opened in 2006 and offers 12 chic beach villas, each with its own private sun deck, on a veritable tropical paradise. The villas are set on stilts to minimise damage to the environment and constructed using locally sourced materials and techniques. Palm thatch roofs, high ceilings and hand-carved screens in place of windows work hand in hand with solid marble showers and huge, four-poster beds draped in muslin mosquito nets.

The crescent-shaped island is just 12km-long and 1.5km-wide and offers a world of dazzling white sands, virgin reefs and hidden coves. It's part of the Quirimbas Archipelago and home to some of the most diverse flora and fauna this side of the Galapagos. For starters, on land you'll find 112 species of bird, Samango monkeys, four species of turtle, giant coconut crabs as well as an endemic species of dwarf python. But it's what lies below the waters that really set Vamizi apart. There are more variations of coral here than on the Great Barrier Reef, 350 species of reef fish were recorded on 14 different snorkelling sites (75 of these species were not previously known in Mozambique) and a number of Hawksbill and Green Turtle nesting sites.

On the boat ride over to Vamizi Island you'll stop at Ibo Island, a small forested island that was once the Portuguese clearing house for slaves and ivory. Although the stone architecture is crumbling it's still a fascinating place to visit, in particular the pentagonal fort of St Jao Baptista. The elegant Ibo Island Lodge encompasses three magnificent mansions located on the waterfront. All bedrooms are individually designed, many with private verandas, and decorated with hand crafted furniture. It's a stylish (and more wallet-friendly) alternative to Vamizi Island.

...in Mtwara / Mikindani Bay (Days 11 - 13)

One of the Good Travel Company's favourite hotels and one of the most interesting in the region can be found at The Old Boma Hotel, a beautifully restored 100-year-old fort overlooking the Indian Ocean. Unique to the area, The Old Boma was restored by the non-profit charitable trust, Trade Aid, and plays an important role in the local community as well as offering relaxing, luxurious accommodation in the sleepy coastal town of Mikindani.

The town is located on the gently sloping hills of the southern coast of Mikindani Bay with turquoise bays and coconut palm fringed beaches. It's a region that few tourists ever see and yet has much to offer. The surrounding beaches of the Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park make a calm alternative to the larger beach destinations to the north and the old Swahili town of Mikindani is an interesting place to wander.

The Old Boma itself offers a wide variety of local activities and excursions to local places, all of which have been researched by Trade Aid's volunteers. These include safaris to the Selous Game Reserve, diving, visits to the local fish and spice markets, sailing trips in traditional dhows and fishing trips.

How to Travel

This trip will see you travel by ferry and plane.

The Route

Day 1: Ferry Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar

Having arrived in Dar es Salaam, head to the ferry terminus where a ferry will take you to Zanzibar, the 'Spice Island'. Ferries leave four times a day and take 2-3 hours to do the journey.

Day 4: Fly to Pemba, Mozambique

Catch the 7.30am ferry to Dar es Salaam and then the morning flight to Pemba in Northern Mozambique. Upon arrival in Pemba you will be met and driven to Guludo Lodge on the edge of the Qurimbas National Park.

Day 8: Boat Guludo to Vamizi Island

A boat will take you from Guludo Lodge to Vamizi Island travelling via Ibo Island.

Day 11: Boat Vamizi Island to Mocimboa da Praia

Journey by boat from Vamizi Island to the coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia, near the border with Tanzania. Here you will be met and driven to The Old Boma Hotel near the town of Mtwara, just across the border into Tanzania.

Day 14: Fly Mtwara to Dar es Salaam

From Mtwara, it's a 21/2 hour flight to Dar es Salaam.